Sprig Originals's kitchen / Cajun Butter Smoked Turkey Breast
Cajun Butter Smoked Turkey Breast
By Sprig Originals · with credit
Adapted from blackberrybabe.com
Worked out from this recipe's ingredients. If you're cooking for an allergy, always read the full ingredient list.
A boneless turkey breast rubbed with Cajun spice, smoked at 250°F, then finished in a bath of smoky garlic-herb butter so it slices juicy every time. It's the whole holiday flavor without committing to a 20-pound bird.
Ingredients
Turkey
- 20 ounces boneless turkey breast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, preferably low sodium
Butter Bath
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/8 cup fresh dill or thyme, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or smashed
Instructions
- Bring your smoker up to 250°F and load it with the wood you like for poultry — apple or cherry chunks or pellets keep it mild and slightly sweet, while hickory or pecan pushes it bolder. Give it 15 minutes to settle into clean, steady smoke.
- Blot the turkey breast dry all over with paper towels — a dry surface takes rub and smoke far better. Brush it lightly with the 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the breast and press it in with your hands, working every side, the ends and any folds until the whole surface is coated.
- Put the butter, parsley, dill or thyme, and garlic in a small cast-iron skillet or disposable foil pan and set it right on the smoker grates. The butter will melt and pick up smoke while the turkey cooks.
- Lay the turkey breast directly on the grates and smoke for about 1 hour 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 140°F.
- Move the breast to a foil boat or small disposable pan, pour the melted herb butter over the top, and seal tightly with foil. Return it to the smoker for 20-25 minutes, until the internal temperature hits 160°F.
- Pull the pan off and let the turkey rest, still covered, for 10-15 minutes — it will coast to 165°F and the juices will settle. Slice against the grain and spoon the pan butter over the top.
Chef's tips
- Skip the rub if your Cajun blend is heavy on salt and instead dry-brine the breast with 1 teaspoon kosher salt the night before, then use the seasoning more sparingly.
- A leave-in probe thermometer is worth it here — turkey breast goes from juicy to dry in about ten degrees, so you want to catch 140°F and 160°F precisely rather than guessing.
- Don't throw out the butter left in the pan after slicing. Pour it over the carved meat before it goes to the table, or save it for reheating leftovers.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
370calories
27gprotein
3gcarbs
29gfat
Estimates only — values vary with brands and portions.
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