The Art of Smoking a Turkey Like Aaron Franklin

As Thanksgiving approaches, home cooks everywhere are gearing up to make the perfect holiday meal. And for many, the star of the show is a beautifully browned, juicy smoked turkey. But smoking a turkey can be intimidating for novice pitmasters. That’s why we’re looking to legendary Texas barbecue master Aaron Franklin for inspiration.

Franklin, owner of the famed Franklin Barbecue in Austin, is known for his incredibly moist, smoky brisket. But he’s also an expert when it comes to smoking turkeys His years of experience and mastery of smoke, seasoning, and temperature control result in tender, flavorful birds that are the talk of every Thanksgiving table

In this article, we’ll break down Franklin’s turkey smoking process step-by-step so you can recreate it at home. From brining to rubs to maintaining the ideal temperature, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn the secrets of how to smoke a turkey like a true pitmaster.

Brining Is Crucial

The first step to ensuring a juicy smoked turkey is brining. Brining, or soaking the raw turkey in a saltwater solution, helps infuse moisture and seasoning into the meat Franklin is a big proponent of brining.

“Brining is huge for getting moisture into the bird and helping retain juices even after cooking it for a long time,” he told PBS

Franklin’s go-to brine consists of:

• 1 gallon water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon allspice berries
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 gallon ice

Combine the water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, allspice, and garlic in a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and cool completely. Add the ice to cool down the brine quickly. Submerge the turkey (10-15 pounds) breast side down in the brine and refrigerate for 8-16 hours. Rotating the turkey halfway through helps ensure even brining.

A Simple, Savory Rub

Once the turkey is brined, it’s time to add flavor with a rub. Franklin’s turkey rub combines just a handful of ingredients for a savory, peppery crust:

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix the dry ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Apply the rub all over the turkey, lifting up the skin over the breast to rub seasoning directly onto the meat. Don’t be shy – the rub adds tons of flavor.

Low and Slow Is Key

The hallmark of Franklin’s cooking method is low and slow smoking. For turkey, he maintains a temperature between 250-275°F using an offset smoker and chunks of post oak wood. The low temperature ensures the turkey cooks slowly, giving the smoke plenty of time to fully penetrate the meat.

“You want to cook it low and slow so the turkey has time to absorb the smoke flavor,” Franklin explains. “If you cook it at too high of a temperature, it doesn’t have time to absorb the smoke.”

Franklin recommends allowing 1-1.5 hours of smoking time per pound. So a 15 pound turkey will take 15-22 hours total to smoke. For the juiciest meat, he advises cooking the turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thigh.

Monitoring the temperature closely with a probe thermometer is important. The prolonged smoking time makes it easy to over or undercook the turkey if you aren’t paying attention.

Maintain Proper Moisture

Smoking for nearly a full day evaporates moisture quickly. To prevent the turkey skin from drying out, Franklin mists the turkey with a water and apple juice spray every 45 minutes to an hour.

The sugars in the apple juice caramelize and promote browning. But water is crucial for moisture – do not spray with just juice or oil, which can cause flair ups.

Rest and Carve

Once the turkey reaches the target internal temperature, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Cover it loosely with foil to keep warm. The resting period allows the juices to redistribute and be reabsorbed back into the meat.

Carve the turkey and serve it up with your favorite side dishes. Slice the breast meat and legs and thighs to enjoy all the different textures of smoked turkey in one fantastic feast.

The patience required to low and slow smoke a turkey just like Franklin is rewarded with unbelievably moist, tender meat infused with sweet, smoky flavor. Brining, spicing, smoking, and resting the bird properly results in the kind of phenomenal holiday turkey that dreams are made of.

So this Thanksgiving, channel your inner pitmaster Aaron Franklin and wow your family with the ultimate smoked turkey. The looks of joy when you carve into that juicy bird will make all those hours tending the smoker worthwhile. Happy smoking!

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