This smoked turkey breast uses a small boneless breast roast at a steady smoker temperature. Start with an unbrined roast, add Original Dust partway through and cook by the center temperature rather than time alone.
Make it with Original Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
Ingredients
1 plain unbrined boneless turkey breast roast, about 3 pounds (1.35 kg), fully thawed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil, divided
2 level teaspoons (10 ml) Original Desert Dust
1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
Smoking wood suitable for your smoker, such as apple or pecan
Directions
Prepare the smoker. Set the smoker to 275°F (135°C) following its manufacturer instructions. Add a modest amount of smoking wood. Keep the cooking temperature steady and use a separate thermometer to monitor it if needed.
Prepare the breast. Remove outer packaging, absorbent pads and any gravy packet. Keep only oven-safe cooking netting if the package instructs it, or tie the roast with butcher's twine. Do not rinse poultry. Pat dry and brush with 2 teaspoons oil.
Begin smoking. Place the breast on the smoker grate and insert a probe into its thickest center. Close the lid and smoke. Start checking after about 2 hours; shape, starting temperature and smoker conditions affect the total time.
Brush and finish. When the center reaches about 140°F (60°C), mix Original Dust with the remaining teaspoon oil and water. Brush a thin layer over the breast. Continue until the thickest center and other checked spots reach 165°F (74°C), often 2 1/2–4 hours total.
Rest and slice. Move to a clean board and rest 15 minutes, loosely covered. Remove cooking netting or twine carefully and slice across the grain. Discard any finishing mixture touched by a brush used on undercooked poultry.
Cooking timing: 2 1/2–4 hours + 15 mins resting.
The Dust In This Recipe
The Original Desert Dust
$12.99
Make it with Original Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
✦The Date Is the DifferenceOrganic Coachella Valley dates bring sweetness, body and depth.
✦Smoky & EarthyA balanced all-purpose blend made for everyday cooking.
No. It specifies a plain boneless breast roast of about three pounds. Bone-in breasts and larger roasts have different shapes and timing, so they are not direct substitutions for the stated cook range.
WHAT IF MY TURKEY IS ALREADY BRINED?
Enhanced or pre-brined turkey may already contain substantial salt. Read the package and start with less Dust if using one. The written formula assumes an unbrined roast and does not add another brine.
SHOULD I KEEP THE NETTING ON?
Keep only netting identified by the package as suitable for cooking. Remove outer packaging, pads and gravy packets. If unsure whether a covering is heat-safe, remove it and use food-safe butcher's twine instead.
HOW MUCH SMOKE SHOULD I USE?
Follow your smoker guidance and begin with a modest amount of mild wood such as apple or pecan. Heavy smoke can overwhelm lean turkey. Avoid repeatedly opening the lid to add wood unnecessarily.
WHAT TEMPERATURE MAKES THE TURKEY SAFE?
The thickest center and other checked spots must reach 165°F (74°C). A smoke ring or pink tint is not a reliable doneness test. Use a clean instant-read thermometer to verify the probe reading.
CAN I GET CRISP SKIN WITH THIS METHOD?
This recipe does not promise crisp skin, and boneless roasts may be skinless. Its priority is a fully cooked, sliceable breast. Do not raise the heat aggressively just to darken the date-based coating.
HOW DO I STORE AND REHEAT SMOKED TURKEY?
Refrigerate in shallow containers within two hours, or one hour above 90°F (32°C), and use within 3–4 days at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Reheat covered with a little broth to 165°F (74°C). Freeze promptly for up to two months for best quality.
Grilled radishes soften in a grill basket while their cut edges pick up color. Finish with lime and Original Dust after cooking so the seasoning stays bright.
Chili lime pepitas get their crunch from a gentle roast and a brief return to the oven after seasoning. Let the seeds cool completely before judging the texture.
