Smoked Turkey Pastrami
Fall in love with this flavorful Turkey Pastrami recipe! Brined, seasoned, and smoked to perfection, it delivers bold, peppery flavor and juicy texture. Serve it for the holidays, at a BBQ, or sliced thin for the best deli-style sandwiches!
Ingredients
Brine
- ½ gallon water
- 5 ounces pickling salt, or coarse salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice, click link for the recipe
- 1 teaspoon pink curing salt, also called prague powder #1 or premium curing salt #1
- 3 pound boneless turkey breast
Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- ½ tablespoon coriander seeds
- ½ tablespoon mustard seeds
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Add the water, salt, sugar, pickling spice, and pink curing salt to a large pot on the stove over high heat.
- Bring to a boil and stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Turn the heat off and allow the brine to cool. To quickly cool down the brine, omit a cup of water in the brine, and add 10 ice cubes after you’ve prepared the brine.
- Place the turkey breast in a large container. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey, making sure the turkey is completely covered in the liquid.
- Brine the turkey breast for at least 8 hours, up to 24 hours.
- Preheat a smoker to 275°F.
- After brining the turkey, remove it from the brine, remove the netting, and pat it dry. Use butchers twine to tie the turkey breast(s) together.
- Add the peppercorns, coriander seeds and mustard seeds to a small skillet on the stove over medium heat.
- Lightly toast the peppercorns and seeds for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the toasted seeds to a spice grinder (if you don't have a spice grinder, use a mortar and pestle). Pulse the spices in the grinder into a coarse texture. Stir in the smoked paprika and brown sugar.
- Rub the turkey with the seasoning and place it in the smoker for 2-4 hours, depending on the size of the breast. Plan for approximately 45 minutes per pound of turkey.
- Remove the turkey from the smoker when the internal temperature reaches 155°F.
- Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- If you don't like the skin on the turkey breast, use a sharp knife to remove it before brining the turkey breast. This means that you will have to remove the netting before brining. After you've removed the skin, simply tie the turkey breast back up with kitchen twine before brining.
- I recommend leaving the netting on the turkey breast while it brines, so that it stays together. Most turkey breasts purchased at the store are “roasts” which are made up of multiple pieces of turkey breasts pressed together, or it’s two breasts netted together.
- When planning how much turkey you’ll need for a meal, plan for a half pound of turkey per guest.
- If you want to make this recipe with a larger turkey breast or bone-in turkey breast that's closer to 6 pounds in size, simply click the 2X button above to double all of the recipe ingredients. You'll need to use a large container or brining bag to make sure the larger turkey breast is completely covered in the brine.
- Store leftover turkey in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 6 days. This turkey is great for making a turkey reuben sandwich.
- I used a Traeger grill for this recipe, but you can also make it on a traditional smoker, electric smoker, or charcoal grill.
- I recommend using maple, hickory, or apple wood chips or pellets when making this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 283kcal (14%)Carbohydrates 13g (4%)Protein 50g (100%)Fat 4g (6%)Saturated Fat 1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat 1gMonounsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 122mg (41%)Sodium 10029mg (418%)Potassium 632mg (18%)Fiber 2g (8%)Sugar 10g (11%)Vitamin A 357mg (7%)Vitamin C 1mg (1%)Calcium 76mg (8%)Iron 2mg (11%)
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