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turkey breast cooked on a pellet grill on a metal rack set over a cutting board

Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey Breast

Mads Martigan
A double turkey breast injected with a garlic butter marinade, seasoned with your favorite herbs or BBQ rub and smoked and cooked to perfection on a pellet grill.
Whether you've got a Traeger, Pit Boss, Camp Chef, Yoder, or any other type of pellet grill, we've got you covered!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 6 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 284 kcal

Equipment

  • Pellet Grill
  • Aluminum foil pan
  • Flat or V Rack for turkey breast
  • Meat Injector
  • Wood Pellets - Hickory, Oak, or Fruitwood
  • Internal Meat Thermometer

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Whole Bone-in Double Turkey Breast

Garlic Butter Injection

  • 1 stick Salted Butter ½ Cup
  • 1 clove Garlic minced

Dry Brine

  • ¼ Cup Kosher Salt or your favorite BBQ rub
  • 1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

Exterior Seasoning

  • 1 tablespoon Fresh Sage minced, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme minced, plus extra for garnish

Instructions
 

Prepare the Garlic Butter Injection

  • Heat 1 Stick of the salted butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan or in a microwave. Stir continuously until the butter has melted.
    1 stick Salted Butter
  • Add the garlic and mix until completely incorporated.
    1 clove Garlic
  • Set aside to cool.

Prepare Turkey Breast

  • Clean, rinse, and pat dry turkey breast well with paper towels
    1 Whole Bone-in Double Turkey Breast
  • Trim any excess skin or fat off of turkey breast
    trimming excess fat from a turkey breast with kitchen shears

Inject the Turkey Breast

  • Using a meat injector, once the melted butter mixture has cooled to room temperature, inject throughout the turkey breast at varying depths every 2-3 inches all over the surface.
    raw turkey breast in an aluminum foil pan being injected with butter using a meat injector
  • Keep the turkey breast in the aluminum pan to catch the runoff. Wipe off the excess butter from the turkey skin and proceed to season the outside.
    close up of a melted garlic butter being injected into a raw turkey breast

Add the Dry Brine

  • Apply kosher salt, pepper or BBQ rub to the exterior of the turkey breast.
    1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper, ¼ Cup Kosher Salt
    raw turkey breast seasoned with salt for a dry brine in a v shaped rack set inside an aluminum foil pan
  • Place the seasoned turkey breast on a grilling rack or a V shaped rack inside of an aluminum foil tray
  • Place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight to allow the injection and the exterior rub to penetrate the meat.

Cook the Turkey Breast on the Pellet Grill

  • Fill hopper with pellets, start up pellet grill, and preheat to 325°F.
  • Add fresh herbs to the exterior of the turkey breast, if using.
    1 tablespoon Fresh Sage, 1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme
    raw turkey breast seasoned with fresh sage and thyme in a v shaped rack set inside an aluminum foil pan
  • Place the turkey breast on the pellet grill, either on the grilling rack in the pan it was in the refrigerator to catch any drippings, or on a V shaped roasting rack on the pellet grill. If using a smoker box, place it on the grates to the left of the turkey pan.
    turkey breast on a v shaped rack inside an aluminum foil pan on the grates of a pit boss pellet grill with a smoker box to the left
  • Place an internal temperature probe if you have one into the center of one of the breasts.
  • Close the lid, cook the turkey for about 2 hours, or 15 minutes per pound. Flip the breast every 45 minutes and also rotate occasionally for even cooking and moisture distribution.
    turkey breast cooking in a pellet grill
  • When the internal temperature of the turkey breast reaches 145°F, turn the pellet grill up to 350°F to finish cooking and crisp up the skin.
  • When the internal temperature of the turkey breast has reached 160°F in the thickest part of the meat, remove from the pellet grill. Make sure to check multiple areas on the breast with an instant read thermometer to ensure proper temperature.
    finished turkey breast with a meat thermometer reading 160 degrees F
  • Let the turkey breast rest for 15-30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to distribute and for it to reach a final internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Carve the turkey breasts off of the bone, slice into thick slices, plate, sprinkle with fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately.
    two turkey breasts on a white place sliced into thick slices and sprinkled with chopped fresh herbs

Video

Notes

For a single boneless turkey breast roast, see our Pit Boss Boneless Turkey Breast or Traeger Boneless Turkey Breast recipes.
Always cook until the internal temperature has reached 165°F.

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 45gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 5126mgPotassium: 19mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.01gVitamin A: 57IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword barbecue, bbq, Butter, butter injected, Butterflied Chicken, Camp Chef, Dry Brine, Garlic, garlic butter, How to, meat injector, pellet grill, Pellet Grill Turkey Breast, Pit Boss, PIt Boss Turkey Breast, smoked turkey, Smoked Turkey Breast, thanksgiving, traeger, Traeger Turkey Breast, Turkey, turkey breast, Yoder
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