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–+ servings
Smoked turkey breast sliced on a plate.
5 from 5 votes

Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe

This smoked turkey breast is brined, dry rubbed, and smoked with a delicious orange juice and apple cider vinegar spritz. It makes a great Thanksgiving main dish or an easy smoking recipe any time of year.
Prep 14 hours
Cook 3 hours
Total 17 hours
Fat 16
Carbs 9
Protein 65
Yield 6

Ingredients

  • 4-6 lbs. bone-in turkey breast completely thawed
  • 12 cups water
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 5 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 medium white onion chopped and separated
  • 2 tablespoons turkey seasoning
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Remove the packaging from the turkey breast and discard any extra turkey parts that came with the turkey. Set the turkey aside.
  • Make the turkey breast brine. Add 12 cups of cold water to a large 5 gallon bucket or pot. Remove 2 cups of water from the bucket and add it to a small saucepan. Add the salt to the water and whisk.
  • Bring the water to a boil over high heat and allow the mixture to boil until the salt has dissolved completely.
  • Add the salt water to the bucket and stir to combine. Add the thyme, rosemary, and half of the white onion to the bucket of water. Place the turkey breast in the bucket of water. Be sure the turkey breast is submerged in water. Refrigerate the turkey overnight to brine.
    Turkey breast brining in a bucket.
  • The next morning, preheat the smoker to 240ºF* and remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it under cold water. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
    A turkey breast on a paper towel.
  • Season the turkey breast with the turkey seasoning on both sides. Massage the turkey seasoning into the turkey. Add the other half of the chopped white onion into the cavity of the turkey. Set aside.
  • Add orange juice and apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle. Shake to combine.
  • Place the turkey on the smoker and smoke the turkey breast for 2 ½ - 3 hours, spritzing the turkey breast with orange juice every 30-45 minutes.
    A turkey breast smoking on a smoker.
  • Remove the turkey breast from the smoker when the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Let the turkey breast rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
    Smoked turkey breast sliced on a plate.

Tips & Notes

  • Turkey breast can be hard to find outside of the holiday season. You can usually find bone-in turkey breast at your local butcher or in the frozen section of specialty grocery stores.
  • We suggest preparing the whole recipe of the turkey seasoning and storing it in a cold and dark place.
  • Some smokers have set temperatures so anywhere between 230-250ºF will work for this recipe. The timing just may change depending on what temperature you can use.
  • You can use a boneless turkey breast, but be sure to monitor the internal temperature of the turkey breast closely so it does not overcook.
  • We used Traeger Signature blend smoking pellets.
  • If you don't have a spritz bottle you can add the orange juice and apple cider vinegar to a bowl, mix, and use a pastry brush to whip the mixture over the turkey.
  • This smoked turkey breast recipe was developed in conjunction with our smoked turkey legs recipe so you can make them both at the same time.

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Nutrition Facts

Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 65g | Fat: 16g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g