The Most Superb Apple Pecan Smoked Turkey Breast [+Video]

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 proper centerpiece on your vacation meal!

There may be not a extra juicy and flavorful turkey than this smoked turkey breast. It is our present favourite for Thanksgiving. I believed that Prompt Pot Turkey was unbelievable, however man, this one simply completely one upped that recipe.

We aren’t missing for turkey recipes on our website. We love a juicy turkey slice for dinner, however that doesn’t imply that we are able to’t preserve including to it. That fried turkey from years in the past continues to be advert favourite, the basic oven roasted complete turkey by no means disappoints, and we make the herb roasted turkey breast all 12 months spherical for a wholesome dinner recipe concept that isn’t rooster.

So even for those who’re like us and there are different turkey recipes you’ve made earlier than, take an opportunity and take advantage of superb apple pecan smoked turkey recipe this Thanksgiving.

Elements for Smoked Turkey Breast

This checklist would possibly look just a little overwhelming at first, however there are a number of elements to this recipe to ensure that it to come back collectively simply completely! You want your smoker provides, brine components, rub components and turkey gravy components. Right here is every little thing you’ll want:

For the Smoker

• Pecan Pellets or Chips
• Tin Pan

Turkey Brine

• Maple Syrup
• Brown Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Apple Juice
• Orange Juice
• Rooster Broth
• Smoked Paprika
• Turkey Breast: Purchase a bone-in turkey breast for the very 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 components you have to. The measurements and particulars for every ingredient may be discovered within the recipe card on the finish of the put up.

Turkey Fundamentals

Earlier than we leap in to creating this smoked turkey, I wish to cowl a number 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 inner temperature for a turkey is 165 levels F within the breast.

So let’s assume you’ll roast a 6.5 pound turkey that’s frozen if you buy it and also you wish to have your meal on Thursday afternoon. Right here is your temporary 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 here are those self same steps in just a little extra element…

Methods to Make Apple Smoked Turkey Breast

Alright, let’s get all the way down to methods to make The Most Superb Apple Pecan Smoked Turkey Breast. Begin out by brining your turkey breast. Regardless that it’s not a complete chicken, brining is important to a young and flavorful turkey breast.

Methods to Brine a Turkey

Brining a turkey wants two particular components after which the remaining components range primarily based upon your personal particular person recipes.

1. Liquid- Your turkey breast (or complete turkey) will sit in a liquid anyplace from 8-24 hours. The type of liquid does in reality make a distinction as they’ll assist to taste the meat. Brining, in addition to marinating is just not made to soak into the middle of the meat, however to taste the surface so nicely 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 at last, the salt helps to taste the meat greater than only a rub in a while.

Mix all of the components 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 come back from. Right here’s what it’s essential do:

Rub for a Turkey

1. Spices- You often see quite a lot of herbs with turkey, however spices are nice to convey out just a little additional taste. On this case, we throw in smoked paprika to actually drive dwelling the flavour but in addition the colour with that deep pink. Cumin, garlic and even floor mustard convey a steadiness 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 just a little extra juiciness and taste to the meat. It additionally helps the spices to stay to the meat.

Mix all of the components 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 must fill a drip pan with liquids that can assist to steam the chicken because it smokes. Belief us on this one, you don’t want to simply go together with water.

Drip Pan with Juices

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

Apple or orange juice could also be used for those who 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 little thing collectively till thickened.

learn extra: On the lookout for Traeger recipes? Attempt our Traeger Smoked Rooster Breasts subsequent! Or try our tutorial on Methods to Make Smoked Rooster (this recipe is for a complete rooster!). 

Watch How This Smoked Turkey is Made…

Can Smoked Turkey be Pink?

A smoked turkey will generally have a pink ring across the meat, however that’s from the smoke and taste, it doesn’t imply that it’s essential preserve cooking the turkey.

In reality, generally 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 totally different.

What Goes with Smoked Turkey

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

And it may’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 have got it would be best to alter the temperature of the Traeger Pellet Smoker. We favor 300 levels F for 3-3 ½ hours. You could possibly additionally do 325 levels F for two ½-3 hours, however we a lot favor to have a low and gradual meat.

Can You Freeze Smoked Turkey?

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

BEST. INVESTMENT. EVER.

Methods to Reheat Smoked Turkey

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

You too can use a microwave with paper towels wrapped across the meat to maintain it from drying out.

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

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