One of the most common Thanksgiving conundrums is how to free up oven space so you can get everything on the table at the same time. The answer: dont roast your turkey—smoke it instead. By cooking the turkey outside, youll earn valuable real estate for all the dressings, casseroles, and rolls moving in and out of the oven.
And you dont need a fancy smoker to do it. (But if you want one, here are our tried-and-tested picks.) You can smoke a turkey on your regular grill—either gas or charcoal—as long as it has a lid and enough space to fit the bird and still have room for a two-zone fire. Heres how to do it on each kind of grill:
Smoking a turkey breast on a gas grill may seem intimidating, but with the right techniques, you can achieve incredibly moist, smoky flavor that your family and friends will rave about. Unlike using a smoker or charcoal grill, smoking on a gas grill is convenient and simple when you follow a few easy steps.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn everything needed to smoke a show-stopping turkey breast, from choosing the right size breast to perfecting the smoking method on your gas grill. With flavor-boosting preparations like brines and rubs, proper temperature monitoring, and fool-proof techniques, you’ll gain the skills to wow guests with wood-fired flavor.
Benefits of Smoking a Turkey Breast on a Gas Grill
Here are some of the top advantages to smoking a turkey breast on your gas grill
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Convenience – Gas grills are easy to use and don’t require messy charcoal or wood chips. You likely already own one, making this method accessible.
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Juicy and moist meat – The low, indirect heat ensures the turkey breast stays incredibly tender and juicy as it absorbs the smoke flavor.
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Infuses rich smoky taste – Smoking over wood chips gives incredible depth of flavor you just can’t achieve from oven roasting alone.
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Frees up oven space – Smoking the turkey breast outside frees up room in your oven for sides on busy holidays like Thanksgiving.
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Impressive results – With minimal effort, you’ll have restaurant-quality smoked turkey that looks and tastes incredible.
Step 1: Choose the Right Size Turkey Breast
For the best results, select a boneless turkey breast between 4 to 8 pounds. Going too small risks drying out the meat, while larger sizes can be difficult to cook evenly. Opt for the highest quality, freshest breast within this ideal size range.
Turkey breasts are available both bone-in and boneless. For maximum flavor and juiciness, bone-in is preferable. However, boneless breasts allow for easier carving and prep.
Whether fresh or frozen, make sure the breast feels firm and lacks tears or blemishes on the skin. Organic, free-range options provide superior taste.
Step 2: Brine the Turkey Breast
Brining is a game-changer for maximizing moisture and flavor. This process infuses the turkey breast with seasoned liquid to make it unbelievably juicy, tender and flavorful.
How to brine turkey breast:
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In a large pot, combine 1 cup kosher salt and 1 cup sugar with 1 gallon of water. Heat over medium-high just until salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and cool completely before using.
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Place thawed turkey breast in brine solution, ensuring it’s fully submerged. Use weights if needed to keep it under the surface.
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Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours. The longer time infuses more flavor.
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Remove turkey breast and rinse well. Pat dry with paper towels before smoking.
Feel free to add aromatics like peppercorns, bay leaves, herbs or citrus to your brine for extra flair. The possibilities are endless for making unique, flavor-packed brines.
Step 3: Prepare the Gas Grill for Smoking
Properly setting up your gas grill ensures ideal indirect heat for infusing the turkey breast with delicious smoky flavor.
Here are the key steps:
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Use wood chips: Soak 1-2 cups wood chips like hickory, applewood, cherry or mesquite in water 30 minutes to slow smoke release.
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Create two heat zones: Turn one burner to low. Place soaked wood chips over it. Keep other burners off to create an indirect, low-heat area for smoking.
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Maintain temperature: Heat grill to 225-250°F. Use an oven thermometer to monitor. Add more chips as needed.
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Use a drip pan: Put disposable foil pan under turkey to catch drippings. Add water, broth, juice or beer for extra moisture and flavor.
Step 4: Prepare and Apply Rubs and Spice Blends
Take your turkey breast to the next level by complementing the brine with flavorful rubs, marinades or injections. Use these flavor boosters 1-2 days before smoking.
Try making homemade combinations with flavors like:
- Brown sugar
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Dry mustard
- Pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Oregano
- Thyme
Massage the rub thoroughly over every surface. Allow to penetrate in the fridge overnight for maximum impact.
For extra moistness, inject the breast with broth, melted butter, olive oil, wine or fruit juice using an injector needle.
Step 5: Smoke the Turkey Breast
Once your gas grill is prepped for smoking, it’s time to cook the turkey breast low and slow for tender, juicy meat.
Follow these tips for smoking success:
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Place turkey breast over unlit burner, away from wood chips.
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Smoke at 225-250°F, with grill lid closed, until internal temp reaches 165°F.
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Calculate roughly 40 minutes per pound. A 5 pound breast takes about 3 hours.
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Check temperature hourly. Add more wood chips and charcoal as needed to maintain heat.
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Use remote probe thermometer to monitor internal temperature.
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For ideal smoke absorption, rotate turkey breast 180 degrees halfway through.
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If breast browns too quickly, tent with foil to slow cooking.
Step 6: Let Turkey Breast Rest Before Carving
Never slice into the turkey breast immediately after smoking. Letting it rest is the secret to fully enjoying your smoked masterpiece.
After removing turkey breast from grill, allow it to rest 15-30 minutes on a cutting board, uncovered.
This resting period enables the juices to redistribute uniformly throughout the meat. If you skip this step, the breast will shed moisture quickly when sliced.
The turkey breast can safely rest for up to 1 hour after smoking. Just make sure you keep it out of direct sun or cover loosely with foil if outside.
Step 7: Carve and Serve Your Smoked Turkey Breast
Once adequately rested, it’s finally time to wow your guests by carving the tender, juicy smoked turkey breast.
Follow these tips for perfect presentation:
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Carve across the grain of the meat for most tender texture.
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Cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices for ideal bite-sized portions.
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Arrange artfully on a platter with plenty of juices from the resting period.
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Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. Leftovers last 4-5 days refrigerated.
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Pair with favorite sides like stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, greens or mac and cheese.
Smoked turkey breast makes incredible sandwiches, salads, pizza, casseroles and more for versatile leftovers.
Troubleshooting Your Smoke
Smoking turkey breast on a gas grill typically goes smoothly, but here are some potential troubles and solutions:
Problem: Turkey breast skin is too dark or meat is drying out
Solution: Use lower heat (200-225°F), tent with foil and baste with broth
Problem: Turkey breast has bitter, strong smoke flavor
Solution: Use less wood chips next time and vent to allow airflow
Problem: Turkey breast is undercooked
Solution: Raise heat to 250+°F and continue smoking until 165°F internal temp
Problem: Turkey breast lacks smoky flavor
Solution: Add more wood chips during smoking or use stronger wood like hickory
With the right preparations and techniques, you can easily achieve incredible smoked turkey breast worthy of any festive meal by using your trusty gas grill. Brining, seasoning and smoking low and slow infuses maximum flavor and juiciness. Serve this showstopping centerpiece and expect endless compliments from lucky guests!
How to Smoke a Turkey on a Charcoal Grill: Soak wood chips.
To produce the most smoke, soak 2 cups wood chips for about 30 minutes before setting up your grill. You could soak the chips in water—that will get the job done—but try smoking them in apple juice or white wine for more flavor. Dont soak them in spirits, like bourbon, or other flammable liquids which would cause the chips to burn up too quickly.2. Light charcoal briquettes.
Use a chimney to light 24 charcoal briquettes and set aside until theyre ashed over, about 15 to 20 minutes.3. Set up grill.
Place a disposable aluminum pan on the bottom grate of your grill and fill halfway with water (you could also use juice, beer, or another liquid). If youd like, add hearty herbs like rosemary and bay leaves to the liquid. Open the top and bottom vent halfway. Divide the ashed-over coals along the two long sides of the pan, toss a handful of drained wood chips over each pile of coals, and then place the grill grate on top with the open sides positioned over the charcoal piles.4. Place seasoned turkey directly on grill
Try to maintain a heat level around 300°F to 325°F. If you dont have a grill thermometer, do this by adding about 12 unlit briquettes to each coal pile every hour, along with another handful of wood chips—be careful not to use more than the 2 cups of wood chips called for in the recipe or your turkey could become too smoky, giving the meat an acrid flavor. You can also adjust the heat by adjusting the vents: opening them wider will raise the heat since more oxygen will reach the coals, while closing them will lower the heat. Never close the vents entirely since the movement of air helps to draw the smoke through the meat. A 15-pound turkey will take about 3 hours total (at 12 minutes per pound), depending on heat level. A thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast should read about 155°F while the thigh should be about 165°F.
How to Smoke a Turkey on a Gas Grill: Soak wood chips.
To produce the most smoke, soak 2 cups wood chips (we like apple wood, but cherry, hickory, maple, or whatever you like works too) for about 30 minutes before setting up your grill. You could soak the chips in water—that will get the job done—but try soaking them in apple juice or white wine for more flavor. Dont soak them in spirits, like bourbon, or other flammable liquids which would cause the chips to burn up too quickly.2. Place seasoned turkey in aluminum pan.
Season the turkey however youd like by using a wet brine or a dry brine or no brine at all. Just make sure the bird is prepped and seasoned all over and then place it breast-side-up in a rack set inside a disposable pan. The pan isnt entirely necessary, but it will shield the bird from browning too quickly and prevent grease from dripping all over your burners.3. Place wood chips under grill grates.
Put the wood chips in a smaller disposable aluminum pan and then place that pan directly on the spot where the burners come together (usually the top left of the grill). Replace the grill grate once you have the wood chips in position.4. Light the grill.
Turn all burners to high and close the lid. Wait until you see smoke.5. Set up grill for indirect cooking.
Once you see smoke, turn off the burners that sit below where you plan to place the turkey and set the remaining burners to medium-low. If you have a three-zone grill, the best turkey spot is the center zone. If you have two zones, the best spot is opposite the side that the wood chips are on—never smoke food directly over wood chips or theyll impart an ashy flavor, instead of a smoky one.6. Smoke the turkey.
As soon as you have your grill set up and the burners adjusted, place the turkey (in the pan) on the grill over the portion thats turned off, and close the lid. If your grill has a temperature gauge, set it to about 325°F. About 90 minutes into smoking your turkey, turn the bird 180° to ensure even cooking. Smoke the turkey for about 12 minutes per pound—for a 15-pound turkey that means about 3 hours total. A thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast should read about 155°F while the thigh should be about 165°F.
How To Grill A Turkey Breast – Ace Hardware
FAQ
How to smoke turkey on a propane grill?
- Soak wood chips. …
- Place seasoned turkey in aluminum pan. …
- Place wood chips under grill grates. …
- Light the grill. …
- Set up grill for indirect cooking. …
- Smoke the turkey.
How long does it take to smoke a turkey breast on the grill?
Tips for Success
I have found that using a turkey brine and herb butter helps keep the meat moist and tender. It really does make all the difference. The breasts can take anywhere from 1½ hours up to 4 hours, depending on the size of the turkey and the of grill/smoker used.
How do you keep a turkey breast from drying out when smoking?
Brining is a great way to ensure your smoked turkey breast stays juicy, no matter what. You can choose between a wet brine or dry brine.
Should I wrap a turkey breast when smoking?
Once it stabilizes the turkey breast goes on the pit. Smoke it for 2 hours adding more post oak as needed to maintain steady temperature. After about 2 hours the outside of the turkey will start to turn golden brown and have a nice crusty bark from the salt and pepper. At this point it’s time to wrap.
How do you cook a turkey breast on a grill?
Place the turkey on the grill breast side up (no need for a roasting pan) on the indirect heat side of the grill. If you are cooking on gas or charcoal where you have slightly higher temperatures on one side of the grill, be prepared to rotate the turkey several times during the cooking process for even cooking.
How do you cook a Turkey on a gas grill?
Leave primary burner on high and turn off all other burners. For Smoking the Turkey: Clean and oil cooking grate. Place turkey, breast side up, on cooking grate, centered over the drip pan if using a charcoal grill or on the cooler side of the grill if using a gas grill.
How to cook a turkey breast on a charcoal grill?
That’s not to say managing a constant heat level is unachievable with a charcoal grill. In fact, with the proper setup, it’s easy to create a steady temperature of around 350℉ for cooking the turkey breast. The first step is setting an empty aluminum pan in the center of the grill. The hot coals will burn on each side of the pan.
How do you marinate a turkey breast in a smoker?
Place the turkey breasts in the marinade and toss gently to coat. Refrigerate the marinating turkey for at least 8 hours, and no more than 24 hours. Preheat your smoker. Prepare your smoker for indirect cooking at 225 degrees F. Smoke the turkey. Remove the turkey breast from the marinade and place it directly on the grill grates.
How to cook a smoked turkey breast at home?
Here are the key techniques for perfecting this exemplar of smoked turkey at home. The first step to a perfect smoked turkey breast, is dry brining it with a simple mixture of salt, pepper, and brown sugar.
How do I know if a Turkey is cooked on a grill?
Remove to a serving platter. Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of the turkey in the breast and thigh. Make sure you test both sides of the bird, ESPECIALLY if you are smoking on a gas or charcoal grill where the temperatures of your grill may have been higher on one side than the other.