Pickle Brined Turkey Breast
This Pickle Brined Turkey Breast is an easy, flavorful recipe that uses leftover pickle brine to create tender, juicy meat every time. Brushed with Bachan’s Roasted Garlic Japanese BBQ Sauce and seasoned with Smoke Junkie, it cooks beautifully on the Traeger or in the oven. Perfect for holidays, sandwiches, meal prep, and weeknight dinners.
Equipment
- Large bowl or stock pot
- Traeger or pellet grill
- Thermometer probe
- paper towels
- Cutting board
- chef’s knife
Ingredients
- 1 whole bone-in turkey breast 4–6 lbs
- 8 cups pickle brine
- 1/2 cup Bachan’s Roasted Garlic Japanese BBQ Sauce
- Smoke Junkie seasoning to coat generously
- 4 tbsp cold salted butter
Instructions
- Thaw the turkey breast fully and remove packaging, giblets, and inserts.
- Place the turkey breast into a large bowl and pour in 8 cups of pickle brine. Add cold water if needed to fully submerge.
- Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
- Remove from brine and pat completely dry.
- Brush the turkey breast with Bachan’s Roasted Garlic Japanese BBQ Sauce.
- Season heavily with Smoke Junkie seasoning on all sides.
- Lift the skin gently and place 4 tbsp cold salted butter underneath, spacing evenly.
- Preheat Traeger to 325°F.
- Place turkey breast directly on grill grates and insert thermometer probe.
- Cook for 2.5–3 hours or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Remove from grill, tent loosely, and rest 20–30 minutes until temp reaches 165°F.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
Drying the skin thoroughly helps it brown and crisp.
Don’t over-brine; 12–24 hours is the sweet spot.
Cold butter holds its shape better under the skin.
Leftovers stay juicy for days thanks to the brine.
This recipe also works with chicken breasts or whole chicken.