This smoked turkey is so juicy, tender, and full of flavor that it will make you save the oven for the sides. This juicy holiday turkey recipe starts with a brine and then slow smoked it to a juicy perfection.
When it’s time to start planning your holiday menu, the fist item on the list is always turkey. It’s the centerpiece of the dinner table, it gets a round of applause entering the room, and the main dish that is most desired for the holidays. This is also the dish that makes the host nervous the most.
Even after cooking numerous turkeys, it still makes me nervous because at Thanksgiving, the stakes are high!
Don’t be nervous though, because I have a complete guide to smoking turkey right here. If you haven’t tried smoked turkey, I HIGHLY recommended. It has the most amazing smoked flavor and comes out so juicy and tender after being slow-cooked for several hours. Don’t forget about the added benefit of not using the treasured oven space.
Tools You Need To Smoke Turkey
Large pot for brining – make sure you have a pot that is large enough to fit the entire turkey so it can be submerged in the brine. If you don’t have a pot large enough, there are several brining containers on the market. Just make sure it is clean and food-safe/food-specific. If you are using a container, you can also put turkey into a brining bag inside that container and fill the bag with the brine. This way, the turkey will brine inside the bag, inside the container.
Smoker – you can use any smoker to cook your turkey. Whether it’s charcoal, pellet, electric, or gas, just make sure you are familiar with the settings and the cooking process of your smoker. My personal preference is the charcoal smoker because it the best authentic flavor but a pellet smoker is a close second.
Meat Thermometer – I highly recommend that you invest into a dual thermometer if you smoke your own meat. It monitors the ambient temperature around the meat with much more accuracy than the built in smoker thermometer. The second probe monitors the internal temperature of the meat, which is a must! (This is the thermometer I use.)
Fuel wood – make sure you have enough of whatever fuel you use to last you 6-8 hours of smoking time.
Wood – for turkey, my personal favorite is apple and cherry wood chips. You can also use maple or hickory for a stronger flavor.
Foil – you’ll need a little bit of foil to wrap around the wings so they don’t get burned or dried out.
Drip pans – you will need 2-3 aluminum pans. One pan is to catch turkey drippings and it should be large enough to catch turkey juices running off the top and bottom of the bird. Another one or two pans will be filled with water.
How To Make Smoked Turkey
First of all, make sure the turkey is completely defrosted. You will also want to make sure that there is room in the refrigerator to place the pot with turkey.
Take the bird out of the package and remove the giblets and the neck if it was included in the cavity. You can use those to make gravy later.
Place turkey inside a pot that is large enough to be completely covered in brine.
Brining:
It’s best to give it 12-18 hours to brine.
Mix lukewarm water with salt, sugar, and lemon slices until sugar and salt are dissolved. Carefully pour the brine over turkey, completely covering it.
Cover and place in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours.
Prepare the turkey:
Take the turkey out of the brine and onto a large cutting board. Pat it dry all around with paper towels.
Sprinkle inside the cavity with thyme and sage if using dried herbs or place fresh herbs inside. Place onion quarters, half a lemon, and apple quarters inside the cavity as well. Bring the legs together, cross them, and tie them with cooking twine.
Brush outside of the bird with olive oil, making sure that it’s evenly covered all around including all the wrinkles and folds. Finally, season outside of the bird with some salt and pepper.
Prepare the smoker:
Set up your smoker and get it to a steady 225°. Place an aluminum roasting pan on the rack underneath the the bird to catch the drippings. Do not place the turkey into a roasting pan!
Place one or two other aluminum pans filled with water on the lower rack or on the opposite side of the rack with the turkey, depending on the smoker.
Insert digital meat thermometer probe into the turkey breast and place it on the grate. Make sure to place the ambient temperature thermometer on the grate, near the bird. Close the lid right away so the temperature doesn’t get too low.
Smoke it:
Let it cook for several hours, until internal temperature reaches 160°-165°. (Remember that the internal temperature will keep rising while the turkey is resting.) When estimating cooking time, estimate about 30 minutes per pound.
Rest:
When it’s done, carefully lift the bird off the grate, tilt it, and hold it over the drip pan to let the juices in the cavity pour our into the drip pan. (Use those juices to make the gravy.)
Place turkey into a cutting board and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Don’t tent it or the skin will get soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the smoker temperature for turkey?
You will want to set and maintain a temperature of 225°F. Don’t let it dip under and don’t let it go any higher than 240°.
What type of wood for turkey?
Apple, cherry, and maple are personal favorites. If you want a stronger wood flavor, go with hickory.
How long does turkey take to smoke?
A 15-lb turkey will take about 7 1/2 hours of smoking time. When I calculate my smoking time, I estimate about 30 minutes per pound.
What is the temperature of turkey when it’s done?
Safe internal temperature of turkey is 165°.
How much turkey per person?
For 12-15 lb turkeys, estimate 1 pound per persons. If you want to have some leftovers, then you can estimate 1 1/2 lbs per person.
How to insert digital read thermometer?
Insert a probe of the digital thermometer into the thickest part of the breast diagonally, along the bone but not touching the bone. If you touch the bone, pull back just a little bit.
Why is my cooked turkey meat still pink?
Remember that smoked meats have a pink hue to them. There will be a pink ring around the meat and some pink hue even deeper towards the center of meat. It is still most important to make sure that your meat was cooked to the safe internal temperature. For turkey, safe internal temperature is 165°F.
Can I smoke turkey that is bigger than 15lbs?
It is not recommended to smoke a turkey that is much bigger that 15 lbs., especially up to 20 lbs. This is because of a much longer cooking time and a higher chance of having bacteria issues.
If you are feeding a larger crowd, you will be better off smoking two smaller turkeys.
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Smoked Turkey Recipe
Equipment
- Large Pot For Brining
- Smoker
- Fuel
- Wood
- Foil
- Meat Thermometer
- Drip Pan and Water Pan
Ingredients
Brine:
- 2 1/2 quarts lukewarm water more if needed depending on turkey size
- 1/2 cup coarse salt
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1-2 lemons sliced
Turkey:
- 12-15 lb turkey
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 sweet apple
- 2-3 tsp dried sage can also use fresh (4-5 leaves)
- 2-3 tsp dried thyme can also use fresh (2-3 sprigs)
- 3 tbsp olive oil more for larger turkey if needed
- cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Make sure the turkey is completely defrosted. You will also want to make sure that there is room in the refrigerator to place the pot with turkey.
Brining:
- Take the bird out of the package and remove the giblets and the neck if it was included in the cavity. You can use those to make gravy later.
- Place turkey inside a pot that is large enough to be completely covered in brine.
- Mix lukewarm water with salt, sugar, and lemon slices until sugar and salt are dissolved. Carefully pour the brine over turkey, completely covering it.
- Cover the pot and place it in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours.
Prepare the turkey:
- Take the turkey out of the brine and onto a large cutting board. Pat it dry all around with paper towels.
- Sprinkle inside the cavity with thyme and sage if using dried herbs or place fresh herbs inside. Place onion quarters, half a lemon, and apple quarters inside the cavity as well. Bring the legs together, cross them, and tie them with cooking twine.
- Brush or rub outside of the bird with olive oil, making sure that it’s evenly covered all around including all the wrinkles and folds. Finally, season outside of the bird with some salt and pepper.
Prepare the smoker:
- Set up your smoker and get it to a steady 225°. Place an aluminum roasting pan on the rack underneath the the bird to catch the drippings. Do not place the turkey into a roasting pan!
- Place one or two other aluminum pans filled with water on the lower rack or on the opposite side of the rack with the turkey, depending on the smoker.
- Insert digital meat thermometer probe into the turkey breast and place it on the grate. Make sure to place the ambient temperature thermometer on the grate, near the bird. Close the lid right away so the temperature doesn’t get too low.
Smoke it:
- Let it cook for several hours, until internal temperature reaches 160°-165°. (Remember that the internal temperature will keep rising while the turkey is resting.) When estimating cooking time, estimate about 30 minutes per pound.
Rest it:
- When it’s done, carefully lift the bird off the grate, tilt it, and hold it over the drip pan to let the juices in the cavity pour our into the drip pan. (Use those juices to make the gravy.)
- Place turkey into a cutting board and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Don’t tent it or the skin will get soggy.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on Grilling Smoking Living in November 2020.
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