A simple smoked turkey breast recipe for Thanksgiving – all you need is a charcoal grill, charcoal, and wood chips – and a defense of slow food.
Friendsgiving
Last weekend, Brian and I had a few friends over for a Friendsgiving feast. We planned a pared down menu and approached the gathering in a pretty laid back way.
It was a small crowd, so instead of a whole bird, Brian and I opted for a bone-in turkey breast. We’ve roasted up a pretty spectacular breast in years past, but with a warm fall Saturday ahead of us, we decided to smoke this one. Brian and I don’t have a fireplace, so it’s nice to have the grill going all day – we all need a hearth.
But there’s something else. Something good and slow – lots of flavor, lots of smoke, plus plenty of time for beers and whiskeys and jackets and scarves. It not only made for a lovely supper, it was a lovely way to spend an afternoon. And it brought to mind a trend in online food writing that I’ve really struggled with – variations on the five-minute, two-ingredient recipe.
A Defense of Slow Food
I find the focus on fast and easy at the expense of quality to be so disheartening because it reflects an emphasis on superficial results like a Pinterest-ready photo or a life where everything is perfect — a place where dinner is ready, the house is immaculate, the flowers are freshly cut and set upon a perfectly set table — because nothing takes any time. But lots of dishes do take time. And that should be OK. When I see those Fast! Simple! recipes, I worry that it’s another way of setting the bar even higher for home cooks. And with so many families turning to processed or fast foods, I think it’s pretty clear that home cooking already feels out of reach for too many.
Instead of the fast and easy, I think home cooks need to know that it’s fine to take an evening to make something good. (And that slow food really is good. Please do not try to tell me a microwaved cake has anything like the texture of a baked one.) I fully understand busy people need fast solutions. My husband and I are busy people and we whip up plenty of quick meals during the week. The time for good food is something we need to create – just as we have time for TV, or brunch, or exercise. I don’t want to villainize those of us in search of easier eats, but I do want to stand up for great meals that aren’t easy, too. Like everything in life, it’s about balance. And being kinder to ourselves.
Good food takes time, just as good living takes time. So, this Thanksgiving season, I’m doubling down on slow cooking and from scratch goodness. Let’s start with the turkey.
Turkey Breast: Perfect for a Smaller Gathering
A turkey breast is a good option for those who don’t want to deal with the hassle of a whole bird. It’s also ideal for a smaller crowd. Our feast numbered four adults and four kids, and we had just enough turkey afterwards for a round of sandwiches. And I know smoking seems complicated, but it’s actually really easy. Just be sure you have good company or a great book to keep you busy while you watch the grill. And anyway, the main thing about smoking a turkey breast is that the flavor is insane. Smoky, of course, but also incredibly tender, and yes, moist. Legendary turkey can be yours.
If you’re planning your own Thanksgiving feast, we’ll be rolling out some of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes over the coming weeks. In the meantime, here’s a recipe for a classic roasted turkey breast, and an irreverent early-years recipe (and still our Thanksgiving go-to) for whole roasted heritage breed turkey.
A note on smoking: instructions below are for a full size, plain old charcoal Weber. We’re grilling purists.
A simple grill-smoked turkey breast recipe for Thanksgiving – all you need is a charcoal grill, charcoal, and wood chips.
- 1 bone-in turkey breast , 7 - 10 pounds
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Applewood chips , soaked in a bowl of water
- Charcoal
- 2 9 x 13-inch foil roasting pans
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The night before you’re planning to smoke the turkey, rub it all over with a mix of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon black pepper. If desired, add red pepper flakes, or other seasonings of choice.
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Before smoking, place turkey in one of the roasting pans. Sprinkle both sides liberally with salt and pepper. Aloow turkey to come to room temp while the grill heats.
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Light the charcoal in your grill. When the coals are hot, bank them all to one side of the grill. Fill the second foil roasting pan most of the way up with water and place it next to the coals.
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Toss a large handful of applewood chips onto the coals, place the grate on the grill, then put the roasting pan with the turkey breast on top of the grate on the side that’s not directly over the coals. Place the lid on the grill.
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Every 20 - 30 minutes, remove the turkey and add some more wood chips. Flip the turkey, return to the grill, and cover. The total cook time will be about 2 - 3 hours, but after about an hour and a half, start checking turkey with a thermometer to see if it’s done. When the turkey breast reaches 165 degrees F, remove it, rest for 10 - 20 minutes, carve, and serve.
What a beauty! As soon as I saw that glossy dark-brown turkey breast on Twitter, I knew I had to click over for a closer look.
I’m so with you on the slow food. I’m all for fast! easy! food, but we need to stop being so afraid of food that takes time, especially when it’s low-maintenance stuff that can be left to do its own thing while you take care of the other parts of life that aren’t so fast! or easy! (That’s why I’m such a fan of braises – you get so much great flavour out of just a few minutes of active prep followed by hours of neglect.)
BTW – we tried dry brining our smoked turkey this year for a change. It was, dare I say it, even better (and less messy) than wet brine… consider me a convert.
Hi Isabelle, Thanks for the smoked turkey love! We were kind of worried that the dark skin might freak people out. (We’ve done the dry brine, too. I think for the smoked bird, there was some concern about the breast drying out, but for the whole roasted bird, I’m a huge fan too. And so much less mess!)
And YES to braises! It’s the main way we’re able to afford pastured meats, since the braising cuts are often cheaper. Such a great example of slow food that’s super simple to cook. As you know, I love your approach to food and really appreciate you weighing in here.
Gorgeous turkey! I totally agree that we need to make the time for good, slow food. I know during the week when I’m short on time and in a rush I made my share of stir fries or quick salads, but I try to make time for one slow food project every weekend- a braise, a roast or a baking project. It’s so pleasurable to eat something that took time and great care. It feels like you’ve done something very special for yourself… and it helps me recharge for the coming busy week.
Sonja, I love what you’ve said here. In my pre-blogging days, a good cooking project was essential for a happy weekend. These days, cooking feels a little more like work, but I still love putting the camera away and getting down to business. Here’s to great weekend food!
i’m with you on the slow food thing. to me it’s unsettling to see stuff like “2-ingredient cake!!” posts on pinterest (cake mix + diet soda? srsly?), not only because much of it is heinously unhealthy, but also because is removes the entire personal, connected process from cooking. as if we should be afraid of uncertain and un-perfect results that we’ve labored, for minutes or for hours, to create. i think you’re right in that it makes the idea of homecooking seem even more out of reach.
Hi Jaime, OMG, I’ve seen those cakes and I am not a fan. And you’re so right –– I love the way cooking with fresh ingredients connects me to the season and my region. It’s grounding, even when the results are anything but pretty.
Your sides look fantastic. Details, please.
Thanks Georgia! Stay tuned –– we’ll be rolling out all the sides next week. Celery root stuffing with roasted Meyer lemons and cranberry orange sauce coming your way!
This is so good! I always feel disappointed when I click over to a recipe and see they are using canned soup or ranch dressing packets. It just isn’t any fun!
This turkey is pretty epic! What a nice twist to smoke it. The flavor must be amazing!
“Good food takes time, just as good living takes time.” Couldn’t agree more. I truly love to cook slow, especially low-maintenance food on weekends. I always get sad seeing people opting for prepackaged meals. It’s not only unhealthy but also disconnects us from food altogether. Making homemade meals isn’t about how busy or not one is; it’s about how you decide to spend your time. Spending 30 minutes every evening to whip up a delicious dinner with real, fresh ingredients shouldn’t be that big a deal but somehow many people seem to be afraid of it. It’s certainly a problem here in Europe as well but I feel like it’s more common here than in the US to make dinner from scratch at home not only on the weekends but throughout the week. Cooking should be a part of everyday life, not something treated as a special, and through that frightening, thing.
Is there a target temperature that grill should be at?
Hi Ryan, we use a kettle grill, so it’s a bit of an inexact science, but the lower you can get the temperature, the longer it will take, giving it more time to absorb the smoky flavors. I’d shoot for 250-275, but definitely keep it under 375.
Thanks! I am using a weber kettle today as well. I was just looking for a target to try and hit. 🙂