Smoked Turkey Breast with Homemade Rub

This smoked turkey breast is seasoned with a simple homemade rub, smoked low and slow, then wrapped in butter to rest so every slice comes out moist. It’s ready in about 3 hours and it’s just as good for a Sunday dinner as it is for Thanksgiving.

I get it – a whole turkey is a lot of bird for a random Tuesday. Or too much for Thanksgiving if you’re just hosting a small gathering. This smoked turkey breast is the answer for everybody who wants that same smoky, juicy turkey flavor without the extra work (or the extra 10 pounds of dark meat and bones that no one’s going to eat).

I went with a boneless turkey breast for this one because it cooks fast, and it slices up beautifully for sandwiches, plates, or just picking at straight off the cutting board. The real trick here is the butter wrap at the end. Instead of letting the turkey rest uncovered on a cutting board, I wrap it in foil with cold butter and let the residual heat melt it right into the meat while it rests. It’s a small step that makes a big difference.

Here’s how to make it:

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It solves the “dry turkey” problem for good. Between pulling the turkey at the right temp and that butter-wrap trick at the end, you don’t have to gamble on dry turkey breast ever again. The butter bastes the meat from the outside while it rests, and you get to pour whatever’s left in the foil right over your sliced turkey.

• It’s fast for a smoked recipe. A whole turkey can tie up your smoker most of the day. This boneless breast is done in about 2.5 hours of smoke time, plus a short rest, so you can realistically start it after lunch and have it on the table for dinner.

• It works for a crowd or just a Tuesday. A 3-pound boneless breast is big enough to feed a small holiday gathering, but it’s also simple enough that I’ll throw it on the smoker just because we’re craving turkey and sandwiches for the week.

• The seasoning blend is stuff you already have. No specialty rub required – our homemade turkey rub is made with ingredients you probably already have in your spice cabinet.

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless turkey breast: I like using a Butterball here because it’s pre-brined, which means it’s basically insurance against dry turkey and you don’t need to build in extra brining time. If you’re using a fresh, unbrined breast instead, plan on a simple brine first and adjust the salt in the rub.
• Olive oil: This is what gets the seasoning to stick and helps the outside brown up on the smoker. Canola, avocado oil, or even melted butter will all work in a pinch.
• Homemade turkey rub: Our turkey rub recipe is perfect for that classic Thanksgiving turkey taste, and it uses simple pantry ingredients.
• Unsalted butter: A simple trick with the butter at the end gives you a great “pan sauce” for pouring over your turkey slices. Salted butter works too.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Season the Turkey

Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels – you want a dry surface so the seasoning actually sticks instead of sliding off. Rub it all over with the olive oil, then mix your dry seasonings together in a small bowl and coat the turkey evenly on all sides.

Set it on a plate or sheet pan and refrigerate it uncovered for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you can swing it. That uncovered time in the fridge dries out the surface a bit more.

Step 2: Set Up Your Grill for Two-Zone Cooking

You want indirect heat for this one, not direct. If you’re running charcoal, pile your lit coals on one side of the grill only. If you’re on gas, fire up one burner on medium-low and leave the rest off. This gives the turkey a cooler side to sit on so it cooks gently instead of scorching.

Step 3: Smoke the Turkey

Get your grill or smoker dialed in to 250-275°F. Place the turkey breast on the indirect (cooler) side, close the lid, and let it ride. Plan on roughly 40-50 minutes per pound at this temperature, which lands you around 2.5 hours total for a 3-pound breast. Resist the urge to keep checking on it – every time that lid comes up, you’re letting heat and smoke escape.

Step 4: Check for Doneness

Once you’re in the ballpark of your estimated cook time, start probing. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and pull the turkey once it hits 160°F. Don’t go by time alone – thickness of the breast, how steady your smoker temp stayed, and even the weather outside can all shift your actual cook time.

Always cook your turkey to the proper internal temperature, not to a specific time.

Step 5: Butter Wrap and Rest

This is the step that makes this recipe worth bookmarking. Lay out a large sheet of heavy-duty foil and place 3 pads of the butter in the center. Carefully pull the turkey off the smoker and set it directly on top of the butter, then place the remaining 3 pads on top of the turkey.

Wrap the foil tightly around the whole thing so you’ve got a sealed packet – the turkey’s residual heat should melt the butter almost immediately. Let it rest, still wrapped, for about 20 minutes. During that time the internal temp will climb up to 165°F and the juices will redistribute through the meat instead of running out onto your cutting board.

Step 6: Slice and Serve

Unwrap the turkey carefully and set aside that melted butter pooling in the foil – you’re going to want it. Slice the turkey against the grain, then spoon or drizzle that reserved butter right over the top before you serve it.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator: Store sliced, cooled turkey in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and foil and toss them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Warm slices in a covered dish with a splash of stock or gravy at 300°F for about 20 minutes so they don’t dry out. In a pinch, the microwave works too – use low power in 30-second bursts with a damp paper towel draped over the turkey.