A New Family Favorite: Smoked Wild Turkey Breast Recipe

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There are few things in the world that I wish time would move quicker for, but opening day of spring turkey season is certainly one of them. The sound of light gobbles echoing through the hollers and hills at dawn stirs an excitement in me that feels almost childlike. Like a kid rushing down the stairs to find the presents under the tree that he’s been thinking about for months, that's opening day for me! It's a time when I can finally sit my back against a hardwood tree and hope and pray that the Good Lord delivers a gobbler wanting to play ball. I set it in my calendar and daydream, practicing my calls and picturing it in my head, as if it ever works exactly the way we planned — but one can only hope!

I love turkey hunting — I love everything about it. I got spoiled on my very first turkey hunt, tagging out on a double-bearded Kansas Rio eight minutes after legal shooting light on our first day at camp. I thought turkey hunting was easy! What a spoiled and nonrealistic introduction into what I’d come to know as one of my new favorite obsessions.

I’m grateful because I remember that feeling and I chase it every time in the woods — a connection that I never knew I needed so badly. I spent three years after killing that bird in Kansas before I ever had a chance on another bird. I will say that the Eastern's we have in Tennessee are a whole different kind of bird to hunt, but that’s a story for another day.

This recipe is from my 2025 turkey I killed here in Tennessee. I’m so grateful for this big guy. He was over 25 pounds, so the cuts I butchered from him were perfect for smoking. It's one of my favorite ways to prepare a wild turkey breast.

The Spoils

Smoke. What’s not to love about it? Eat it on a sandwich, in a taco, or in this case piled high on a plate next to your favorite BBQ sauce. Everybody loves fried turkey nuggets, but trust me, follow this recipe to a “t” and you can rank it up there with brisket and pulled pork. Yeah — it’s that good, especially for wild game!

The brine is everything in this recipe, so make sure to get at least 12 hours in there and you’ll have delicious, moist wild turkey coming out every time. There’s no rules on seasonings either, so have at it! Find your favorite BBQ seasoning at the store or make your own. This bird only takes an hour and a half to two hours on the smoker, so you don’t need to worry about brown sugar burning or anything like that. Have fun with it — just try not to eat the whole thing before your family and friends can try! 

Ingredients

• 1 wild turkey breast, washed, cleaned and trimmed of any fat
• 2 quarts water
• 1/2 cup of kosher salt
• 1/4 cup of sugar

You can add anything else you’d like here — peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, chili flakes, etc., or your favorite BBQ seasoning. I used a special edition Leupold blend by the Bearded Butchers Yellow mustard as a binder.

Preparation & Directions

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