The unofficial “end of summer” holiday just passed and as the days are getting shorter the holidays are coming. What better way to start preparing for Thanksgiving than with a quick turkey breast for smoking! It’s great for a quick weekday meal, so let’s talk about it!
Why Smoke a Turkey Breast
A smoked turkey breast is a quick and easy meal for a weeknight, family gathering, or Thanksgiving. This boneless turkey breast was about 3 lbs. and the total cook time was just under 3 hours. What’s nice about smoking a turkey breast is it’s much easier than a full-size bird. It fits nicely in a small smoker, like a 14-inch Weber Smokey Mountain.
Also, using a turkey injection, like Butcher BBQ Original Bird Booster, results in a juicy and flavorful dinner. It is less intimidating for new pitmasters. Injecting is quicker than wet brining and makes less of a mess.
What You Need to Smoke a Turkey Breast
- Turkey breast (bone-in or boneless) from your local grocery store.
- I used a Butterball All Natural 3 lb. boneless turkey breast for this cook.
- Rub – I used my go-to homemade turkey rub for this one:
- 2 tablespoons of smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon of fine kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of finely ground onion powder
- 1 tablespoon of finely ground garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons of rosemary
- 1 teaspoon of dried mustard
- Optional, but highly recommended Butcher BBQ Original Bird Booster injection for added moisture and flavor.
- Wood chunks – fruit woods work well for poultry; I used apple chunks for this cook.
- Charcoal for the WSM – I used B and B Competition Briquettes for this cook, set up with the Minion Method.
Smoking a Turkey Breast Step-by-Step on the 14-Inch Weber Smokey Mountain
Now that you have all your supplies, let’s prep the bird.
- Rinse the breast and pat it dry.
- Mix your Butcher BBQ Original Bird Booster and inject the turkey breast.
- I mixed half of the recommended 1/4 cup to 2 cups of water for 10 lbs. of meat.
- Instead, I mixed 1/8 cup of Bird Booster to 1 cup of water since my turkey breast was 3 lbs.
- Inject it with a pistol grip injector.
- Use the injection as a binder and apply the turkey rub.
- Let the turkey rub rest on the meat while you fire up the WSM.
Set Up the 14-Inch Weber Smokey Mountain
The 14 inch Weber Smokey Mountain was my first smoker. My wife purchased it for me and I learned so much with it. It is a great starter smoker for anyone who is interested in the hobby!
Now back to the WSM setup:
- Fill the WSM charcoal ring with briquettes or lump charcoal.
- I like using the Minion Method when I cook on my Weber Smokey Mountain. The Minion Method offers a steady heat and a consistent burn.
- Add a couple chunks of apple wood to the charcoal basket.
- Add some water to the water pan; personally I like to leave it dry and just wrap it in aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- We are shooting for a grate temperature of 250–275°F.
Cooking the Turkey Breast
Ok, now that the smoker is up to temp, grab your turkey breast and place it on the WSM’s top rack. You will want to put a temp probe to keep an eye on the internal temperature. Now, monitor the cook and when the internal temp reaches 140°F baste it with butter.
When the internal temp of the breast reaches 160°F, pull and let it rest for 15–20 minutes. The carryover cook will bring the temp up to 165°F. Your turkey breast should have a beautiful mahogany red and brownish color to it!
We have a video explaining how to cook a turkey breast below:
In Conclusion
Smoking a turkey breast is easy! It just takes some time to prepare for the cook. Once it is finished, you will have a delicious, juicy, flavorful meal for the weekday or any occasion. Butcher BBQ Bird Booster also saves you time by not brining the turkey breast for 12-24 hours.
With a 14 inch Weber Smokey Mountain and this newfound knowledge, you will be known as “Mr. Turkey” going forward! Let’s get to cooking and please leave us a comment below on how your smoked turkey breast turned out!
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