Smoked Turkey Breast with Honey Glaze

You know that amazing honey-brown sugar glaze that we brush all over our smoked ham? Well, let's bring that concept to delicious smoked turkey breast to add some wonderfully sweet and smokey flavors to our holiday bird.

📝 Ingredients

• 5 to 8 pound bone-in turkey breast
• 1 Tbsp. butter or canola oil
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup Diamond kosher salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. peppercorns
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup bourbon ((optional))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Brine the turkey ---
2. 2Make the brine by adding 2 cups of boiling water in a large container with the salt, sugar and peppercorns. Stir to dissolve completely, then add a combination of 6 cups of cold water and ice.
3. 3Place the turkey breast in the brine and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight
4. 4Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
5. 5--- Make the glaze ---
6. 6While the turkey smokes, make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the glaze ingredients and stir to combine and dissolve. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low, continuing to cook until the glaze has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
7. 7--- Smoke the turkey ---
8. 8While the breast comes to room temperature, prepare the smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions for indirect cooking with a water drip pan in place. Add wood chunks (or pellets) and bring the temperature to 250° F.
9. 9Rub room-temperature butter or canola oil all over the turkey, then place in the smoker.
10. 10When the internal temperature of the breasts reaches about 130° F (about 90 minutes in), glaze the turkey and repeat after 15 more minutes.
11. 11Remove the turkey at 160° F, as it will continue to rise at least 5° to finish at 165° F. Verify with a probe thermometer.
12. 12Rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving with a drizzle more of the glaze.