Old Timber Outdoors
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Wild turkey breast, boneless

Smoked Wild Turkey Breast with Black Pepper and Garlic Rub

Both breast halves rubbed with pepper, garlic and a little brown sugar, smoked at 275°F just to 165°F and sliced thin for dinner or sandwiches.

Serves
8
Hands-on
30 min
Total
10 hr 30 min
Skill
Some experience

Cooks on: Smoker · Lunch, Dinner

Ingredients

  • 4 lbWild turkey breast, boneless, both boneless breast halves from one bird
  • 1 tbspBlack pepper, coarsely cracked
  • 3 clovesGarlic, finely minced
  • 1 tbspBrown sugar
  • 1 tbspSalt, kosher
  • 3 tbspButter, melted
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 to 3 chunks hickory, apple or oak wood (or 2 cups wood chips)

You'll need

  • Smoker
  • Instant-read thermometer

Helpful: sheet pan with wire rack.

Contains

Dairy.

Method

  1. The night before (at least 8 hours, up to 24), pat the turkey breasts dry and sprinkle the salt evenly over all sides. Set them on the wire rack over the sheet pan, or on a plate, and refrigerate uncovered. This dry brine seasons the lean meat all the way through and keeps it juicier.
  2. Heat the smoker to 275°F. Tuck the thin tail end of each breast under so they are an even thickness.
  3. Rub the breasts with the oil. Mix the pepper, garlic, brown sugar and onion powder and press it over all sides. Do not add more salt.
  4. Add the wood and set the breasts on the grate with the thick ends toward the heat. Close the lid and smoke 1 hour.
  5. Brush the breasts with the melted butter, then keep smoking, brushing once more, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part, usually 1½ to 2 hours in all. Start checking at 1 hour and take each breast off the moment it gets there; thinner breasts finish first. Minutes are only a guide.
  6. Rest the turkey 15 minutes, loosely covered, then slice thin across the grain.

When it's done: 165°F

The federal chart lists poultry at 165°F, and Kansas State University Extension says to fully cook game birds to at least 165°F. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer.

If it goes wrong

Smoker drifting below 250°F
Open the vents or add fuel. Do not let the breast sit in a cool smoker.
Bitter, sooty flavor
The smoke was thick and white. Let the fire settle until the smoke runs thin and blue before the turkey goes on.
Dry slices
Wild turkey breast has almost no fat. Dry brine it the night before, pull it right at 165°F, rest it, and slice thin.
Rub turned dark and bitter on top
The sugar and garlic scorched near the heat. Keep the smoker at 275°F, not hotter, and turn the breasts if one side faces the firebox.

Leftovers. This is a cooked roast, not a preserved meat. Serve right away, or refrigerate within 2 hours for sandwiches and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat hot servings to 165°F.