Fall in love with the bold, peppery taste of this homemade Smoked Turkey Pastrami. The turkey breast is brined, seasoned, and smoked to produce juicy, deli-style slices that are perfect as a holiday main, for a backyard barbecue, or thinly sliced for exceptional sandwiches.
Why you’ll love this recipe
After refining classic pastrami methods for beef, this turkey version follows the same basic technique—brine, spice, and smoke—but adapted for the leaner, more delicate turkey breast. The brine time is shorter to prevent the meat from becoming overly soft, and the spice crust gives the turkey that signature peppery, aromatic pastrami character.
With straightforward prep and reliable results, this recipe delivers moist, flavorful turkey every time. Below are the main reasons to try it:
- Bold flavor with minimal fuss: A simple brine and a toasted spice rub create intense, smoky, peppery notes without complicated steps.
- Consistently juicy: The brine plus low-and-slow smoking locks moisture into this lean cut so the finished slices stay tender and not dry.
- Versatile results: Serve it as a show-stopping main, slice it for sandwiches, or use leftovers in tacos, salads, and casseroles.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients and helpful notes on what each component does and possible substitutions. Exact amounts are provided in the recipe card further down.
- Boneless turkey breast – Most packaged boneless turkey breasts come as roasts or two breasts bound together, usually between 3–5 pounds. This recipe uses a 3-pound boneless turkey breast roast, but you can scale the ingredients for larger or smaller pieces.
- Pickling salt (or coarse salt) – Because salt volume varies by type, the recipe uses ounces for accuracy. If you don’t have a scale, the recipe provides a close equivalent in cups and tablespoons.
- Granulated sugar – Balances the brine and helps with browning and flavor complexity.
- Pickling spice – A corned beef/canning spice blend with coriander, mustard seed, pepper, bay leaf, and fennel adds warm, aromatic notes. You can use a prepared mix or make your own.
- Pink curing salt (Prague powder #1) – Also called curing salt #1, this ingredient is used in small quantities to ensure safe curing and preserve color when curing or brining meat. Follow the recipe amount carefully.
- Pastrami seasoning – A coarse, toasted blend of black peppercorns, coriander seeds, and mustard seeds combined with smoked paprika and brown sugar forms the signature outer crust.
Instructions
The process is simple: make and cool the brine, submerge the turkey to brine, prepare and apply the spice rub, then smoke the breast to temperature. Follow the steps below and refer to the recipe card for exact measurements.
Brine and seasoning prep
- Combine water, pickling salt, granulated sugar, pickling spice, and the pink curing salt in a large pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Turn off the heat and allow the brine to cool completely. To speed cooling, leave out a cup of water while heating, then add ice cubes after the mixture is ready.
- Place the turkey breast in a large container and pour the cooled brine over the meat so it is fully submerged. Refrigerate and brine for 8 to 24 hours; for best texture, avoid over-brining.
- While the turkey brines, toast the black peppercorns, coriander seeds, and mustard seeds in a dry skillet for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Grind them coarsely in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, then mix with smoked paprika and brown sugar to form the pastrami rub.
Season and smoke
- Remove the turkey from the brine, discard the brine, remove any netting, and pat the breast dry. Use butcher’s twine to tie the roast if it’s in multiple pieces.
- Coat the turkey thoroughly with the spice mixture, pressing it into an even, thick crust on all sides.
- Preheat your smoker to 275°F (135°C). Place the seasoned turkey breast in the smoker and cook until the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 155°F (68°C). Expect roughly 45 minutes per pound, but always rely on internal temperature rather than time alone; this typically takes 2–4 hours depending on size.
- Remove the turkey from the smoker and let it rest for 10 minutes before removing twine and slicing thinly for serving.
What to serve with it
Smoked Turkey Pastrami pairs well with seasonal sides. For a holiday meal try mushroom stuffing and roasted Brussels sprouts. For summer barbecues, serve alongside baked beans, a pasta or potato salad, and tangy sauces. Leftovers are outstanding in sandwiches, especially a turkey Reuben or Rachel-style sandwich with tangy slaw and melted cheese.
Other ways to use the turkey
Make an extra breast when you have time so you’ll have leftovers for the week. Thinly sliced smoked turkey pastrami is excellent in grilled sandwiches, tostadas, rice bowls, pot pies, and tossed into grain bowls or salads for a smoky protein boost.
Smoked Turkey Pastrami
Brined, seasoned, and smoked to deliver juicy, peppery slices perfect for mains and deli-style sandwiches.
Servings: 6
Prep time: 25 minutes (plus brining)
Cook time: 2–4 hours, until 155°F internal
Total time: About 3 hours active time plus brining
Author: Whitney Bond
Ingredients
Brine
- ½ gallon water
- 5 ounces pickling salt (or coarse salt)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice
- 1 teaspoon pink curing salt (Prague powder #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 water, salt, sugar, pickling spice, and pink curing salt to a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring until dissolved. Let the brine cool completely.
- Place the turkey breast in a container and pour the cooled brine over it, ensuring it is fully submerged. Refrigerate and brine for 8–24 hours.
- Preheat your smoker to 275°F. Remove the turkey from the brine, remove netting, and pat dry. Tie with butcher’s twine if needed.
- Toast the peppercorns, coriander, and mustard seeds in a small skillet for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Grind coarsely and mix with smoked paprika and brown sugar.
- Rub the turkey all over with the seasoning and place it on the smoker. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 155°F, roughly 45 minutes per pound but vary by size.
- Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes, then remove the twine and slice thinly to serve.
Notes
- If you prefer no skin, remove it before brining and retie with twine to keep the roast together.
- Leaving netting on during brining helps keep multi-piece roasts intact; remove it before serving.
- Plan for about ½ pound of turkey per person when serving as a main dish.
- To scale the recipe for a larger 6-pound breast, double the ingredient quantities and use a brining bag or very large container.
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days and are ideal for sandwiches.
- Recommended smoking woods: maple, hickory, or apple for balanced, aromatic smoke flavor.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 283 kcal • Carbohydrates: 13 g • Protein: 50 g • Fat: 4 g • Sodium: varies (recipe uses curing salt and brine)