Easy Brine Recipe For A Turkey breast

The Pit Boss Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe utilizes my favorite turkey brine. Turkey is excellent any time of year, but this was my first time doing a turkey breast, and it will be a recipe to make again. Brining a turkey breast for smoking is the perfect way to ensure the breast turns out moist and juicy.

During the holidays, we always pick up extra turkeys. This year, we selected some turkey breasts to try out.  I must say, this was a great way to smoke a turkey and get a lot of leftover meat!  Let’s face it, one of the best parts about smoking a turkey is the variety of Smoked Turkey Leftover Recipes. 

Smoked Turkey Breast Brine Recipe Ingredients:

• Turkey Breast
• Water
• Salt and Black Pepper 
• Garlic Salt
• Montreal Steak Seasoning
• Worcestershire sauce

How To Make The Best Smoked Turkey Brine:

First, thaw your turkey breast fully to food safety standards.

Next, find a large container that can be sealed and kept with ice or in the fridge.  (The old lady has these 2.5-gallon Rubbermaid containers that are perfect for this; similar ones are -> here on Amazon or a large stockpot.)

Add all your brine ingredients to the container, then add the water. 

Mix the water in the cooler or container with a whisk, then set in the turkey breast.

Rinse your turkey breast with cold water; however, you can skip this step if desired. I did it to ensure I had washed off any remaining turkey blood.

Add more water until the turkey breast is submerged in as much brine as possible.  

Allow to sit in the brine for at least 12-24 hours before smoking.

How Long To Cook A Turkey Breast For

Now this will vary from smoker to smoker. The most common practice is to smoke for a couple of hours at 225°F and then increase the temperature to 350°F to reduce the remaining cooking time. When increasing the temperature, you can cover the turkey with foil if you prefer.

You can start smoking on a smoke setting for an hour or two before increasing the temperature.

• 225 degrees Fahrenheit for ~30 minutes per pound of meat.
• 250 degrees Fahrenheit for ~25 minutes per pound of meat.
• 325 degrees Fahrenheit for ~12 minutes per pound of meat.

The most important part is not to smoke for time but for temperature. You will want to use a meat thermometer to ensure your bird reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees before serving.

How To Thaw A Turkey Breast

The time it takes for your turkey breast to thaw will vary depending on if you are thawing it in the fridge and the size of the breast. Be sure to always follow food safety guidelines when handling your turkey.

How To Smoke A Turkey Breast On A Pit Boss Pellet Grill

I smoked this turkey breast in the Pit Boss Pro Series from Lowe’s. If you don’t have Lowe’s, Walmart, or Amazon, carry other Pit Boss options or the Pit Boss website itself.  I had been eyeing a Traeger grill, but this one was more suited for my budget.

On the day you plan to smoke your turkey breast, before starting the smoker, let it rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes to take the chill off.

 Now, this is where it pays to know how your smoker cooks and how you like to smoke.  I like to do a low, slow smoke using the smoke setting on my Pitboss. Start up your smoker to get the smoke rolling! I set my Pit Boss Pro 1100 to a smoke setting of P4 for the smoke setting. This time around, I used Mesquite Pit Boss Pellets to smoke my roast. (Yes, Walmart is my go-to for pellets I order enough for free shipping, so they are delivered!) 

Money and time-saving tips from the old lady. If you order pellets online from Walmart and spend $35, they will drop them off at your door for free!! Their everyday price on pit boss pellets is amazing, plus the expert grill brand has a great price. (see them ->here)

Place your turkey breast on the Pit Boss racks in the smoker when it is rolling smoke.

My turkey breast was 8 pounds, and I smoked it on the smoke setting for three hours, then turned it up to 200 for another 5 hours! You do have some wiggle room with cook times when smoking a bone-in turkey breast on a pellet grill.  You can turn the temperature up to cook it faster, but I had a chill Sunday, so low and slow is how it went!   

Use a meat thermometer to ensure your turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 before removing it to serve!

Slice and serve! 

How To Store Leftover Turkey

Once the leftover turkey is cooled, store it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the fridge for up to five days. You can freeze leftover turkey for up to three months in an airtight container to freezer bag.

Storing leftovers properly requires the right tools! My preferred storage method is if the leftovers can be sealed in a food saver. If not, then an air-tight container or Ziploc bag for the fridge is the way I go. The air-tight container and a freezer Ziploc bag are the next best bet for freezing the leftovers. I also use a food scale to measure portions and divide them into serving sizes.

What To Serve With Smoked Turkey:

Any of the classic turkey dishes will go with smoked turkey. I love to smoke versions of classics as well. You can see my full list of side dishes for smoked turkey -> here that go with smoked turkey.

Bread: Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread, Garlic Parmesan Biscuit Pull Part Bread, English Muffin Garlic Cheese Bread, Easy Cheesy Monkey Bread, Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls, Honey Rolls

Smoked Appetizers: Smoked Cream Cheese, Easy Smoked Queso Dip, Easy Smoked Refried Bean Dip

Smoked Side Dishes: Smoked Baked Potatoes, Smoked Green Bean Casserole, Smoked Sweet Potato Casserole, Smoked Baked Potatoes, Smoked Loaded Cheesy Potatoes, Smoked Deviled Eggs, Smoked Loaded Baked Beans, Creamy Smoked Macaroni And Cheese, Smoked Loaded Cheesy Potatoes

Grilled Side Dishes: Cheesy Grilled Asparagus, Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms, Grilled Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes, Grilled Corn On The Cob,

Desserts: How To Smoke A Pie, Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake, Crescent Roll Peach Dumplings, Pumpkin Bars

The Best Leftover Smoked Turkey Recipes:

I love to use leftover smoked turkey in other recipes! From Pot Pies to soup to a casserole, there are no limits. I even use my Pit Boss Grills and Blackstone griddle to make leftover dishes too!! Check out all my tried and true leftover turkey recipes ->HERE.  

Smoked Turkey Recipes: 

A dry rub works amazingly well on turkey, but doing a brine with the dry rub adds more flavor.  There is no wrong way to smoke a turkey.  Now, I buy extras during the holidays, so I have extra turkeys to smoke later in the year!