Smoked Pulled Turkey Breast
Forget everything you knew about turkey. This smoked pulled turkey breast is tender, packed with flavor, and ready to jump into sandwiches, tacos, and every bite in between. Follow along and I’ll show you exactly how to make it happen.
Traditional turkey will always hold a special memory, but it just doesn’t cut it for me anymore. Just like most meats from my childhood, I’ve searched for ways to improve the flavors, textures, and juiciness through the process of barbecue.
Smoking a whole turkey is a huge improvement on its own, but narrowing it down to the very specific process of making smoked pulled turkey was even better.
Make sure to pair this with Cranberry Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce!
Why This Process Works
- Easy peasy turkey. There are only a few steps with minimal preparation, which gives you more time for those mashed potatoes. Or beer.
- Cook it early, or the day before. I’ve found it’s best to serve it fresh; however, the flavor and textures are not compromised if you reheat it properly. This is a great meat for meal prep too.
- Very juicy. Trust me, smoked turkey breast has never been better. Combine that with this specific process and you’ll see that every bite is very juicy. The smoking process does not dry it out.
Step 1: Prepping the Turkey
Start with a boneless turkey breast if you can. It saves you the hassle of trimming around bones.
If you’re working with a whole turkey or a bone-in breast, no problem. Flip it so the skin side is down and run a sharp knife along the breastbone. It will come off with a little help.
Remove the skin as well. Work slowly so you do not tear up the meat, but it should peel away easily with a bit of knife assistance.
Step 2: Seasoning the Breast
Season the turkey with your spices of choice. Personally, we love salt, pepper, and granulated garlic as a simple combination – it’s extremely flavorful and you won’t regret keeping it simple.
Sprinkle the seasoning of choice on liberally. I highly recommend doing this a few hours before if possible to allow the salt to dry-brine the meat. Doing so will highly benefit the turkey.
We love to use Canyon Crust Beef Seasoning (I know, it’s turkey) because of the coarse spices. Use what you love!
Step 3: Smoking Stage
Set your smoker for 250°F and get that turkey breast in there.
Make sure the meat isn’t cold, right from the fridge when you add it to the preheated smoker.
Allow the turkey to smoke for a few hours. Smoke until the turkey reads 160°F internal temperature in the thickest part. Good news, you don’t need to spritz, just let it go! I promise you, it won’t be dry.
Step 4: Wrap and Rest
Once the thickest part of the smoked turkey breast reads 160°F, remove the turkey and place a few tablespoons of butter on the ugly side (the bottom), laid in heavy-duty foil.
Wrap it up tight and allow it to rest in a small cooler, without ice, for about 45-60 minutes.
Rest, Shred, and Serve
I recommend stabbing the side of the foil over a serving dish to drain out the buttery juices. This reduces the chances of losing or spilling it when you remove the turkey from the foil.
Place the turkey in its juices and carefully shred. Everything should pull apart very easily. Now you can take a bite of the best, smoked pulled turkey you’ve ever had.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe shows using a turkey breast, but it also works with thighs. The key is to cook to temperature, not with time. Both produce delicious results.
Through my testing, it is not required. It certainly won’t hurt and is another opportunity to add flavor. Spritzing can slow down the cooking process so just be aware.
You can, and it will still work. Removing the skin allows for more seasoning to interact with the meat directly, and also allows for more smoke penetration. Plus, it’s gross when you shred it.
More Pulled Meats to Try
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Smoked Pulled Turkey
Never look back, this juicy Smoked Pulled Turkey is going to take over. It’s so flavorful and simple to make, piling into sandwiches, tacos, wraps, and of course, your mouth.
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: About 7-8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 boneless turkey breast, about 3–5 pounds
- 2 tablespoons fine kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the turkey. Also, remove the bones if you were not able to find a boneless cut.
- Mix the salt, pepper, and garlic together. Season all sides of the turkey breast generously. Allow it to rest, uncovered in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Preheat the smoker to 250°F. Remove the turkey from the fridge while it warms up. Place the breast in the smoker and allow it to cook for a few hours, until the internal temperature in the thickest part reads 160°F.
- Remove the turkey breast from the smoker and place it in a large heavy-duty foil sheet, big enough to wrap the breast completely. Flip the turkey breast over and place the butter on the ugly side, wrapping up the turkey very tighly in the foil.
- Allow the turkey to rest while wrapped for at least 40-60 minutes, insulated in a cooler, without ice. Carefully pour out the liquid into a serving dish. Shred the turkey and add it to the liquid, mixing to incorporate.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The amount of seasoning will vary depending on the size of the turkey breast.
- Remove the skin; this is a crucial step for the best flavor and outcome.
- Be careful when using a probe once the breast is wrapped. There will be a lot of liquid inside that could spill out.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Chicken & Poultry
- Method: smoking
- Cuisine: Turkey
Brad Prose has been crafting recipes over live fire for 20 years. He’s the author of two cookbooks, Chiles and Smoke and Epic BBQ Sandwiches, and the creator of the original smash burger taco, as credited by the Washington Post, TODAY Show, Good Morning America, and Food Network. Brad is the force behind Chiles and Smoke, the home of Sonoran BBQ: bold flavors built around chiles, smoke, and the traditions of the American Southwest. Follow along on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
I bought a turkey breast roast that had the netting around it. Should I keep the netting on and follow the recipe?
Yeah, that will actually help because typically the netted turkey breasts are holding everything together. If you took it apart, you might have part of it separate, which makes it difficult to smoke.
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