Where to Buy Turkey Breast for Smoking: The Ultimate Guide

Smoking a juicy, flavorful turkey breast is one of the best ways to prepare this tasty cut of meat However, finding high-quality turkey breast specifically intended for smoking can be tricky. As an avid smoker and barbecue enthusiast, I’ve spent years researching the best places to buy turkey breast for smoking

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share everything I’ve learned about sourcing the perfect turkey breast, from online mail order companies to local butcher shops I’ll also provide tips on what to look for when selecting turkey breast for smoking, how to prep and season the meat, maintenance tips for your smoker, and some of my favorite recipes. Whether you’re a seasoned pitmaster or looking to smoke your first turkey breast, this guide has all the information you need for amazing results

How Is Turkey Breast for Smoking Different?

Turkey breast intended for smoking has a few unique properties that make it superior to a typical raw turkey breast:

• It’s unenhanced – Many raw turkey breasts are enhanced with a salt solution to add moisture This makes the meat harder to penetrate with smoke flavor Turkey breast for smoking contains no enhancements,

• It’s bone-in – Bone-in turkey breast has more fat and collagen that keeps the meat juicy and tender during the long smoking process. The bone also adds flavor.

• It’s skin-on – The skin helps protect the delicate white meat and gets deliciously crispy from the smoke.

• It’s brined – Quality turkey breast for smoking is pre-brined with a salt and sugar solution to infuse flavor and moisture before smoking.

When you buy turkey breast specifically marketed for smoking or barbecue, you can trust it has these ideal properties.

Where to Buy Turkey Breast for Smoking Online

Purchasing turkey breast online offers convenience and the widest selection of high-quality meat intended for smoking:

1. Snake River Farms

This premium online meat purveyor sells an amazing Kurobuta Smoked Turkey Breast from premium Kurobuta turkeys. It’s brined with lemon, garlic, and spices for incredible flavor. The price is steep but the quality is unmatched.

2. Crowd Cow

Crowd Cow’s smoked turkey breast comes from family farms in the Pacific Northwest. It’s all-natural, free-range, brined in brown sugar and spices, and smoked over applewood. Each 8-10 lb breast feeds 10-15 people.

3. Porter Road

This popular online butcher offers bone-in smoked turkey breasts in three sizes. They’re brined in brown sugar, salt, and spices for 1-3 days to infuse maximum flavor. Porter Road ships nation-wide.

4. Holy Grail Steak Co.

Get premium smoked turkey breast delivered from this specialty meat market. Their boneless breasts are brined for 48 hours in brown sugar, salt, and rosemary then smoked over a blend of hickory and applewood.

5. Rastelli’s

Rastelli’s sells juicy bone-in smoked turkey breasts in a variety of sizes. Their proprietary brine and hardwood smoking result in tender, delicious meat.

Buying from Your Local Butcher Shop

Visiting a local butcher to hand select your turkey breast has advantages like seeing the meat first-hand. Tell the butcher you’re planning to smoke the turkey breast to ensure you get an unenhanced, bone-in cut. Some top local butcher shops around the country include:

• The Meat Hook – Brooklyn, NY
• Pine Street Market – San Francisco, CA
• Holcombe’s Meats – Houston, TX
• Red Store Market – Cape Elizabeth, ME
• Old Town Butcher Shop – Alexandria, VA
• Luke’s Inside Out – Rockwall, TX

To find an excellent butcher shop in your area, ask fellow barbecue fans for recommendations. Look for specialty meat markets focused on quality and not large commercial operations.

What to Look for When Selecting Turkey Breast

Once you’ve found some good sources for turkey breast, keep these tips in mind when selecting the perfect piece of meat for smoking:

• Bone-in – The bone adds flavor and moisture. Avoid boneless turkey breast, which tends to dry out.

• Skin-on – Keep that flavorful, crispy skin!

• Good marbling – Look for ample fat marbling throughout the meat for juiciness.

• 1 breast per 5-6 people – An 8-12 lb breast feeds a smaller crowd. Choose a 15 lb+ breast for larger groups.

• Even shape – Irregular shapes can lead to uneven cooking. Pick a uniform breast.

• Fresh, non-slimy texture – Make sure the meat looks fresh, not slippery.

• Firm and heavy – Heft the breast to check for density. Avoid any mushy spots.

• Brined – Pre-brined is ideal, but you can brine it yourself too.

• Skin intact – The skin should cover the entire breast, not be partially removed.

With an excellent quality turkey breast selected, it’s time to prep the meat for smoking!

Prepping Turkey Breast for Smoking

Proper prep ensures your turkey breast roasts beautifully in your smoker:

• Trim excess fat – Leave some fat but remove any large fatty areas.

• Make holes with a skewer – Poke holes all over the breast to help absorb the smoke flavor.

• Brine if needed – If the breast isn’t pre-brined, make a simple brine of salt, brown sugar, spices, and water. Submerge the breast for 6-12 hours.

• Dry thoroughly – Pat the breast very dry before seasoning. Moisture prevents rub from sticking.

• Apply rub – Massage a flavorful dry rub all over the breast. Refrigerate overnight to let the rub penetrate.

Now the turkey breast is ready to meet the smoker!

Maintaining Your Smoker for Turkey

Before lighting up the smoker, take time to optimize it for the long turkey smoke:

• Clean the cooker – Remove old ash and grease buildup. Scrub the metal.

• Check for leaks – Make sure your smoker isn’t leaking heat/smoke from lids or doors.

• Replace wood – Use new wood chips/chunks to start the smoke. Soak wood in water for 30 minutes first.

• Check water pan – Ensure water pan used for humidity is clean and full. Consider apple juice instead of plain water.

• Calibrate thermometers – Verify temperature gauges are accurate. Use a digital thermometer too.

• Organize tools – Have tongs, oven mitts, carving knife, instant read thermometer, and clean platters nearby.

Taking time to prepare both your smoker and the turkey breast really pays off in the final results!

Smoking Times and Temperatures

Smoking a turkey breast requires maintaining a low temperature for many hours. Aim for these time and temp guidelines:

• 8-12 lb breast: Smoke at 225-275°F for approximately 5-7 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

• 12-16 lb breast: Smoke at 225-275°F for approximately 7-9 hours until the temperature hits 165°F.

• 16+ lb breast: Smoke at 225-275°F for approximately 8-10 hours until the turkey breast reaches 165°F internally.

Monitor the turkey’s temp periodically and pull it off as soon as it hits 165°F. If the skin starts getting too dark, tent foil over the breast. Rest the smoked turkey for at least 30 minutes before carving.

3 Delicious Ways to Serve Smoked Turkey Breast

Smoked turkey breast is incredibly versatile. Here are just a few of my favorite ways to serve it:

• Sandwiches – Thinly slice the smoked breast and pile it on toasted bread. Add cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and aioli.

• Salads – Dice the breast and toss it in your favorite salad combo like spinach, citrus segments, feta, and nuts.

• Plattered – Offer thin slices with traditional sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Don’t limit yourself – get creative with tacos, pizza, pasta, eggs benedict, and more. Leftovers make excellent sandwiches too.