Description
This Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast with Cider Bourbon Gravy recipe offers a succulent and flavorful holiday centerpiece. The turkey is brined in a bourbon-infused solution, rubbed with a smoky, spiced butter mixture, and slow-smoked over applewood chips for a deeply aromatic taste. Paired with a rich cider bourbon gravy made from the reserved turkey neck, shallots, apples, and a splash of bourbon, this dish is a perfect blend of sweet, smoky, and savory flavors that will impress your guests.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Brine
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup whole black peppercorns
- 4 cups cold bourbon
- 1 1/2 gallons cold water
- 1 (7-pound) turkey breast
Turkey Rub and Preparation
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika (bourbon smoked paprika preferred)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Soaked applewood chips (about 2 cups)
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1 cup water
Cider Bourbon Gravy
- Reserved turkey neck
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 shallots, diced
- 1 small apple, diced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- 2/3 cup apple cider
- 2 cups cold low-sodium chicken stock
- 3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Prepare the brine: In a large bucket, combine kosher salt, maple syrup, brown sugar, black peppercorns, bourbon, and cold water. Remove giblets from the turkey breast, reserving the neck for gravy, and place the cleaned turkey breast into the brine. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours to allow deep flavor infusion.
- Dry the turkey: Remove turkey from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Place it on a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 1 to 2 hours to dry the skin, which will help achieve better smoke adherence and texture.
- Preheat smoker and prepare spice rub: Preheat your smoker to 300-325°F and add soaked applewood chips to the burner. In a bowl, mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and ground cumin to create the spice rub.
- Apply butter and rub spices: Gently lift the turkey skin and rub the melted butter all over the meat underneath the skin. Then, thoroughly rub the spice mixture both under the skin and all over the exterior, ensuring complete coverage for maximum flavor.
- Prepare smoker water pan and start smoking: Combine bourbon and water and pour into the smoker’s water pan. Place turkey breast side down inside the smoker. Follow your smoker’s guidelines for smoking poultry; for a 7-pound breast, smoke for about 3 1/2 hours (20-30 minutes per pound). Avoid opening the smoker too often to maintain temperature. Optional: baste with melted butter if desired, but minimize lifting the smoker door.
- Rest the turkey: Once smoked through, remove turkey from smoker and let it rest, tented loosely with foil, for 20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute before slicing.
- Start the cider bourbon gravy: About 30 minutes before turkey is done, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced shallots and apple with salt and pepper; cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.
- Brown garlic and turkey neck: Add minced garlic and reserved turkey neck to the pan, browning all sides thoroughly—approximately 5 minutes per side—to build deep flavor for the gravy.
- Deglaze with bourbon and add cider: Increase heat to medium-high and pour in bourbon. Stir continuously, scraping browned bits from the pan, and cook until the bourbon nearly evaporates, leaving a thin layer. Add apple cider and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Prepare thickening mixture and finish gravy: In a shaker bottle or jar, combine cold chicken stock and flour; shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds until smooth. Remove turkey neck from pan. While whisking the cider mixture continuously on medium heat, slowly add the stock-flour mixture. Stir constantly for 10-15 minutes until the gravy thickens to desired consistency.
- Serve: Carve the smoked turkey breast as desired and serve with the warm cider bourbon gravy. Store leftover gravy cooled in the refrigerator; reheat gently with a little water or stock, stirring occasionally to restore consistency.
Notes
- Use cold liquids for the brine and gravy stock to properly control cooking and thickness during gravy preparation.
- Drying the turkey skin before smoking helps the rub adhere better and promotes a crisper texture.
- Adjust smoking times according to your smoker’s instructions and the weight of your turkey breast.
- Smoked paprika adds a wonderful bourbon-smoky flavor but can be substituted with regular smoked paprika if bourbon smoked is unavailable.
- Gravy thickens best when stirred continuously; patience is key for a smooth, lump-free result.
- This gravy can be made ahead and reheated without losing flavor or texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of turkey breast with gravy (approx. 8 oz meat + 1/4 cup gravy)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
