How to Smoke Turkey Breast on a Pellet Grill

Turkey is one of the healthiest types of protein that you can consume, and there’s no better way to get its succulent texture and flavor than through smoking. In this recipe, we’ll share with you how to get perfectly smoked turkey each and every time. By the time you finish reading this piece, you’ll be a master at smoking turkey on a pellet grill.

In fact, you’ll probably start making turkey more often because smoked turkey can be enjoyed in salads, sandwiches and on its own. The pairing of cider and wood pellets makes for a delicious flavor, and we’ll share with you a special brining technique that we use to fast-track the smoking process. Plus, we’ll be using the Traeger Renegade Elite Grill which is one of the best grills to use in when smoking turkey.   

What You Should Do

The first thing you need to do is get a deboned and defrosted turkey breast. Of course, you could always get a big size piece of turkey, but you’ll have to increase the amount of bacon you use as well. Next, brush the turkey breast with olive oil and then season it with salt, pepper and generous helping of all-purpose seasoning.

Make sure that the seasoning covers each and every part of the turkey breast before you wrap it in three slices of bacon. Arrange the slices so that there’s a piece on each side and in the middle. Next, flip the turkey breast and layer the bacon following the same technique in the above sentence. Make sure the bacon covers the turkey breast completely.

Then, reheat your smoker to 250 degrees F and place your preferred choice of wood pellets inside the hopper. The Traeger brand makes a great “gourmet” brand that really brings out the flavor in smoked turkey, and cherry wood works just as well. Next, position the turkey breast onto the Traeger Renegade Elite Grill grate before you place a temperature probe at the very center of the turkey breast.

Smoke the turkey continuously for 3 to 4 hours so that its internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Move the piece onto a baking dish and make sure it’s completely covered in foil. Place the turkey in a warm area of the room where it can maintain a temperature of at least 100 degrees F for about 45 minutes to an hour. The best way to achieve this is to place the turkey inside a cooler or a warm oven. But, if you’re going to use a cooler, be sure to cover it with a towel first.

Next, remove the bacon pieces covering the turkey breast because it has served its purpose of infusing the turkey with its scrumptious flavors. Lastly, carve up your turkey and enjoy it with a side of cranberry sauce and good old fashioned gravy! If there’s still some left over, rip it up and make a turkey salad or sandwich for lunch the next day.

How Long Does It Take to Smoke Turkey Breast?

There is no specific answer to this question because it depends on a number of factors. It’s always a good idea to insert an internal temperature probe at the center of the turkey breast to make sure that the grill is at the right temperature. After all, you don’t want to overcook your turkey and ruin it.

If you’re using a deboned turkey breast weighing 3 pounds, then a temperature of 250 degrees F for 3 hours should work great. On the other hand, if you’re smoking a bone-in turkey breast or one that weighs 4.75 pounds, for example, then you’ll have to cook it for an additional 1 to 1.5 hours.

Ingredients

• 1 x 3 pound deboned turkey breast
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 8 slices of raw bacon
• 2 teaspoons of salt-free all-purpose herb seasoning
• Salt & pepper 

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Dip a food brush into the olive oil and spread it onto the turkey breast before you sprinkle a generous helping of the all-purpose seasoning. Scatter some salt and pepper on top while making sure that the seasoning coats every crevice of the turkey.
2. Cover the turkey breast with 3 strips of bacon, making sure to place a piece on both sides and one in the middle. Turn the turkey breast on the other side and follow the same steps with 3 additional strips of bacon. With the remaining 2 bacon strips, cover any pieces of turkey breast that are showing through.
3. Switch on the Traeger Renegade Elite smoker grill and set the temperature to 250 degrees F and place cherry wood pellets inside the smoker.
4. Carefully place the covered and seasoned turkey breast onto the grill grate and then put a temperature probe right in its center. Leave the breast to smoke for about 3 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
5. Take the turkey out of the grill and place it onto a baking dish. Move it to a warm spot and cover it with a sheet of foil. Leave it to rest for at 45 minutes to an hour so that it can maintain a warm internal temperature.
6. Strip the turkey from the bacon. Then carve and serve the turkey the way you like it!