Why spend all day in the kitchen when you can leisurely grill on the Goldens’? These juicy smoked turkey breasts are the perfect simple holiday meal. They’re filled with my delicious Chicken Injection and seasoned with two of my competition-winning rubs.
Turkey breast is a fantastic alternative to cooking the whole bird. It’s easier to cook, and there’s a lot less fuss. With my grilling method, you’ll be able to fix it and forget it..at least for a couple of hours. This turkey recipe is proof that everything tastes better on the pit.
Smoked Turkey Breast on the Goldens’ Cast Iron Grill
This is one of the simplest holiday turkeys you’ll ever make. It cooks low and slow, keeping the juices in the meat where they belong. Each bite is filled with alluring spices and finished with the perfect golden crust. Friends and family will be begging for the recipe.
The Ingredients
Smoked turkey breasts with less than ten ingredients? Count me in. There’s a common misconception that you need a lot of elements to make a fancy meal. That couldn’t be further from the truth. A few well-crafted rubs can take you far. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.
- Heath Riles BBQ Chicken Injection and Brine. This ingredient can be used as a brine, but I used it as an injection this time. It contains the best blend of flavors that complement poultry without taking away from the natural richness. You can mix this injection with water or chicken stock; the choice is yours. I use it on anything that has feathers and have always had fabulous results.
- Heath Riles BBQ Competition Rub. My Competition Rub took us straight to the top at the 2022 Memphis in May World Championship. It’s a delicious mix of salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, and pecan flavoring. I like using this rub as a base layer because it adds pizazz to pork, beef, and poultry. Plus, it gives the turkey a beautiful crust.
- Heath Riles BBQ Chicken Rub. This top-secret blend of herbs and spices is the cherry on top of a great BBQ recipe. My Chicken Rub is a light blend meant to enhance the meat's natural flavor, not change it. This ingredient gives the turkey a gorgeous golden color and a taste you can’t find anywhere else.
- Turkey breasts. I got my turkey breasts from The Butcher Shoppe in Pensacola, Florida. I love purchasing special occasion cuts from them because they always come ready to grill. Order from these guys if you don’t want a lot of trim work. Their customer service is top-notch, and their meat is the best around. My turkey breasts were organic, meaning they came without chemicals or injections. Many turkeys from the store come already brined in salt water, so you may want to check your label before deciding to inject.
- Spray butter. Spritzing the meat every so often keeps it nice and moist. For this cook, I used spray butter to keep it juicy. There’s nothing worse than dry turkey!
The Smoker Setup
Here’s the main equipment I used to make this delicious turkey breast. You can find more of my favorite things in the equipment and tools section.
- Grill. I made these tasty Smoked Turkey Breasts on the Goldens’ Cast Iron Cooker. This durable setup isn’t massive, making it perfect for small spaces. Cast iron lasts forever and holds its heat, which helps with pesky temperature fluctuations. The Goldens’ has plenty of room for meal prep, and it’s easy to use.
- Pellets. For this cook, I used Royal Oak Charcoal and tumbleweed fire starters. I love this brand because they deliver a high-quality product with no cheap fillers. You’ll be obsessed with the clean smoke they give your meat.
The Process for Making Smoked Turkey Breast on the Goldens’ Cast Iron Grill
You can find a detailed demonstration of this recipe in the recipe video and card at the bottom of this post. Enjoy this brief overview of how I pulled this holiday meal together.
- Fire up the Goldens’. First, I stoked my grill and fired it up to about 325℉. I created a two-zone fire for this cook to ensure each turkey breast cooked the way I liked it.
- Prep and inject. I removed the skin from my turkey breast. Then, I mixed 16 ounces of water with ¼ cup of Chicken Injection and Brine until smooth. I like using my shaker bottle for this because it removes all the clumps. I injected the meat until it was nice and plump. Last, I cleaned up any excess liquid with a paper towel before moving on to the next step.
- Season. To season the meat, I added a base coat of my Chicken Rub, followed by a layer of my new Competition Rub. I flipped the breasts over and repeated the process, so every bit was seasoned to perfection.
- Cook and spritz. I laid my turkey breasts straight on the Goldens’ cool side. I didn’t want them to scorch, so I kept them away from the fire as much as possible. I sprayed the meat with butter every 30 minutes to keep them juicy
- Spin and finish. After about 2 hours, I spun my turkey breasts so the heat came from the opposite side. I sprayed it with a little more butter and let it finish. Once the turkey hit 160℉ internally, I removed it from the grill.
- Rest and serve. I let the turkey rest for 10-15 minutes before carving it. It’s tempting to dig in right away, but resting the meat helps it retain its juices. The only thing left was to serve this gorgeous hunk of meat!
The Results
The turkey breasts came out of the Goldens’ picture-perfect. They were dripping with juice and had a beautifully spiced bark. The meat was melt-in-your-mouth good, with plenty of flavor in each taste.
These turkey breasts cooked for about 2 ½ hours. For reference, I had two cuts of meat, about 4-5 pounds a piece. If your turkey breasts vary in size, you may have to adjust your cooking time.
Serving Suggestions for Smoked Turkey Breast
One of the best things about this meat cut is its versatility. Dress it up or down; the choice is yours. Here’s some inspiration.
- Make sandwiches. Slice your turkey breast thin and make a hearty sandwich. Slather your bread with French’s mustard, mayo, and pile it high with lettuce, cheese, and tomato. That’s a sandwich!
- Make it a meal. One of my decadent side dishes turns this simple Smoked Turkey Breast into an entire holiday spread. Tasty ideas include:
- Mississippi Sunrise- A fantastic cocktail that looks as good as it tastes. This drink includes tequila, orange juice, and Corona beer.
- Green Bean Casserole and Mashed Potatoes- Classic holiday dishes complement turkey beautifully. You can find both of these recipes in my Thanksgiving menu.
- Smoked Pecan Pie- You heard right, pie on the pit! This dessert tastes just like the original with a BBQ flair. You won’t have any leftovers, so snatch a piece while you can.
Storing Smoked Turkey Breast
If you have leftovers, keep them covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If you don’t think you’ll eat it that fast, store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. To reheat, simply thaw in the fridge and cook as usual. It should taste just the same as when you originally cooked it.
