Impress your loved ones and mates with this scrumptious apple pecan smoked turkey breast recipe. With a step-by-step video tutorial, you’ll have the right centerpiece to your vacation meal!

There’s not a extra juicy and flavorful turkey than this smoked turkey breast. It is our present favourite for Thanksgiving. I assumed that Instantaneous Pot Turkey was unimaginable, however man, this one simply completely one upped that recipe.

We aren’t missing for turkey recipes on our web site. We love a juicy turkey slice for dinner, however that doesn’t imply that we will’t maintain including to it. That fried turkey from years in the past remains to be advert favourite, the basic oven roasted complete turkey by no means disappoints, and we make the herb roasted turkey breast all yr spherical for a wholesome dinner recipe concept that isn’t rooster.

So even if you happen to’re like us and there are different turkey recipes you’ve made earlier than, take an opportunity and take advantage of wonderful apple pecan smoked turkey recipe this Thanksgiving.

Substances for Smoked Turkey Breast

This listing would possibly look slightly overwhelming at first, however there are a couple of elements to this recipe to ensure that it to return collectively simply completely! You want your smoker provides, brine elements, rub elements and turkey gravy elements. Right here is every part you’ll want:

For the Smoker

• Pecan Pellets or Chips
• Tin Pan

Turkey Brine

• Maple Syrup
• Brown Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Apple Juice
• Orange Juice
• Hen Broth
• Smoked Paprika
• Turkey Breast: Purchase a bone-in turkey breast for one of the best taste and texture.

Turkey Rub

• Brown Sugar
• Seasonings and Spices: Smoked Paprika, Floor Mustard, Kosher Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Chipotle Chili Pepper Seasoning, Pepper and Cumin
• Butter

Steaming Liquids

Gravy

That is meant to be only a fast overview of the elements you will have. The measurements and particulars for every ingredient may be discovered within the recipe card on the finish of the submit.

Turkey Fundamentals

Earlier than we leap in to creating this smoked turkey, I need to cowl a couple of of the fundamentals:

• A frozen turkey will want thaw 24 hours per each 5 kilos.
• Turkey might want to smoke for 25-Half-hour per pound.
• Secure inside temperature for a turkey is 165 levels F within the breast.

So let’s assume you will roast a 6.5 pound turkey that’s frozen once you buy it and also you need to have your meal on Thursday afternoon. Right here is your transient timeline:

• Take away turkey from freezer to thaw within the fridge: 2 days forward of time (Tuesday afternoon – Wednesday night)
• Brine: 10-12 hours (Wednesday night – Thursday morning)
• Turkey smokes: 3-3.5 hours
• Turkey rests: 20 minutes

Now the turkey is able to carve and eat Thursday afternoon! Now listed below are those self same steps in slightly extra element…

Tips on how to Make Apple Smoked Turkey Breast

Alright, let’s get all the way down to easy methods to make The Most Wonderful Apple Pecan Smoked Turkey Breast. Begin out by brining your turkey breast. Despite the fact that it’s not a whole fowl, brining is important to a young and flavorful turkey breast.

Tips on how to Brine a Turkey

Brining a turkey wants two particular elements after which the remaining elements fluctuate based mostly upon your individual particular person recipes.

1. Liquid- Your turkey breast (or complete turkey) will sit in a liquid wherever from 8-24 hours. The form of liquid does in reality make a distinction as they are going to assist to taste the meat. Brining, in addition to marinating just isn’t made to soak into the middle of the meat, however to taste the surface so effectively that because it cooks that taste emerges.
2. Salt- It’s most popular that you simply use Kosher salt for brining because it’s a extra coarse salt which can assist to interrupt down the meat, soak within the liquid for a extra juicy meat and eventually, the salt helps to taste the meat greater than only a rub afterward.

Mix all of the elements for the brine into a big pot with a lid. Rinse the turkey breast completely after which submerge within the brining liquid. Retailer within the fridge with the lid on for 10-12 hours or in a single day.

Subsequent up is the rub on the turkey. Don’t ever make a turkey with out this step as that is the place all of these yummy flavors are going to return from. Right here’s what you have to do:

Rub for a Turkey

1. Spices- You often see lots of herbs with turkey, however spices are nice to deliver out slightly additional taste. On this case, we throw in smoked paprika to actually drive residence the flavour but in addition the colour with that deep crimson. Cumin, garlic and even floor mustard deliver a stability to the spices that creates a heat, fragrant expertise.
2. Sugar- Only a sew of brown sugar like all good BBQ or Smoked recipe provides the tiniest quantity of sweetness which actually balances the garlic and smokiness.
3. Butter- Butter is important so as to add slightly extra juiciness and taste to the meat. It additionally helps the spices to stay to the meat.

Mix all of the elements for the rub and put aside. Take away the turkey from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels. Unfold the rub everywhere in the turkey breast, underneath and on high of the pores and skin.

That’s not all although, you continue to have to fill a drip pan with liquids that can assist to steam the fowl because it smokes. Belief us on this one, you don’t want to simply go along with water.

Drip Pan with Juices

Fill a tin pan, we simply get ours on the native grocery retailer, with pineapple juice and water. Despite the fact that that is an apple juice brined turkey the pineapple juice provides a very attention-grabbing degree of taste to the fowl and the gravy.

Apple or orange juice could also be used if you happen to can’t discover pineapple juice within the can.

How Lengthy to Smoke a Turkey Breast

Preheat your Traeger smoker to 300 levels F with pecan pellets. Place the drip pan with the smoking liquids in it underneath the rack of the smoker. Then put the turkey breast aspect down, on the smoker grill grate and shut the lid.

Let it smoke for 3 – 3 ½ hours or till a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest a part of the turkey breast reads 165 levels F.

As soon as it has reached the specified temperature, take away the turkey from the smoker and tent it with foil for 20 minutes to let it relaxation. RESERVE the drippings within the drip pan to make the gravy.

Mix the water and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk collectively to mix. Pour all of the drippings from the turkey right into a saucepan on the range high and convey to a boil. As soon as boiling, slowly add the cornstarch combination and whisk every part collectively till thickened.

learn extra: Searching for Traeger recipes? Strive our Traeger Smoked Hen Breasts subsequent! Or take a look at our tutorial on Tips on how to Make Smoked Hen (this recipe is for a complete rooster!). 

Watch How This Smoked Turkey is Made…

Can Smoked Turkey be Pink?

A smoked turkey will typically have a pink ring across the meat, however that’s from the smoke and taste, it doesn’t imply that you have to maintain cooking the turkey.

In actual fact, typically that pink hue can actually penetrate into the meat, so it’s essential to acknowledge if it’s the smoke or uncooked meat, which do in reality look completely different.

What Goes with Smoked Turkey

Oh my goodness, let’s discuss sides earlier than we neglect. Listed here are a couple of of our favourite issues to go along with smoked turkey.

And it might probably’t be Thanksgiving with out pies too! So make a pecan pie, razzleberry pie, lemon meringue pie and naturally, basic pumpkin pie!

What Temperature for Smoked Turkey

Relying in your smoker and the way a lot time you’ve gotten you’ll want to alter the temperature of the Traeger Pellet Smoker. We choose 300 levels F for 3-3 ½ hours. You might additionally do 325 levels F for two ½-3 hours, however we a lot choose to have a low and sluggish meat.

Can You Freeze Smoked Turkey?

You’ll be able to simply freeze smoked turkey, however solely maintain it in a freezer bag within the freezer for as much as 2 weeks. If you happen to want to maintain it for 1-2 months, use a Meals Saver like Cade and I’ve.

BEST. INVESTMENT. EVER.

Tips on how to Reheat Smoked Turkey

Place turkey in a casserole dish, and canopy effectively with aluminum foil. Warmth the oven to 350 levels and cook dinner solely till heat.

It’s also possible to use a microwave with paper towels wrapped across the meat to maintain it from drying out.

Take your Thanksgiving turkey to the following degree with this mouth-watering apple pecan smoked turkey breast recipe.

Thanksgiving RECIPES:

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