Pellet Smoked Turkey Breast with Citrus and Herb Brine

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-03 · Updated 2026-06-03

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Moist turkey breast enhanced by a citrus and herb brine, gently smoked on a pellet grill for a flavorful, tender finish. This American barbecue recipe, ready in about 990 minutes, pairs turkey breast (bone-in, skin-on), water, and kosher salt for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 780 min Cook: 210 min Serves 8 American cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

5 pounds turkey breast (bone-in, skin-on)
1 gallon water
3/4 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 whole orange, sliced
1 whole lemon, sliced
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 cups apple wood pellets

The leave-in probe thermometer we’d cook this turkey with → Best Leave-In Meat Thermometers for Thanksgiving Turkey and Roasts in 2026: Wireless and Wired Picks

Carving: see our carving knife picks → Best Carving Knives for 2026: Slicing Knives and Carving Sets for Turkey, Brisket and Roasts

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Instructions

Step 1: In a large pot, combine 1 gallon water, 3/4 cup kosher salt, and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Heat gently, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve, then cool completely.
Step 2: Add 1 sliced orange, 1 sliced lemon, 4 sprigs rosemary, 4 sprigs thyme, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, and 4 smashed garlic cloves to the brine.
Step 3: Submerge the 5-pound turkey breast in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 12 hours.
Step 4: Remove turkey from brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Step 5: Preheat pellet smoker to 250°F and add 2 cups apple wood pellets for smoke.
Step 6: Place turkey breast skin-side up on the smoker rack and smoke until internal temperature reaches 160°F, approximately 3 to 3.5 hours.
Step 7: Remove turkey, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 20 minutes before slicing to serve.