Smoked Turkey Tenderloin

Smoked Turkey Tenderloin is the perfect addition to your holiday meal but it can be enjoyed any time of year. With all the healthy benefits of turkey, lots of smoky flavor and easy prep there's much to love about this straightforward main dish.

Why you'll love serving smoked turkey tenderloins

1. It's the ideal amount if you want turkey for two (you'll still have some leftovers). If you need to serve 4-5 people you won't have any left, but you can always smoke extra.
2. It's healthy! Most people know that turkey is a lean protein but did you know that the breast (white meat) has even less calories and less fat than the darker meat?
3. It's full of smoky flavor.
4. You can hand it off to the grillmaster and leave your kitchen open for making other dishes.

Turkey Tenderloin is like the filet mignon of turkey breast and if you haven't tried it yet you are definitely missing out! This is not the dried out, tough turkey white meat that most people thinking of. It's tender, has a great texture and is full of flavor.

We actually discovered how great this is when we were researching ideas for using safflower oil last fall. We ended up making deep fried turkey breast for that post, but kept the smoked turkey tenderloin in our back pocket to share with you later.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love serving smoked turkey tenderloins
• What you should know about the ingredients
• Steps to follow
• Helpful tips and equipment
• FAQ's
• Storage Tips
• What to serve with turkey tenderloins that have been smoked
• Smoked side dishes
• 📖 Recipe
• Grilled & Smoked Main Dishes

What you should know about the ingredients

• Turkey Tenderloins are usually found in the vacuum sealed packages of your grocery store's meat department. The ones you see in these photos were the brand Jennie-O and we were very pleased.
• Brown sugar and salt are used for brining. Any kind of either are fine. We used light brown sugar and kosher salt.
• Vegetable Oil - Just a little for brushing to make sure the seasoning sticks to the turkey. Canola oil is our go-to, but use what you have on hand.
• Seasonings - We give you our preferred seasonings, but you can get creative here, or leave it plain and simple with just salt and pepper.

We included wood chips in this shot of the ingredients. Of course you don't eat them, but they are still an essential part of this turkey tenderloin recipe.

See the recipe card below for full ingredient list and exact quantities.

Steps to follow

First of all, we do highly recommend brining the tenderloin first. It adds to the tenderness and flavor of your turkey. If you're pushed for time you can skip that step.

1. Dissolve the salt and brown sugar in a cup of hot water. Add cold until you have about 1 quart.
2. Pour the brine solution over the turkey, making sure it's completely covered. If it wants to float you can weigh it down with a small plate. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours and up to 8-9 hours.
3. Pull the turkey out of the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Brush with oil and then sprinkle with seasoning. Pat with hands to help the seasoning stick.
4. Cook over indirect heat at about 215-225 degrees using wood chips for flavor. When a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest portion reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheidt take the turkey off the grill or smoker. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Helpful tips and equipment

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• Soak your wood chips in water for about about an hour before putting them in the grill or smoker over hot coals. You can use applewood, hickory or mesquite chips.
• If you don't have a charcoal grill or smoker (we currently have a Kamado Joe) you can use your gas grill and put the wood chips in a smoker box like this one.
• Maintain the heat of your grill or smoker in the range of 215-225 degrees, but the key is not cooking the turkey tenderloins past 165 degrees of internal temperature. We like the type of thermometer that you can leave the probe inserted and constantly monitor the temp. This Inkbird Thermometer is what we use and it has an app so you can keep track on your phone.
• For 1.5 pounds of meat averaging 225 degrees it took our turkey about 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach 165 degrees. The length of time will vary with the thickness of your tenderloins, the distance from the heat and temperature of the smoker.

FAQ's

Storage Tips

Your smoked turkey tenderloin will keep tightly wrapped or in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days. It retains its moisture best if it is not sliced before storing.

It can be frozen if tightly wrapped up to 45 days.

What to serve with turkey tenderloins that have been smoked

The options are endless here. Generally anything that would be good with smoked ham or chicken breasts would good. Traditional side dishes like Baked Beans with Bacon or Gouda Potatoes au Gratin would be amazing!

If you smoke this juicy turkey tenderloin around the holidays you'll want to have the classic southern side dish to go with it - Cornbread Dressing.

Topping a salad with smoked turkey is a hearty but healthy meal. Good salad choices are the Fall Salad with Cider Vinaigrette and the Grapefruit Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette.

You can always add a sauce to these tenderloins for an added layer of flavor. Our Alabama White Sauce recipe is phenomenal on smoked dishes like this one. Smoked butter also goes great on this dish.

Smoked side dishes

If you have room on the smoker consider making smoked side dishes at the same time.

• One Pan Smoked Macaroni and Cheese
• Smoked Vegetables
• Smoked Baked Beans
• Smoked Sweet Potatoes

There's also a collection of smoked appetizers and desserts to check out.

📖 Recipe