Smoked Turkey Breast in Electric Smoker

If you want smoked turkey breast in an electric smoker that comes out juicy instead of dry and stringy, this is the one. Three and a half hours at 225 degrees, a handful of fresh herbs, and butter tucked right under the skin. Short on time? My Instant Pot turkey breast is the much faster way to cook the same cut, and if this is your first time firing up your smoker, my full list of electric smoker recipes is a good place to start.

This step by step smoked turkey breast recipe shows you how to set up your smoker, pick your wood, and know exactly when to pull the turkey off. It works the same in a Masterbuilt, a Char Broil, or whatever electric smoker is sitting on your patio right now.

I make this every November, and honestly a few times outside of November too. A turkey breast is so much easier than a whole bird. It fits in the smoker without a fight, it cooks in a few hours, and there is no wrestling with a giant carcass at the end. If you would rather skip the smoker altogether, my Ninja Foodi frozen turkey breast on The Top Meal goes from freezer to dinner in about an hour.

Why you will love this recipe

It is almost entirely hands off. You season the turkey, put it in the smoker, and then you go do something else for three hours. On Thanksgiving morning that is worth a lot. The smoker handles the turkey while your oven stays free for the sides.

The butter under the skin is the whole trick. Turkey breast is lean, and lean meat dries out fast in a smoker. Softened butter slipped under the skin melts down through the meat the entire time it cooks and keeps it tender. It is one extra minute of work and it changes the result completely.

My kids are picky about turkey and they eat this. That never happens with a roasted bird. Something about the smoke makes it taste less like leftovers and more like actual dinner.

How long to smoke a turkey breast at 225 degrees

Plan on roughly 40 minutes per pound at 225 degrees. A 5 to 6 pound bone in breast lands right around 3.5 hours, which is what this recipe is written for.

Turkey breast weight	Approximate time at 225°F
3 lb	2 hours
4 lb	2 hours 40 minutes
5 lb	3 hours 20 minutes
6 lb	4 hours
7 lb	4 hours 40 minutes

Use this as a starting point, not a rule. Every smoker runs a little different, and a cold windy day will add time. Cook to temperature, never to the clock. Pull the turkey when the thickest part of the breast reads 160 to 162 degrees, then let it rest. Carryover heat brings it up to the 165 degrees the USDA calls for while the juices settle back into the meat.

A boneless breast will run faster than the chart above, usually by 20 to 30 minutes. Start checking early.

What to serve with smoked turkey breast

This is a Thanksgiving plate, but it is also just a very good Sunday dinner. A few things that go with it:

• Mashed sweet potatoes, which you can make in the Instant Pot while the turkey smokes
• A pan of cornbread stuffing
• Cranberry sauce, the tart kind rather than the sweet kind
• Green beans with bacon
• Buttered dinner rolls for the leftover sandwiches
• A simple pan gravy made from the drippings
• Something pumpkin for dessert, and the best Trader Joe's pumpkin products roundup on Trader Eats will save you a lot of baking

Tips for a juicy smoked turkey breast

Get the butter all the way under the skin. Work your fingers gently between the skin and the meat first to loosen it, then push the softened butter in and spread it around. Do not tear the skin if you can help it. The skin is what holds the moisture in.

Do not open the smoker to peek. Every time you lift the lid you lose heat and add time. Use a leave in probe thermometer so you can watch the temperature without opening anything.

Soak your wood chips, or do not, but be consistent. Applewood is mild and slightly sweet, which is why it suits turkey so well. Dry chips give you a faster, sharper smoke. Soaked chips smolder longer. Pick one and learn how your smoker behaves with it.

Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This is not optional. Cutting into it right away dumps all the juice onto the cutting board.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage and reheating

Store sliced turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep it in larger pieces rather than thin slices if you can, it dries out less.

Freeze for up to 3 months. Freeze it with a little broth or the pan juices so it does not dry out.

Reheat covered in a 300 degree oven with a splash of broth for about 15 minutes, or gently in a covered skillet. Skip the microwave if you can, it toughens the meat.

You may also like

• Smoked chicken wings in electric smoker — same smoker, same easy setup, and they disappear off the plate faster than anything else I make.
• Smoked turkey necks in crock pot — deeply savory and cheap, and the broth they leave behind is worth the whole recipe.
• Instant Pot turkey legs with gravy — for when you want turkey on a weeknight and three hours is not happening.
• Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes — the side dish I make while the turkey is still in the smoker.
• Sweet potato buttermilk pie — creamy, a little tangy, and it belongs on the same table as this turkey.
• Easy smoked whole chicken — once you are comfortable with the turkey breast, this is the natural next thing to smoke.

Hope you will love this smoked turkey breast in electric smoker recipe as much as my family does. Rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions!