Turkey

Smoked Turkey Breast (Chud's BBQ Method)

Name: Smoked Turkey Breast (Chud's BBQ Method)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: Serves 4 (1 turkey breast)
Cuisine: Barbecue
Ingredients: 1 bone-in, skin-on turkey breast (from Sobeys); Heavy Hands Hank Everything Seasoning; Becel or butter (for the wrap); Applewood pellets; Compliments bread; Hellmann's mayonnaise; French's yellow mustard; Tomato; Red onion; Shredded lettuce

Chud's BBQ's turkey breast method: skinned, deboned, seasoned with Heavy Hands Hank, smoked at 280°F over applewood on a Traeger and rested in foil with Becel.

Time~2 hrs Prep20 min YieldServes 4 (1 turkey breast) CategoryTurkey Watch8:06

Watch the full cook on YouTube

Method

1Remove the skin, along with the thin membrane on top of the breast.The turkey is smoked skinless, so the seasoning goes straight onto the meat. Even when you cannot see a membrane there is usually one — lift an edge and peel it away, because it turns chewy and keeps the rub from sticking. Turkey skin tends to come out rubbery at pellet-grill temperatures anyway.
2Take the breast off the bones underneath, working your fingers along the bone.With a glove on, press your fingers right against the bone and slide along it; the meat comes away cleanly with only a little help from a knife. A sharp boning knife makes the job much easier. The video used a serrated dinner knife and got away with it, but it is not the right tool.
3Pull back the tender, remove the tendon that runs through it, and set the tender aside.The tendon is a tough white cord that never softens, and it is unpleasant in a slice. Cut in beside it to get a grip, then hold it firmly and pull; the meat strips off as it comes out. A piece of paper towel helps with the grip.
4Trim any fat and ragged edges to round the breast out, then tuck the tender back in to make an even, pillow-shaped piece.Even thickness is the point. A tapered breast has a thin end that overcooks long before the thick end is done; tucking the tender back in fills out the shape so the whole piece reaches temperature together. It also gives neater slices for sandwiches.
5Season top and bottom with Heavy Hands Hank Everything Seasoning: a layer, a firm pat, then a second layer.Work it into every nook. The first layer sticks to the moist meat, the pat presses it in, and the second layer builds a proper crust on top. Turkey breast is mild, so it can take a generous hand.
6Smoke on the Traeger Woodridge Pro at 280°F with applewood pellets until the breast reaches about 162–163°F internal.Apple is a mild wood that suits poultry; hickory, cherry or maple also work. Turkey breast is very lean and dries out fast once it overshoots, so watch the thermometer closely toward the end and pull it just short of 165°F. The whole job — trim, season, smoke and wrap — took about an hour and a half here.
7Wrap it tightly in two layers of foil with Becel or butter, presentation side down.The fat melts around the breast as it rests, and the tight wrap holds in the heat so carryover finishes it to 165°F. Presentation side down keeps the top sitting in the melted butter. Wrap the first layer snugly, then seal the second firmly over it.
8Rest it in the foil for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour.The breast climbs the last few degrees to 165°F while the juices settle. Check the temperature before slicing to be sure it got there. The foil also keeps it hot until you are ready to serve.
9Unwrap, pour the melted butter from the foil over the top, and slice.That butter is seasoned with the rub and the turkey's own juices, so pour it back over as a last baste rather than leaving it in the foil. Slice across the grain. Expect a faint pink ring around the outside: that is the smoke ring, not undercooking.
10Build the sandwich: mayonnaise on one slice of bread, mustard on the other, a big handful of turkey, tomato, shredded lettuce and red onion.In the video that was Hellmann's mayonnaise and French's yellow mustard on Compliments bread. The mayonnaise adds fat to lean turkey and the mustard adds sharpness. Keep it simple and let the turkey carry it.

Watch it on YouTube

What each ingredient is doing

Turkey breast: A bone-in, skin-on breast, skinned and deboned here. It is very lean, which is why it dries out easily and why this method pulls it early and rests it in fat. A boneless, skinless turkey breast roast skips most of the butchery.
Heavy Hands Hank Everything Seasoning: A savoury all-purpose seasoning that works well on poultry. Any savoury poultry or all-purpose BBQ rub can stand in.
Becel: A margarine, used for the wrap; butter works just as well. It melts in the foil and bastes the breast while it rests, and the melted fat goes back over the slices at the end.
Applewood pellets: Mild and slightly sweet, and well matched to poultry. Hickory, cherry and maple are all good alternatives, as the video points out.
Mayonnaise and mustard: Fat and sharpness on the sandwich, both of which a lean meat like turkey benefits from.
Tomato, lettuce and red onion: Freshness, crunch and bite. Slice the tomato and onion thin so the sandwich stays manageable.

Temperature guide

Stage	Temp	What it means
Pit	280°F / 138°C	Applewood pellets on the Traeger Woodridge Pro.
Pull and wrap	162–163°F / 72–73°C	Into foil with Becel or butter, presentation side down.
After resting	165°F / 74°C	Carryover in the foil finishes the cook. Check before slicing.
Rest	30–60 minutes	Tightly wrapped. Pour the melted butter back over before slicing.
Too far	170°F+ / 77°C+	Lean breast meat dries out quickly past this point.

Pitmaster tips

Remove the membrane as well as the skin. It is there even when you cannot see it, and it turns chewy.
Wear a glove and use your fingers along the bone when deboning — it is faster and cleaner than cutting.
Use a proper boning knife if you have one. A serrated knife tears the meat.
Always pull the tendon out of the tender. It never softens.
Tuck the tender back in to make an even pillow shape, so the whole breast cooks at the same rate.
Season in two layers with a pat in between for a better crust.
Pull at 162–163°F and let carryover in the foil bring it to 165°F. Lean turkey breast has almost no margin.
Wrap presentation side down so the top sits in the melting butter.
Pour the butter from the foil back over the turkey before slicing; it is full of flavour.
A pink ring around the outside is the smoke ring. Trust the thermometer, not the colour.

If it goes wrong

The turkey is dry: It overshot, or it was not rested in fat. Pull at 162–163°F, wrap it tightly with butter or margarine and rest it for at least 30 minutes.
One end is dry and the other barely done: The breast was uneven. Trim it and tuck the tender back in so it is one even thickness before it goes on.
There is a chewy strip in the slices: The tendon from the tender or the membrane was left in. Remove both before seasoning.
The seasoning is patchy or fell off: The membrane was left on, or the rub went on in one thin layer. Take the membrane off and season in two layers with a pat in between.
It is pink near the outside: That is the smoke ring, a reaction between gases in the smoke and the meat's pigment, and it is normal in smoked poultry. If the thermometer reads 165°F, it is cooked.
It did not reach 165°F after the rest: The wrap was loose or it rested somewhere cold. Put it back on the smoker, still wrapped, until it gets there.

Ways to change it up

Different woods: Hickory for a stronger smoke, or cherry or maple — all mentioned in the video as good with turkey.
Herb butter wrap: Add a few sprigs of thyme or sage and a smashed garlic clove to the butter in the foil.
Holiday turkey breast: Do both halves of a whole breast the same way for a holiday table. Far quicker than a whole bird, and no dark meat to time around.
Deli slices: Chill the rested breast completely, then slice it thin for sandwiches through the week.
Different seasoning: Any savoury poultry rub works; add a little cayenne or chili powder if you want heat.

What to serve it with

On Compliments bread with Hellmann's mayonnaise, French's yellow mustard, tomato, red onion and shredded lettuce, as in the video.
Warm and sliced, with the melted butter from the foil spooned over.
As a holiday main with gravy, potatoes and cranberry sauce.
Chilled and sliced thin as deli meat for the week's lunches.
In a wrap, a club sandwich or on a salad.

Storage & reheating

Smoked turkey breast keeps 3–4 days refrigerated. Store it whole or in large pieces with any butter and juices from the foil, and slice as you need it.

Reheat slices gently, covered, in a 275°F oven or in a pan over low heat with a splash of broth or a little butter, just until warm. Lean breast meat dries out fast, so cold slices in sandwiches are often the better use.

It freezes well for 2–3 months, sliced or whole, vacuum-sealed or tightly wrapped. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

FAQ

What temperature should I smoke a turkey breast at?

This one was smoked at 280°F. Anything from about 250°F to 325°F works, with hotter temperatures giving a shorter cook. The pull temperature matters far more than the pit temperature.

What internal temperature is turkey breast done?

165°F is the safe temperature for poultry. Here it was pulled at about 162–163°F and rested in foil, where carryover took it the rest of the way. Check it again before slicing.

Why remove the skin from a smoked turkey breast?

At pellet-grill temperatures turkey skin tends to come out rubbery rather than crisp, and it keeps the seasoning off the meat. Without it, the rub forms a crust directly on the breast and the smoke reaches the meat.

Why wrap turkey breast in foil with butter?

Turkey breast is extremely lean. Wrapping it tightly with butter or margarine lets carryover finish the cook gently while it sits in fat and its own juices, which keeps it moist. The melted butter then goes back over the slices.

What wood is best for smoking turkey?

Applewood was used here and suits poultry well — mild and slightly sweet. Hickory, cherry and maple are also good choices. Very strong woods like mesquite can overpower lean turkey.

Why is my smoked turkey pink?

A pink ring near the surface is the smoke ring, caused by gases in the smoke reacting with the meat's pigment. It is normal in smoked poultry and does not mean it is undercooked. Go by the thermometer: 165°F is done.

Know your cook

More information, cause recipe back stories are stupid

No 500-word life story — just the good-to-know stuff on what’s actually in this cook. Here’s the rundown on every real ingredient, health and nutrition wise.

Turkey: Turkey is a lean, high-protein poultry rich in niacin, B6, selenium, and zinc, and the white meat is among the leanest meats you can smoke. Brining keeps it juicy without adding much fat.
Onion: Onions are low-calorie aromatics rich in fibre, vitamin C, and antioxidants such as quercetin. They add depth and gentle sweetness without much fat or salt.
Butter: Butter adds richness and helps carry sauce into the meat, but it's high in saturated fat and calories, so it works best as a finishing touch rather than by the cupful.
Tomato: Tomatoes bring bright acidity plus vitamin C and lycopene, an antioxidant that becomes more available when cooked. They lighten and balance rich, fatty barbecue.