Smoked Miso Butter Turkey Breast

1. Gather all the ingredients. You will also need heavy-duty aluminum foil and a meat probe. If your turkey breast has the skin and bones attached, remove them carefully. I asked the butcher to remove them for me. My turkey breast was 5 pounds with skin and bone, and 4 pounds after removing them.

To Start the Fire

1. Preheat the smoker to 265°F (129°C). The smoker temperature will range between 250–285ºF (121–140°C) while it’s cooking, but that’s fine. If it gets too hot, just open the lid for a bit to let it cool down. You don’t want it too hot since the turkey will become dry.

To Prepare the Turkey and Dry Rub

1. In a small bowl, add all the dry rub ingredients: 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 2½ Tbsp 16-mesh ground black pepper, 1 tsp paprika powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp onion powder.
2. Mix all together and scoop into the MaracaSifter. I LOVE this little tool from Uchicook, which allows me to sprinkle evenly.
3. Apply the rub evenly on 1 (4-pound) boneless, skinless turkey breast.
4. Make sure to sprinkle on the sides and the tender area (if it’s separated).

To Cook the Turkey

1. Place the turkey in the smoker “skin“ side up (the side that previously had the skin). Attach the meat probe and cook until golden brown, or when the meat probe says 140ºF (60ºC), typically around 2 hours.
2. In the meantime, make the Miso Butter Sauce. Combine 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp miso, and 1 tsp soy sauce in a small bowl.
3. When the meat probe registers 140ºF (60ºC), remove the turkey from the smoker and place it on two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, dull side out. Place the turkey on the foil towards the edge away from you so you’ll have enough room to completely wrap it up later.
4. Drizzle all the Miso Butter Sauce on top of the turkey and stick the meat probe into the thickest part of the turkey.
5. Wrap tightly in the aluminum foil.
6. Seal the edges well. The turkey will cook in its juices and the miso butter sauce, so don’t let the liquids escape.
7. Return the turkey to the smoker, this time with the skin side down. It should look like a boat on the grate.
8. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71ºC), about 1 hour. Do not overcook.

To Rest and Serve

1. Let the turkey wrapped in foil rest until the internal temperature drops to 140°F (60ºC), about 30 minutes. Open the foil carefully, making sure you don‘t spill the juices. Reserve these drippings to add to the gravy (next step).
2. Slice turkey against the grain to the thickness you prefer. Keep the cooking liquid for making the gravy.

To Make the Miso Butter Gravy

1. Gather all the ingredients for the gravy. This smoked turkey breast cooks fairly cleanly with little residue released during cooking, so you don‘t need to strain the drippings.
2. Add 2 Tbsp unsalted butter to the frying pan or saucepan on medium heat and let it melt completely. Add ¼ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) to the pan.
3. Using a spatula or whisk, combine the flour and butter together and cook until it forms a roux (a thick, smooth paste), about 2–3 minutes. Then, gradually add 2 cups chicken stock/broth, about ¼ cup at a time. Stir to incorporate after each addition and make sure the mixture is smooth with no lumps before you add more broth. DO NOT pour all the broth at once.
4. You can add more broth for a thinner gravy or let the gravy cook a few minutes for a thick gravy.
5. Pour in the drippings and mix to combine with the roux.
6. Taste your gravy. If you‘d like, you can add ½ tsp soy sauce, ½ tsp miso, and ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. I added a little bit of soy sauce and miso in my gravy. Remember, it depends on your chicken stock and drippings (it can be already salty), so always taste your gravy first, then season to taste.
7. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the liquid to a boil while still stirring. Once the liquid reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium and stir occasionally until the gravy is as thick as you‘d like it. Once the gravy is thick, serve it immediately or keep it over very low heat until you are ready to serve. If the gravy develops a thin film on the top, just give it a quick stir.

To Store

1. You can keep the gravy in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently over low heat while whisking occasionally.