Texas-Style Smoked Turkey Breast with Spiced Apple Cider Mop Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-22 · Updated 2026-06-22

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 developed and reviewed.

Juicy smoked turkey breast enhanced with a peppery dry rub and basted with a tangy, spiced apple cider mop sauce for moist, flavorful meat. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 225 minutes, pairs turkey breast, kosher salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" 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: 15 min Cook: 210 min Serves 6 American cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 pounds, bone-in, skin on turkey breast
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups apple cider
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 275°F and prepare 2 cups apple cider and 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle.
Step 2: In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to make the dry rub.
Step 3: Pat dry the 4-pound bone-in turkey breast and rub all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then evenly coat with the dry rub.
Step 4: Place the turkey breast on the smoker rack skin side up, and smoke for about 3 to 3.5 hours, spraying the turkey every 45 minutes with the apple cider and vinegar mixture to keep it moist.
Step 5: In the last 30 minutes, mix 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon yellow mustard and brush it on the turkey breast to create a spiced glaze.
Step 6: Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Step 7: Remove the turkey breast from the smoker and tent with foil; let rest for 15 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain and serving.