Need a Thanksgiving Turkey that has great fresh herb flavors with smoky profile. So many times we have Turkey breast that is dry as bone, grasping for something to drink. Well this smoking technique gives you moist flavorful Turkey Breast packed with that Thanksgiving flavors.
Stuffing the Turkey Breast with fresh herbs:
The key to good stuffed turkey breast is to remove the bones. This takes a little practice, sharp knife but really isn’t that hard to do. Removing the bones from turkey is easier then chicken, working with much larger carious to cut around. Basically your cutting around both sides of breast without cutting trough skin. Then flatten out breast by butterfly breast meat for more service area.
Next step is to make the fresh herb rub by combining finely minced fresh rosemary, sage leaves, garlic cloves and onion. Butter the cut side of turkey breast. Rub the whole inside flesh of the flattened turkey breast, then grind fresh black pepper and sprinkle with kosher salt. Roll the Turkey breast back up with skin side out. Finally grind fresh black pepper and sprinkle with kosher salt all over outside skin of the turkey breast. Spray oil over breast with oil or brush with butter.
Smoking a turkey:
Key to successful smoking turkey is long and slow keeping smoking temperatures as between 165° to 225°F. Depending on the size of the turkey or turkey breast could take from 3 to 5 hours even longer with large turkey. Keeping the turkey moist can be accomplished in many ways, injection of butter or marinate into the meat. What we did was put garlic herb rub stuffed into center of breast. This gives good flavor through out turkey breast and extra moisture too.
Second method of keeping turkey moist is to have a pan of flavorful liquid under the turkey breast or bird. The liquid could be wine, beer or any aromatic liquid. My favorite is good amount of beer from 16 to 32 ounces in disposable baking pan. This provides a nice even amount of moisture steaming over Turkey as it is smoking.
Third important technique is smoking wood chips placed onto hot charcoal as turkey is smoking. Choose lighter flavor smoke profile, like apple wood chips or cherry wood chips soaked in warm water for hour. Start off with good large hand full of damp chips. Then every 1/2 hour add smaller hand full, this keeps smoking process going all through the cooking process.
Watching smoking temperatures closely:
Keeping close tab on smoking temperatures and internal temperatures are very important. One of the Biggest Challenges with Big Green Egg is starting off with too hot of smoke temperatures. When Big Green Egg gets too hot it’s hard to slow down smoke temperature quickly. The lump charcoal gets too hot and wants to stay hot for long while. So it’s important to just get lump charcoal just started add smoke chips and put turkey breast or bird on using indirect heat method. With Big Green Egg using the plate setter keeps the direct heat from reaching turkey breast, placing disposable pan with cooking liquid like beer on plate setter. The wire rack is place directly on place setter with turkey breast over drip pan with liquid like beer.
Smoking the Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast at the right temperture:
Smoking temperatures must start at low temperature, somewhere between 165° to 225° F. Maintaining those temperatures for 3 to 5 hours is very important, to achieve good smokey flavor. As the internal temperature of turkey breast gets closer to target temperature of 165°F, start increasing smoking temperature to 325° to 350°. By increasing the smoking temperatures will give nice color to turkey breast and add more depth to flavor profiles. Remove the herbed smoked turkey breast from smoker when reaches 165°F and wrap in aluminum foil. Allow the turkey to rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes covered with foil.
Serving Smoked Turkey Breast:
Slice smoked herb stuffed turkey about 1/4 inch thick slices. Serve 2 to 3 nice slices of turkey along with favorite sides, like sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and vegetable.
This is perfect way to have wonderful festive family gathering main entree that will please everyone. The flavors of herb stuffing throughout the whole smoked turkey breast is sensational. The smoky flavor adds depth to flavor profile. The whole family or friends will be asking more turkey please. Enjoy
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 8 people | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 4 to 5 hours | 30 minutes |
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Smoked Herb Stuffed Turkey is perfect special occasion or holiday choice. Turkey stuffed with rosemary, sage and garlic brings wonderful flavor profile this entree. The smoking of turkey brings good depth to flavors.
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- 1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves chopped very finely
- 1/2 cup fresh sage leaves leaves chopped very finely
- 4 large garlic cloves minced finely
- 2 tsp black peppercorns fresh ground
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 7 pound Turkey Breast
- 4 ounces unsalted butter melted
- 2 tsp Salt and pepper season skin side of breast
- 2 cups Wood Chips apple wood or cherry wood
- 2 cups water soak wood chips
- 3 pounds lump charcoal depending on type of smoker
- 4 + pounds wood pellets apple wood or cherry wood depending on smoker type
- Mince finely the rosemary leaves, sage leaves and garlic cloves. Then combine the minced rosemary, sage, and garlic into small bowl. Add to herbs black pepper, kosher salt and mix well.
- Lay the deboned turkey breast skin side down on cutting board, with cut surface facing upwards. Brush the turkey breast with melted butter. Next spread evenly the fresh herb mixture over the chicken breast.
- Next roll up stuffed turkey breast back into turkey breast shape with the seam side down. Followed by brushing with some melted butter and salt and pepper skin side of Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast.
- Start smoker according to type of equipment. With Big Green Egg get hard lump charcoal started, then add large hand full of wet smoking chips like apple wood. Place place setter on for indirect heat. Then put drip pan with beer or cooking liquid on to place setter. Next place grill rack onto place setter. Position the turkey breast over drip pan.
- To keep accurate internal temperature place temperature probe in center of the turkey breast. Also place grill temperature probe to know what smoke temperature is at all times. Start with smoke temperatures around 165° to 180°F.
- Every 30 minutes add more wood chips to smoker to maintain good smoke level.
- When the Herb Stuffed Turkey reaches near 160°F increase smoke temperature to 325°F to achieve good golden color.
- Remove turkey breast when it reaches 165 to 170°F wrap in foil to rest.
- Slice Smoke Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast about 1/4 inch thick.
- Serve Turkey with sides like sweet potatoes, roasted beets, cranberry sauce. Any of your favorite holiday sides.
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