Texas Turkey Breasts

Oct 18, 2023 • Tom Jackson

This Texas Turkey Breasts recipe features two boneless, skinless turkey breasts brined overnight, seasoned with Lone Star-style rub and smoked slowly over oak wood to deliver that signature Texas BBQ flavor. Chef Tom demonstrates this method on the Yoder Smokers Loaded Wichita Offset Smoker, a leaner centerpiece packed with smoke, crust, and depth.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

Butter does the basting for you. Wrapping the breasts in foil over sliced butter (Step 6) lets them finish cooking in their own melted-butter bath instead of needing repeated mopping or spraying.
Brined for guaranteed juiciness. An overnight soak in Butcher House Brine (Steps 1–2) means the lean turkey breast won't dry out, even after two-plus hours of smoke.
Feeds a crowd without a whole bird. Two boneless breasts serve 24 — all the smoky Texas flavor of a whole turkey, without carving a full bird or dealing with dark meat nobody wants.
Sliced right through the pan juices. Step 9 runs the finished slices back through the reserved butter and turkey juice, so every piece gets basted one more time right before serving.

Texas Turkey Breasts

Tom Jackson

Rated 4.0 stars by 105 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

24

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

2 hours 5 minutes

Calories

308

Whether you want a streamlined Thanksgiving main or a BBQ-ready dinner that serves a crowd, this recipe is both hearty and elegant—finished with butter wrapping and timed to around three hours to arrive at the perfect balance of juiciness and bark.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 large (4-5 lb) boneless skinless turkey breasts
1 lb Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House Brine
5 quarts water
Bear & Burton’s The W Sauce (Worcestershire)
Cattleman’s Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pats

Get the kit for this recipe

ATBBQ Texas Turkey Breast Kits

View Cart (0) Checkout

Directions

Place the water and Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House Brine in a 8 quart Briner Bucket. Whisk well to dissolve.
Place the bucket in the sink and add the turkey breasts. It may overflow a little. That’s alright. Let it overflow into the sink. Lock the plastic lid in place inside the bucket to keep the turkey submerged. Place the lid on the bucket. Wipe down the bucket. Transfer to the refrigerator and let brine overnight (8 hours).
Fill a charcoal chimney starter with lump charcoal and light in the fire box of the Yoder Smokers Loaded Wichita Offset Smoker. Dump the hot coals in the back half of the fire box and add a couple of splits of oak wood to the charcoal. Stabilize the temperature around 275ºF, and continue feeding the coal bed splits of oak to maintain that temperature.
Remove the turkey breasts from the brine. Dry with paper towels. Slather with Bear & Burton’s The W Sauce (Worcestershire). Season with Cattleman’s Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub.
Transfer the seasoned turkey breasts to the smoker, with the thick end of the breasts nearest the fire box. Let smoke until the breasts reach an internal temperature of about 140ºF, about two hours. Remove from the smoker.
Place one stick of sliced butter pats on top of two sheets of heavy duty foil. Place the breasts, pretty side up, on the butter and allow the heat to begin to melt the butter. Flip the breast, pretty side down, and wrap tightly in the foil. Repeat with the second breast.
Return the turkey breasts to the smoker, cooking pretty side (what was the skin side) down until the internal temperature reaches 155ºF, about 30 minutes more.
Remove the turkey from the smoker and let rest for about 20 minutes before slicing.
Slice the turkey, running the slices through the butter/turkey juice mixture before serving.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

Why brine the turkey breast overnight?
Turkey breast is very lean, so an overnight brine in Butcher House Brine is what keeps it juicy through two-plus hours of smoke instead of drying out.

What internal temperature should I pull the turkey to?
The USDA recommends poultry reach 165ºF internal for food safety. Use a reliable meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and confirm it hits 165ºF before serving, adjusting cook time as needed.

Why wrap the turkey in butter and foil partway through?
Wrapping in butter-lined foil (Step 6) lets the breast finish cooking in a self-basting bath, which keeps the exterior from drying out during the final stretch on the smoker.

What wood pairs best with this recipe?
Oak is the traditional Texas choice and what's used here, but pecan or hickory both work well if you want a slightly sweeter smoke profile.

Can I finish this in an oven if my smoker temperature fluctuates?
Yes — wrap the breast in the buttered foil as directed and finish in a 325ºF oven, confirming it reaches a safe 165ºF internal before serving.

How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
2 out of 5 — can be done inside, but loses key flavor. The oak smoke and offset-fire bark are central to this recipe, so an indoor oven finish will get you a safe, juicy turkey breast but not the same crust or smoke depth.

Recipe Highlights

Overnight brine for insurance against dry breast meat: Steps 1–2 have the turkey submerged in Butcher House Brine for a full 8 hours — since boneless turkey breast has very little fat to protect it, this step is what keeps it from drying out over a long smoke.
Low and slow over oak: Step 3 stabilizes the offset smoker at 275ºF with oak splits, building steady smoke flavor before the turkey even goes on — a hotter, faster cook wouldn't develop the same bark.
Butter-wrapped finish: Step 6 wraps the breast in foil over sliced butter partway through cooking, so the last stretch on the smoker bastes the meat automatically instead of relying on repeated mopping.
Sliced back through the drippings: Step 9 has the finished slices run back through the pooled butter and turkey juice from the foil pouch — a last flavor pass that most turkey recipes skip.