Smoking a wild turkey breast may seem intimidating, but with the right techniques, it can result in juicy, flavorful meat that your family and friends will rave about. Whether you are an avid hunter lucky enough to harvest your own turkey or purchased a wild turkey breast from a butcher, smoking is a fantastic preparation method that infuses great smoky flavor into the mild tasting meat.
In this comprehensive guide, you will learn step-by-step how to brine, season, smoke, and carve wild turkey breast so you can consistently achieve outstanding results.
Why Smoke Wild Turkey Breast?
Wild turkey has a slightly gamier, richer taste compared to domestic turkey Smoking helps mellow out the strong wild flavor while adding a lovely smokiness The mild smoky taste perfectly complements the turkey without overpowering it.
Smoking also helps keep the lean breast meat incredibly moist, tender and juicy. With the right brining and smoking techniques, you’ll never have to worry about dried out turkey again!
Tips for Choosing Wild Turkey Breasts
When selecting wild turkey breasts for smoking you’ll want to look for a few things
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Size – Go for breasts that are at least 2 to 3 pounds. The larger, thicker breasts hold up better during long smoking times. Avoid skinny, flat breasts if possible.
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Uniform Shape – Try to pick breasts that have a consistent thickness so they cook evenly. Avoid oddly shaped or extremely tapered breasts.
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Intact Skin – Skin helps protect the delicate white meat from drying out Choose breasts with the skin still on if you can,
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Freshness – The breast should look raw, glossy and feel firm to the touch. Pass on breasts that seem dried out or have discolored spots.
Trimming and Portioning the Breast
Once you have your ideal wild turkey breast, it helps to do some trimming and portioning before brining. This allows the meat to brine and smoke more evenly.
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Remove any feathers, quills or pin feathers. Use tweezers or pliers if needed.
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Cut off the thin, tapered end section of the breast. This thinner meat tends to overcook and dry out.
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Remove the tenderloins and reserve for another use, like stir fries.
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Detach the skin from the breast meat if desired. Turkey breast can be smoked with or without skin.
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Slice off any excess fat deposits or sinewy silverskin membrane.
Brining the Turkey Breast
Brining is a crucial step to ensure your smoked turkey breast stays juicy and flavorful. A saltwater brine seasons the meat while also helping it retain moisture.
Here is a simple brine recipe perfect for wild turkey breasts:
Brine Ingredients:
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 lemon, sliced
Combine all the brine ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool completely before adding turkey. Place the turkey in the brine, cover and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours. For larger breasts, increase brining time to 48 hours.
After brining, rinse the turkey breasts and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels before applying a spice rub.
Seasoning the Breast
A flavorful dry spice rub adds lots of taste and forms a nice crust when smoked. Here are two excellent rub options:
Cajun Spice Rub
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Herb and Pepper Rub
2 tablespoons dried sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Liberally season the brined turkey breasts with your choice of rub, pressing it into the meat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes up to overnight to allow rub to penetrate meat before smoking.
Setting Up Your Smoker
Smoking wild turkey breast requires maintaining a consistent low temperature (200°F to 250°F) for several hours. The best smokers for poultry are charcoal, pellet, or electric. You’ll also need:
- A digital meat thermometer to monitor internal temp
- Drip pan filled with water or apple juice
- Hardwood chips or chunks – try hickory, apple, cherry, pecan
Soak wood chips 30 minutes if needed. For electric smokers, load wood into chip box. Charcoal smoker users will add chunks directly to hot coals.
Bring smoker up to temperature before adding turkey breasts. Place a drip pan filled with liquid closest to heat source. The water pan helps regulate temperature and adds moisture.
Smoking the Turkey Breast
Once your smoker maintains a steady temperature between 200°F to 250°F, you’re ready to smoke the wild turkey breast.
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Place turkey breast skin-side up directly on grill grates.
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Insert digital meat thermometer probe into thickest part of breast, without touching bone.
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Smoke turkey breast until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. This will take approximately 5 to 8 hours. Time varies based on size of breast and smoker temperature.
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After desired internal temp is reached, transfer turkey to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let rest 10 to 20 minutes. The internal temperature will rise 5°F to 10°F during this time.
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The turkey breast is fully cooked once it reaches 165°F. Do not overcook or breast meat will dry out.
Add wood chips or chunks to your smoker every 45 to 60 minutes to generate sufficient smoke. Try not to open the smoker frequently, which causes temperature fluctuations.
Maintaining proper temperature and avoiding opening the smoker is key to juicy smoked turkey breast!
Adding Flavor
For spectacular flavor, try basting the turkey breast during the last 1-2 hours of smoking time. Use a mop or basting brush to coat turkey every 30 minutes with your choice of:
- Melted butter
- Olive oil or vegetable oil
- Apple juice or cider
- Chicken or turkey stock
- Barbecue sauce
- Honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar dissolved in warm water
The basting liquid adds moistness while producing a beautifully glazed exterior crust.
Is It Done?
Use these tests to check when turkey breast is fully smoked:
- Meat thermometer reads 165°F at thickest part
- Meat has turned opaque and is pale pink throughout
- Clear juices run from breast when pierced with a fork
The turkey should look moist but not raw or undercooked when sliced. If underdone, continue smoking until 165°F internal temperature is reached.
Letting It Rest
Never skip letting the smoked turkey breast rest before slicing if you want lusciously moist meat! Resting allows juices to redistribute evenly throughout the breast.
After removing turkey from smoker, let rest 10 minutes covered with foil. The meat will continue cooking a bit more as it rests.
For whole turkey breasts, increase resting time to 20-30 minutes.
Slicing and Serving
To serve your flavorful smoked wild turkey breast, simply slice across the grain into thin slices. Arrange slices on a platter and spoon over any juices from resting.
Smoked turkey breast makes fantastic sandwiches layered on bread or rolls with mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes.
For a full meal, try serving slices with any of these classic side dishes:
- Coleslaw or potato salad
- Macaroni and cheese
- Creamed spinach or corn
- Mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes
- Gravy, cranberry sauce, or chutney
Leftover turkey slices keep well refrigerated for 5 days or frozen up to 3 months. Enjoy smoked turkey breast in casseroles, soups, salads, wraps, and more!
With the proper brining, seasoning, smoking, and resting techniques, you will be rewarded with the most tender, juicy and flavorsome wild turkey breast imaginable. Now that you know how to smoke wild turkey breast like a pro, get ready to impress lucky family and friends with this amazing dish!
How to Make a Smoked Turkey Breast With Wild Turkey
I enjoy smoking wild turkey breast from time to time, although itâs not my go-to technique. The meat from a wild turkey is so lean andâespecially if itâs an older tomâdense, it doesnât lend itself to a long, dry sit in a smoker. However, with some preparation and the right technique, you can end up with a moist, delicious wild turkey from the smoker. Here are a few things to consider.
A Smoked Turkey Breast is Better When You Brine it First
Getting as much moisture into the meat before it goes into the smoker is essential, and that means brining the breasts in a saltwater solution overnight at the very least. My typical ratio is one cup of kosher salt to one gallon of water, and Iâll often add brown sugar and a host of other spices. However, there are commercial brines and cures available that do a great job of keeping meat moist and flavorful. Of those that Iâve tried, Iâm most impressed by the Wild Sky Seasoning I first used on snow geese earlier this year. I also inject the thicker parts of the breast with some brining solution.
The Best Way To Cook Smoked Wild Turkey Breast
FAQ
What is the best way to smoke a wild turkey?
How to smoke a boneless skinless wild turkey breast?
How do you keep a turkey breast moist while smoking?
What is the best thing to soak wild turkey breasts in?
How do you smoke a wild turkey?
Using a grill set up for smoking and warmed up to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, smoke the turkey until it reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit at the thickest point. Remove the turkey breasts and place them in a covered container to rest for 30 minutes. Slice and serve as you like it. Smoked wild turkey is a real treat to be shared with your loved ones.
Can you smoke a wild turkey breast?
Get that wild turkey breast smoked! Begin by removing the silver skin and any membrane from the turkey. If your turkey breast has skin on it, you can choose to leave it or remove it. In my case, I did not have the skin. First, you will need to make the brine for the turkey breast.
How do you smoke a turkey breast?
Here’s how to smoke a turkey breast: Brine the turkey. Whisk all ingredients for the brine in a bowl. Submerge the turkey breast in the brine, and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. Add some flavor! Remove the turkey from the brine, and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the turkey breast with my Best Sweet Rub Recipe or my Smoked Turkey Rub.
How long do you cook a smoked wild turkey breast?
Remove from the smoker and allow to rest and carryover cook at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. Slice across the grain and serve. This maple syrup and apple cider brined smoked wild turkey breast may just be the best and easiest meal you eat all year.