Texas-Style Smoked Turkey Breast

Texas-style smoked turkey breast is all about big smoke, heavy black pepper bark, and ultra-juicy slices. You season it with a simple salt-pepper-garlic rub, smoke it at 250°F until it hits 140°F internal, then wrap it in foil with a full stick of melted ghee and finish it to 158°F. The ghee creates a steam-and-baste environment that keeps the meat ridiculously tender. You pull it at 158°F and let it rest—carryover heat brings it to perfect 165°F while the juices redistribute. The result is turkey breast with a dark peppery bark and meat that’s so juicy it doesn’t need BBQ sauce.

The whole process takes about 3-4.5 hours from start to finish if you include an optional brine. You can brine the turkey breast for 4-12 hours ahead of time to lock in extra moisture, or skip it if you’re short on time. Either way, the ghee wrap is what makes this Texas-style turkey incredible. This smoked turkey breast is perfect for holidays, game day, meal prep, sandwiches, or making Turkey Bacon Pesto Sliders with the leftovers.

What Makes This Texas-Style Turkey Breast Different

Texas BBQ is known for simple, bold seasoning and letting the smoke do the talking. You’re not using complicated rubs with 15 spices. You’re using salt, coarse black pepper, garlic, and onion powder. That’s it. The heavy black pepper creates that signature Texas bark—dark, crusty, and packed with flavor.

The other Texas technique is wrapping with fat. Traditionally, Texas brisket gets wrapped in butcher paper or foil with tallow. For turkey breast, you use ghee (clarified butter). At 140°F internal, you pull the turkey off the smoker, place it on foil, pour a full stick of melted ghee over it, seal it tight, and put it back on. The ghee melts into the meat and creates a basting environment. This is how you keep lean turkey breast from drying out.

Most recipes tell you to smoke turkey breast all the way to 165°F uncovered. That works, but the meat can dry out, especially if you’re using a boneless breast. Wrapping with ghee at 140°F protects the meat from drying out while it finishes cooking. It’s the difference between good turkey and incredible turkey.

Why Post Oak is the Traditional Texas Wood

In Texas, post oak is the wood of choice for smoking. It burns hot, produces clean smoke, and has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that doesn’t overpower the meat. Post oak gives you that classic Texas BBQ smoke flavor that people recognize immediately.

If you can’t find post oak, hickory or pecan work too. Hickory is stronger and more intense. Pecan is milder with a hint of sweetness. Both are common in Texas BBQ. Just avoid woods like mesquite for turkey—mesquite is too strong and will make the turkey taste bitter.

The key is using wood chunks or splits, not chips. Chips burn too fast and produce inconsistent smoke. Chunks smolder for hours and give you steady, clean smoke. For a 2.5-4 hour cook, you’ll need 3-4 chunks added throughout the smoke.

Why Brining Makes a Big Difference (But It’s Optional)

Brining is optional, but it makes a noticeable difference, especially for larger 8-10 pound turkey breasts. A brine is a salt and sugar solution that the turkey soaks in for 4-12 hours. The salt breaks down some of the muscle proteins, which allows the meat to absorb and hold more moisture. When you cook a brined turkey breast, it stays juicier.

The sugar in the brine adds a subtle sweetness and helps with browning. The bay leaves, peppercorns, and garlic add aromatics that infuse into the meat.

If you’re short on time, skip the brine. The ghee wrap will still keep the turkey moist. But if you have time, brine it. The combination of brining + ghee wrap gives you the juiciest turkey breast possible.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Optional Brine (4-12 Hours Ahead)

If you’re brining the turkey breast, start this 4-12 hours before you smoke it. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a simmer. Add ½ cup of kosher salt, ½ cup of brown sugar, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns, and 2 cloves of garlic. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve completely.

Remove the pan from heat and add the remaining cold water (the rest of your gallon). Stir and let the brine cool to room temperature. Don’t put hot brine on raw turkey—it needs to be completely cool.

Once the brine is cool, place your turkey breast in a large container or brining bag. Pour the brine over the turkey so it’s completely submerged. If it floats, weigh it down with a plate.

Refrigerate for 4-12 hours. Twelve hours is ideal for maximum moisture, but 4 hours still makes a difference if you’re short on time.

After brining, remove the turkey breast and rinse it briefly under cold water to remove excess salt from the surface. Pat it completely dry with paper towels. Get it as dry as possible—this is critical for developing bark.

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Step 2: Make the Texas-Style Rub

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, 2 tablespoons of coarse black pepper, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of onion powder, and 1 tablespoon of paprika if you’re using it. The paprika adds color but it’s optional. Traditional Texas-style is just salt, pepper, and garlic.

Mix the rub until it’s evenly combined. Set it aside.

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Step 3: Season the Turkey Breast

Coat the entire turkey breast with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil or melted ghee. Use your hands to rub it all over the surface. This is your binder—it helps the rub stick to the meat.

Sprinkle the Texas-style rub generously all over the turkey breast. Get it on all sides, including the bottom and the ends. Use your hands to press the rub into the meat, especially the coarse black pepper. You want heavy pepper coverage for that Texas bark.

Let the seasoned turkey breast sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes while you prep your smoker. This helps it cook more evenly.

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Step 4: Set Up Your Smoker

Preheat your smoker to 250°F. This is the sweet spot for smoking turkey breast—hot enough to cook in a reasonable time, but low enough to absorb smoke and develop bark.

For pellet grill: Set it to 250°F and load your hopper with post oak, hickory, or pecan pellets.

For offset or charcoal smoker: Build a clean-burning fire and add post oak, hickory, or pecan wood chunks. Adjust your vents to hold 250°F steady.

Let the smoker preheat for about 10-15 minutes so it’s holding steady and producing clean smoke—thin and blue, not thick and white.

Place a drip pan on the grates or under the cooking area to catch drippings.

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Step 5: Smoke the Turkey Breast to 140°F

Place the seasoned turkey breast skin-side up (or smooth side up if it’s boneless) directly on the smoker grates. Position it over the drip pan.

Insert a leave-in probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, making sure you’re not touching bone if it’s bone-in.

Close the lid and let it smoke. Don’t open the lid every 15 minutes to check on it. Just monitor the internal temp through your probe.

Smoke the turkey breast unwrapped until it reaches 140°F internal temperature. This allows the turkey to take on maximum smoke flavor and develop that beautiful Texas-style peppery bark.

For a 5-7 pound turkey breast, this usually takes about 1.5 to 2 hours at 250°F. For an 8-10 pound breast, it takes about 2 to 2.5 hours.

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Step 6: Wrap With Ghee at 140°F

When the turkey breast hits 140°F internal, remove it from the smoker. Work quickly so it doesn’t cool down too much.

Lay out two sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface, overlapping them so they’re big enough to wrap the entire turkey breast.

Place the turkey breast in the center of the foil. Take 1 stick (½ cup) of ghee or butter and melt it. Pour the melted ghee all over the turkey breast—on top, sides, and underneath. You want it covered in ghee.

Fold the foil up and around the turkey breast, sealing it tightly. You’re creating a steam-and-baste environment. The ghee will melt into the meat as it finishes cooking.

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Step 7: Return to Smoker and Finish to 158°F

Place the wrapped turkey breast back on the smoker. You can bump the temp up to 275°F at this point if you want it to finish faster. The turkey is already wrapped, so it’s not taking on more smoke. You’re just finishing the cook.

Smoke the wrapped turkey breast until the internal temperature reaches 158°F in the thickest part. This usually takes another 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of your breast.

Pull it at 158°F. Don’t cook it all the way to 165°F. The carryover heat during the rest will bring it up to 165°F.

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Step 8: Rest for Carryover Cooking

When the turkey breast hits 158°F, remove it from the smoker immediately. Keep it wrapped in the foil.

Place the wrapped turkey breast in a cooler or on a cutting board. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes. During this rest, the internal temperature will rise to 165°F from carryover heat, and the juices will redistribute through the meat.

Don’t skip this rest. If you slice into the turkey right away, all the juices will run out onto the cutting board and the meat will be drier. After 20-30 minutes, the juices have settled back into the meat and you get way juicier slices.

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Step 9: Slice and Serve

After the turkey has rested, unwrap it carefully. There will be a lot of melted ghee and juices in the foil—save those for basting or making gravy.

Use a sharp knife to slice the turkey breast. If it’s bone-in, cut along the bone to remove the meat in one piece, then slice it. If it’s boneless, just slice it directly. Cut the slices about ½ inch thick.

Texas-style serving: Serve the turkey slices on white bread with sliced onions, pickles, and jalapeños. Most Texas BBQ doesn’t use sauce on turkey, but you can offer it on the side if people want it.

For sliders or sandwiches: Use the sliced turkey to make Turkey Bacon Pesto Sliders or regular turkey sandwiches. The smoky, peppery turkey works perfectly with pesto, bacon, cheese, and lemon garlic aioli.

Leftover Option: Turkey Bacon Pesto Sliders

The smoked turkey breast from this recipe makes incredible Turkey Bacon Pesto Sliders. The smoky, peppery Texas-style turkey pairs perfectly with fresh pesto, crispy bacon, melty cheese, and bright lemon garlic aioli. These sliders are perfect for using up leftovers or for making a full spread for game day or parties.

Ingredients for Sliders (Makes 12)

For the Sliders:

• Sliced Texas-style smoked turkey breast (from recipe above)
• 12 slider buns (Hawaiian, brioche, or potato rolls)
• 8–10 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crispy
• 6–8 slices Provolone or Havarti cheese
• ½–¾ cup pesto (store-bought or homemade)
• 2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
• Pickled red onions (optional but recommended)

Lemon Garlic Aioli:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 large garlic clove, microplaned or grated
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1–2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of salt and black pepper
• Optional: 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Garlic Parmesan Bun Finish:

• 2 tbsp melted butter or ghee
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Squeeze of lemon

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How to Build the Sliders

Step 1: Make the Lemon Garlic Aioli

In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add Dijon if using. Chill for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors bloom. The garlic will mellow and the lemon will brighten.

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Step 2: Toast the Slider Buns

Mix melted butter, minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, and a squeeze of lemon in a small bowl. Brush this mixture on the cut sides of the slider buns.

Toast the buns cut-side down on a griddle, in a skillet, or directly on the grill for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and slightly crispy.

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Step 3: Warm the Smoked Turkey

Slice your smoked turkey breast thin (about ¼ inch slices). Warm the turkey slices gently on the griddle, in a skillet, or in the oven. Don’t overheat—just warm them through. The turkey is already cooked and juicy from the smoke.

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Step 4: Assemble the Sliders

Start with the toasted bottom buns:

• Layer 1: Spread a generous amount of lemon garlic aioli on the bottom bun.
• Layer 2: Add 2-3 slices of smoked turkey breast.
• Layer 3: Drizzle or smear about ½ teaspoon of pesto over the turkey. Don’t use too much or it’ll overpower the smoky flavor.
• Layer 4: Add a slice of crispy bacon. Break it in half if needed to fit.
• Layer 5: Top with a slice of Provolone or Havarti cheese.

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Step 5: Melt the Cheese

Place the assembled slider bottoms (without the top bun yet) back on the griddle, under the broiler, or in a 350°F oven for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.

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Step 6: Finish and Serve

Add thin slices of Roma tomato on top of the melted cheese. Pat the tomato slices dry first to avoid soggy buns.

Add a few strands of pickled red onions if using. The acidity balances all the richness.

Close with the toasted top bun.

Serve the sliders warm immediately. Stick a toothpick through each one to hold them together if needed.

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Pro Tips for the Best Turkey Sliders

• Don’t skip the lemon garlic aioli. It cuts through the richness and adds brightness that makes these sliders pop.
• Use Havarti for ultra-creamy melt or Provolone for smoky deli-style flavor.
• Pat tomato slices dry to prevent soggy buns.
• Pickled red onions add necessary acidity—don’t leave them out. The acidity balances the bacon, cheese, and pesto.
• Toast the buns with garlic-Parmesan butter for extra flavor and to prevent them from getting soggy.

The smoky Texas-style turkey is what makes these sliders special. The heavy pepper bark and clean smoke flavor pair perfectly with the fresh pesto and tangy aioli. These aren’t just leftover turkey sliders—they’re worth smoking a whole turkey breast just to make them.

Why do I pull the turkey at 158°F instead of 165°F?

Carryover cooking. When you remove meat from heat, the internal temperature continues to rise for 10-15 minutes. If you cook the turkey all the way to 165°F on the smoker, it’ll overshoot to 170°F+ during the rest and dry out. Pulling at 158°F gives you perfect 165°F after resting.

Can I skip the brine?

Yeah, the brine is optional. The ghee wrap keeps the turkey moist even without brining. But if you have time, brine it—the combination of brining + ghee wrap gives you the juiciest possible turkey breast.

What if I don’t have post oak?

Use hickory or pecan. Both are common in Texas BBQ. Hickory is stronger, pecan is milder. Avoid mesquite—it’s too strong for turkey and will make it taste bitter.

Can I use this turkey breast for sliders?

Absolutely. This smoked turkey breast is perfect for Turkey Bacon Pesto Sliders. The smoky, peppery flavor pairs incredibly with pesto, bacon, cheese, and lemon garlic aioli. Just slice the turkey thin and build your sliders.

Do I really need a full stick of ghee for wrapping?

Yes. That much ghee creates a basting environment that keeps the meat ridiculously juicy. Don’t skimp on it. You can use butter instead of ghee, but ghee has a cleaner flavor and higher smoke point.

If you’re looking for more recipes , click the link!  Check out all of our grilling recipes here for more steak, seafood, and BBQ favorites that are perfect for your next cookout.

COMMON ITEMS USED IN THESE RECIPES

Hasty Bake Charcoal Grill and Smoker
Knitted Gloves
Food Processor
Cast Iron Skillet 
Meater +

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