My tasty smoked turkey breast without brine recipe is easy to make and it turns out super juicy. Today you’ll learn how to smoke turkey breast (3-4 LB boneless or bone-in) on the Traeger Pellet Grill, Green Egg, or whatever you’re using. Let’s smoke turkey!
Are you on Instagram? Check out my latest pellet smoker tips @sipbitego.
Also check out how to make spatchcock smoked turkey and how to make a smoked whole turkey.
Table of Contents
Why this smoked turkey breast recipe is so great…
- It’s a pretty fast smoker recipe.
- One of the most simple smoked turkey breast recipes for beginners.
- Use either bone in turkey breast or boneless turkey breast.
- Learn my flavorful smoked turkey breast rub to produce maximum flavor.
- See how long to smoke turkey breast on the Traeger, specifically, though this recipe will teach you the best cooking times to use with any pellet grill or electric smoker.
- It’s a great way to cook turkey for 2-3 people, without smoking an entire turkey.
Ingredients
Since this is a recipe for smoked turkey breast without brine, you’ll need to make a tasty dry rub to add tasty flavor to the lean protein. Here’s what you need to make it.
Smoked turkey breast ingredients
- Turkey breast, boneless or bone-in
- Butter, melted
For the turkey dry rub poultry seasoning
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Dried herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage
- Paprika
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper
See my review of the Traeger Fin And Feather Rub…
How to smoke a turkey breast on a pellet grill
Now I’ll walk you through exactly how to smoke a turkey breast on a Traeger or other pellet grill.
Step 1. Preheat the Traeger grill or whatever smoked you’re using to 225 degrees F.
Step 2. Make the smoked turkey breast poultry seasoning. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dry rub poultry seasoning (onion powder, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper).
Set aside.
Step 3. Place turkey breast on a work surface and pat turkey breast dry with paper towels.
Coat all over with melted butter by using your hands to massage the butter into the turkey breast.
Step 4. Season the turkey with the poultry seasoning (use as much as desired – in this Traeger demo, all of the seasoning was used).
Use your hands to massage the seasonings into the turkey breast.
Step 5. Place your turkey breast on the smoker grill grate and cook for 40 – 45 minutes per pound, until the internal temp reaches 160°F.
You may find that some smoked turkey recipes say 30 minutes a pound will work, but I have found that is not enough time at 225°F.
Notes: You do not need to rest the turkey on a roasting pan, directly on the grates works just fine.
If you want to smoke the turkey at 250 degrees F, that’s okay and will speed up the cook time, as well. But I always go with 225 degrees F.
See how to make air fryer turkey legs…
Step 6. The exact smoked turkey breast time will vary based on how large of a turkey you’re smoking.
Use an instant read thermometer to verify when your turkey does reach an internal temperature of 160-165°F.
Make sure to stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the piece of meat to make sure you’ve checked the temperature correctly.
See my favorite Thanksgiving recipes cooked with turkey blend Traeger pellets….
Step 7. Wait at least 20-30 minutes before slicing so the juices can settle. You can cover the turkey breast with tin foil to keep it warm and leave it out at room temperature. Then slice and enjoy!
Love easy but delicious recipes? Check out this beginner-friendly smoked brisket flat, my favorite smoked ham, sous vide whole chicken and tri tip in oven recipes – they all have a beautiful presentation.
FAQs
In this demo, the Traeger wood pellet blend was used, but Maple, Hickory, and Cherry pellet wood chunks are good options, too.
Wrap up any extra turkey leftovers covered and refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Make delicious leftover turkey sandwiches with avocado to enjoy this dish another day. See these leftover turkey recipes for more inspiration.
Although this recipe involves smoking raw turkey, you can also smoke an already cooked turkey breast if you just want to warm up the meat and add a little smoked flavor! Smoke time will be shorter because you don’t have to worry about bringing the internal temperature of the meat up to safe levels.
If you are using a meat thermometer, you can check that the internal temperature of your turkey breast has reached 165 degrees F. At this point the meat is safe for eating, and it’ll have had plenty of time to absorb a rich smokey flavor.
For best results, position your turkey breast with the rounded breast side up.
This is delicious served with staples like crock pot sweet potatoes, air fryer baby potatoes, sautéed carrots with garlic butter and herbs, and sous vide asparagus.
More Tasty Grill + Smoker Recipes
- Smoked mac and cheese
- Smoked cream cheese
- Smoked brisket flat
- 321 ribs
- Beer can chicken on the smoker
- Smoked wings
- Smoked tomahawk steak
- Traeger tri tip
- Smoked turkey breast
- Smoked turkey legs
- Whole smoked turkey
- Smoked Traeger pizza
- Smoked onion rings
- Traeger smoked ham
- Smoked whole chicken
- Smoked jalapeno poppers
- Smoked corn on the cob
- Traeger beef ribs
- Smoked leg of lamb
- Smoked shrimp
- Grilled chicken wings
- Grilled skirt steak
- Flank steak marinade
- Grilled potato wedges
- Smoked pulled pork
- Want more? See my lineup of easy smoker recipes
See my favorite smoker tools and seasonings in my Amazon Storefront.
Meat thermometer recommendations
Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly.
On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:
- Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
- ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill.
It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature.
How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever… Then put the food in the oven, on the smoker, or grill.
While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!
Are you a foodie, too?
Hey home chefs, if you’re looking for other ways to make Thanksgiving dinner turkey, check out this air fryer turkey breast tenderloin and my fresh roasted turkey breast recipe. They both make very tender, juicy turkey breast. You can also make frozen turkey into a delicious meal as seen in this sous vide turkey breast recipe.
To get my latest and greatest dishes, connect with me on Instagram @sipbitego. And for more deliciousness, subscribe to the Sip Bite Go channel and scroll through the Sip Bite Go recipe collection.
Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe | Sip Bite Go
Ingredients
Smoked turkey breast ingredients
- 3 lb turkey breast boneless or bone-in
- 2 tbsp butter melted
For the smoked turkey breast dry rub poultry seasoning
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp rosemary dried
- ¼ tsp thyme dried
- ¼ tsp sage dried
- ¼ tsp paprika dried
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper black
Instructions
- Preheat the Traeger grill or whatever smoked you’re using to 225 degrees F. Make sure there are enough pellet wood chips in the smoker to last a few hours and you have a drip pan in place. In this demo, the Traeger wood pellet blend was used, but Maple, Hickory, and Cherry pellet wood chunks are good options, too.
- Make the smoked turkey breast poultry seasoning. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the poultry seasoning (onion powder, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper). Set aside.
- Place turkey breast on a work surface and pat turkey breast dry with paper towels. Coat all over with melted butter by using your hands to massage the butter into the turkey breast.
- Season the turkey with the poultry seasoning (use as much as desired – in this Traeger demo, all of the seasoning was used). Use your hands to massage the seasonings into the turkey breast.
- Place your turkey breast on the smoker grill grate and cook for 40 – 45 minutes per pound, until the internal temp reaches 160°F. You may find that some recipes say 30 minutes a pound will work, but I have found that is not enough time at 225°F.
- The exact smoked turkey breast time will vary based on how large of a turkey you’re smoking. Use an instant read thermometer to verify when your turkey does reach an internal temperature of 160-165°F (note: 165°F is the official safe temperature, removing it at 160°F in theory allows time for the turkey to keep cooking up to temperature). Remove from heat.
- Wait at least 20-30 minutes before slicing so the juices can settle. You can cover the turkey breast with tin foil to keep it warm and leave it out at room temperature.
angela says
I have a boneless 3 lb butterball turkey breast but it says on the turkey breast not to defrost, just to go from freezer to oven……so do I thaw it completely first before using this recipe or do I make the recipe with a frozen turkey breast?
Jenna Passaro says
Hi Angela, I hope you see this reply ASAP!! I would definitely THAW IT if it was me!
And luckily, a turkey breast shouldn’t be more than a few pounds, and it thaws at the rate of about 5 LBs / day… so we are 2 days out from Thanksgiving and I’d thaw that — pop it in the fridge to smoke the turkey breast.
Now I don’t know WHY they say don’t defrost, but if you want the time and temperature to work out for this Traeger turkey breast, I’d personally thaw it.
Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Jenna
Devin Walsh says
Any relation to Vince?
CJ says
I brined my turkey AND added the seasonings in this recipe and it was the best turkey breast I ever smoked, and I have been smoking them for years!
Jenna Passaro says
CJ – What high compliments.
So glad it turned out.
Curious what was in your brine.
Ready for more turkey yet? Try my smoked WHOLE turkey recipe next.
– Jenna
Steve says
Made this for Thanksgiving and everyone raved. Was juicy with great smoked flavor. I left off the red pepper flakes and used smoked paprika. And i threw an apple in the cavity. This was so easy. Thanks for the great recipe.
Jenna Passaro says
Love the idea of adding an apple to the cavity. So happy to hear your thanksgiving smoked turkey turned out!
Rick McGrew says
Fantastic recipe. Turned out perfect