Do you have a thawed turkey waiting for you in the fridge and are wondering what the heck comes next? Are you panicking because you forgot to thaw yours and don’t know what to do to get something ready on time? Don’t worry because we partnered with the award-winning BBQ team from the Burnt Crow for a quick and easy Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe. With Thanksgiving just days away, we’re sure this recipe will impress all your holiday guests.
Prep
The USDA recommends thawing your turkey in the refrigerator. This is the safest method because the turkey will thaw at a consistent, safe temperature. This method takes some time, so allow one day for each 4 – 5 pounds of weight. If your turkey weighs 16 pounds, it will take about four days to thaw. If you’re working with a big bird – you will need even more time.
A great alternative to using a whole turkey is to use a turkey breast, and trust us – using this method will leave you with one of the best turkey dinners of your life! These are typically sold in smaller sizes, so even if you’re shopping and prepping last minute, these will take a much shorter time to thaw. And if you’re serving a large crowd – just pick up a couple! We chose a 4lb turkey breast and left it in the fridge for a day to ensure it was fully thawed.
Step 1 – Brining
Brining a turkey enhances its flavor, tenderness, and juiciness by soaking it in a saltwater solution before cooking. The salt helps season the meat, retain moisture, and prevent dryness. Adding herbs and spices to the brine can impart additional flavors, resulting in a more delicious and succulent turkey. Generally speaking, you will need a gallon of water for every 10 pounds of turkey.
We started with a 4lb turkey breast and used Kosmos Q Turkey Brine. Mix 1 cup of the Turkey Brine with a couple of cups of warm water. Shake well to dissolve the seasoning. Then, dump that mixture into the remaining 1 gallon of water.
You can do this inside a brining bag, or you can use a brining bucket. A brining bucket comes with a lid that allows you to push down the turkey to ensure it is fully covered by the water mixture. You can also use a stock pot or any large bucket and plate to submerge your turkey. The rule of thumb is to brine for 1 hour per pound of meat. Don’t brine too long, or your meat will get too salty. We brined for a total of 4 hours.
Step 2 – Injecting
Injecting enhances the turkey’s taste and moisture, making it a popular choice for holiday preparations. Directly introducing savory liquids, herbs, or spices into the meat ensures a juicy and delicious outcome, elevating the overall dining experience.
After your turkey has brined, it’s time to take it out, give it a rinse, and pat dry. Lay your turkey skin side down so you don’t have to inject through the skin. We used a low-sodium chicken broth. You can pick up a meat injector at your local grocery store. You’ll feel the turkey plumping up as you go. Just inject a little of that broth every few inches. You’ll get some runoff, but that’s ok!
Step 3 – Seasoning
Seasoning a turkey before smoking is crucial in elevating its flavor profile and ensuring a delicious end result. The smoking process infuses a unique, smoky essence into the meat, and proper seasoning complements and enhances this natural smokiness.
Pull back the skin a little to ensure you season the turkey fully – then flip the skin back over as you layer your seasonings to ensure you get that skin seasoned well, too. You can season with whatever you like, but for this turkey, we used a combination of 4 different seasonings.
We started with Blues Hog Cajun Bayou, then layered on Heath Riles Garlic Butter, Big Poppa’s Sweet Money, and finished with a good Blues Hog Sweet and Savory layer. Let that sit for about 20 minutes while you get your smoker going.
Step 4 – Cooking
A slow and low-smoking process can infuse your turkey breast with a rich, smoky essence, resulting in a tender, juicy end product. Bring your smoker up to temp. For poultry, we smoke at 300°F. We used coal and a Gateway drum with a small piece of pecan for this cook. If you’re smoking on a pellet grill, we suggest a nice mild pellet like applewood – but you can use whatever is your favorite. A good rule of thumb is to expect to cook your turkey for about 15-30 minutes per pound.
We cooked ours for a total of about 2 hours. At an hour in, it had a nice mahogany color, so at this point, we melted about 1 ½ sticks of butter in a foil pan, added the turkey, and covered it with foil. We cooked it for an additional 30-45 minutes. Your goal is to get your turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F. As you check the temperature, ensure you’re temping your turkey at the thickest part.
Once your turkey reaches that internal temp of 165°F, remove it from the butter bath, put it back on the smoker, and give it a nice glaze with your favorite BBQ sauce. Let that sit on the smoker for another 5 mins to tack up.
Some of our favorite sauces are by made by Blues Hog, a local St. Louis BBQ company. Try their Original, and if you’re feeling jazzy, you can mix in some Raspberry Chipotle!
Step 5 – Presentation and Cutting
Let your turkey rest for about 15-20 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute and ensure optimal tenderness. Now it’s time to carve—You should start on the smaller end and cut it across the body to the thickest part. Fan out your turkey slices on a nice serving platter to show off that beautiful pink smoke ring. Serve warm and enjoy!
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Burnt Crow Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 4lb. Turkey Breast
- 1 Injection Syringe
- Kosmos Q Turkey Brine Seasoning
- 1 can low low-sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 ½ sticks butter
- Foil pan & Foil
- Blues Hog – Cajun Bayou & Sweet and Savory Seasoning
- Heath Riles – Garlic Butter
- Big Poppa’s – Sweet Money
Instructions
- Thaw your turkey breast completely. Rinse & pat dry.
- Mix together 1 cup brine seasoning with a gallon of water and submerge turkey for 4 hours.
- Remove turkey breast and pat dry. Flip the turkey breast so the skin side is down.
- Inject your turkey breast every couple of inches with the low-sodium chicken broth.
- Flip Turkey skin side up – peel back the skin and season your turkey breast. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Heat your smoker to 300°F.
- Smoke your turkey breast for a total of about 2 hours till it reaches a temperature of 165°F. Optional Tip: About halfway through, place your turkey in a foil pan with 1 ½ sticks of butter and cover with foil till it reaches its final temp.
- Remove from butter and glaze with your favorite BBQ sauce.
- Rest for about 15-20 minutes. Slice and enjoy!