Smoked Turkey Breast
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 274kcal
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 turkey breast
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 stick of butter cut into thin pats
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne optional
For the turkey brine:
- 1/2 gallon water cold
- 1/4 cup salt about 73 g
- 1 1/2 oz Cure #1 about 43 g, corresponds to 40 g of pure salt
- 1 1/2 oz sugar brown or white (about 43 g)
- 2 large carrots peeled and cut into pieces
- 2 medium onions peeled and cut into pieces
- 5 garlic cloves peeled and cut in half
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp black pepper corns
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a small pan. Add the salt, sugar and Instacure and stir to dissolve. Add the rest of the ingredients and remove from heat. Cover and let cool, then mix with the rest of the water. To chill the brine faster, substitute some water for ice.
- Place the turkey breast in brine and keep refrigerated for 4-8 hours.
- Remove the breast from brine and pat dry really well. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes or so to dry further.
- Meanwhile, pre-heat your smoker to 225F (shoot for 215F - 235F range) and get that good thin and blue smoke going. If not sure if the smoke is good, smell it - if it smells good then it's a good smoke. I highly recommend cherry wood as it gives the meat a beautiful color and a sweet smoky flavor. I avoid apple wood as it gives barely any flavor or color.
- Add the broth to a large aluminum or foil baking dish, then arrange butter pats on the inside walls of the dish. Carefully place the breast into the dish. Sprinkle with some paprika and cayenne pepper.
- Place the dish on the smoker over indirect heat and smoke for about 3-4 hours, depending on the temperature and the size of the breast, until internal temperature hits 160F. Start basting the breast with buttery juices after about 2 ½ hours, every half an hour or so. Do not add any more wood chips/chunks after you start basting.
- When done, remove the breast from the smoker and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Use the pan juices as a dipping sauce, it’s delicious.
Notes
Cure #1, also called pink salt #1 or Prague Powder is available from local sausage supply stores or online, for example here: Hoosier Hill Farm Prague Powder Curing Salt. Make sure it is Cure #1, not #2. Cure #2 is used for making dry cured meats and sausages, like salami, sopressata and similar.
Nutrition
Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 11732mg | Potassium: 676mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2796IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg