If you have recently purchased a Smoker, make this Smoked Turkey Breast Tenderloins Recipe. Delicious and easy to make smoked turkey tenderloins.
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Turkey breast tenderloin is lean, tender and full of flavor. We rubbed an easy seasoning on the tenderloin, but you can also top with favorite BBQ rub marinade. The savory combination of flavor from the seasoning makes this recipe so delicious.
Check out our other Smoker Recipes for to try out this summer. You may also love this Smoked Turkey Recipe, Smoked Turkey Injection Recipe, Blackstone Turkey Breast, Grilled Turkey Tenderloin or this Smoked Cornish Hens Recipe.
Table of Contents
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients
- Variation Ideas
- How to Make Smoked Turkey Breast Tenderloins
- Recipe Tips
- How Long to Cook Turkey Tenderloins in Smoker
- How do you know when Smoke Turkey Tenderloins is Cooked
- What to Serve with Smoked Turkey Breast
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Smoked Turkey Breast Tenderloins Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
This smoked turkey breast recipe is delicious and full of flavor. If you are looking for an easy way to make turkey breast tenderloin, then make it in your electric smoker.
The smoking process is easy and it only takes less than 2 hours to prepare.
Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom to see the full recipe in the recipe card.
Variation Ideas
- Wrap in Slices of Bacon – For a delicious option, wrap the turkey tenderloin in bacon. This gives the tenderloin so much flavor. To prevent the bacon from burning, you may need to lay a loose piece of foil on the turkey.
- Change the Seasoning – You can easily change the seasoning or add in fresh herbs. We recommend adding in rosemary or red pepper flakes.
- Sauces – You can also add a sauce to the turkey before serving. It would be delicious served with a BBQ sauce or ketchup.
How to Make Smoked Turkey Breast Tenderloins
- Step 1 – Prepare Smoker – Preheat a smoker with a cold water pan to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 2 – Combine Seasoning – Mix the rub ingredients together in a small glass bowl.
- Step 3 – Prepare Turkey – Pat the turkey tenderloins dry with a paper towel. This removes any excess moisture from the turkey and place it on a baking sheet.
- Step 4 – Add butter to turkey – Rub the melted butter on all sides of the tenderloins.
- Step 5 – Season Turkey Tenderloins – Season the turkey tenderloins with the rub mixture. Season by rubbing the mixture into the sides of the turkey tenderloins with your hands.
- Step 6 – Place turkey in smoker – Then place the turkey (on the baking sheet) in the smoker on grill grate.
- Step 7 – Cook Turkey – Cook the turkey for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Cook until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 8 – Rest Turkey – Remove the turkey from the smoker. Let the tenderloins sit for 20-30 minutes (so that the juices can settle). Then the turkey is ready to serve and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Brining Process – Some recipes require you to place the turkey in a brine mixture consisting of kosher salt and water. This recipe works fine without it. If you do add a brining step, make sure remove any residual salt from the turkey.
- Prepare Smoker – Make sure to preheat the smoker prior to placing the turkey in the smoker.
- Seasoning the Smoker – We recommend thoroughly seasoning the turkey tenderloin prior to putting in the smoker.
- Slicing the Turkey – Allow the turkey to rest for 30 minutes before slicing with a very sharp knife. This allows the turkey to lock in the moisture.
How Long to Cook Turkey Tenderloins in Smoker
Cooking turkey tenderloins in the smoker doesn’t take much preparation. Once you have buttered the tenderloin and seasoned it, then place on a baking sheet. Make sure the smoke setting is at 225 degrees, and place the tenderloin in the smoker.
Smoke the turkey for about 2 hours or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees. Check this by using a meat thermometer.
How do you know when Smoke Turkey Tenderloins is Cooked
Use an instant read thermometer to make sure that the turkey is cooked to a safe temperature. You want to check the temperature before removing it from the smoker.
The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees when the turkey is finished cooking. Cooking time will vary based on the size of your tenderloin.
What to Serve with Smoked Turkey Breast
This smoked turkey breast recipe can easily be served as part of your holiday dinner or an weekend meal. Here are some of our favorite sides that we like to serve with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. We like to slice and place in individual containers before placing in the fridge. Add your favorite sides for a delicious lunch the next day.
When smoking a turkey tenderloin it is best to use a oak or fruitwood pellets. You can choose from a cherry wood or a pecan flavored wood. We have also used applewood smoke wood chips and the tenderloin came out with amazing flavor.
Make sure to add chips to the smoker every 15 minutes if your smoker does not have an automatic feature.
If you do not have a smoker, you can still make this delicious recipe. This turkey tenderloin can be made in the oven, by placing it in a baking dish.
Prepare the turkey as indicated with the seasoning and then bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.
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We love to hear from you. If you make this Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe, please leave us a comment.
Smoked Turkey Breast Tenderloins
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Turkey Breast Tenderloins
- 2 Tablespoons Butter melted
For the Rub:
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
Instructions
- Preheat a smoker with a water pan to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix the rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Pat the turkey tenderloins dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture from the turkey and place it on a baking sheet.
- Rub the melted butter on all sides of the tenderloins.
- Season the turkey tenderloins with the rub mixture by rubbing the mixture into the sides of the turkey tenderloins with your hands.
- Then place the turkey (on the baking sheet) in the smoker.
- Cook the turkey for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the turkey from the smoker. Let the tenderloins sit for 20-30 minutes (so that the juices can settle) and then the turkey is ready to serve and enjoy!
