How Long Do You Smoke a Turkey on a Traeger?

When it comes to the holiday season, we all know smoked turkey is the undisputed king. Nothing beats a wood-fired bird surrounded by all the trimmings on Thanksgiving day. If youre curious about how to smoke a turkey like a pro, read our turkey smoking guide for the best tips and tricks.

Smoking a turkey on a Traeger wood pellet grill is one of the best ways to get a delicious juicy and flavorful bird for your Thanksgiving dinner. But cooking times can vary quite a bit depending on the size of your turkey and a few other factors.

Here’s a complete guide to how long you should expect to smoke your turkey when using a Traeger grill along with tips to ensure perfect results.

Overview of Turkey Smoking Times on a Traeger

As a general guideline, smoking a turkey on a Traeger will take approximately 30-40 minutes per pound at a temperature between 225-250°F.

So for a

  • 12 lb turkey – Expect around 6-8 hours total
  • 14 lb turkey – Around 7-10 hours
  • 16 lb turkey – 8-12 hours
  • 18 lb turkey – 10-14 hours
  • 20 lb turkey – 12-16 hours

These times can vary though depending on a few factors:

Turkey Size

The most obvious factor is the size of your turkey. Larger birds will simply take longer to cook through to the safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F.

Grill Model

Different Traeger grill models heat up at slightly different rates, which affects total cook time. Timberline and Ironwood models with TRU Convection tend to cook a bit faster.

Outdoor Temperature

If you’re smoking your turkey in very cold weather, it will likely take a bit longer to cook than during warmer temperatures.

Increased Grill Temp

While 225-250°F is ideal for smoking, you can shorten the cook time by cranking up the temperature to 275°F or even 350°F towards the end to finish faster. This helps ensure the skin gets nice and crispy too.

Spatchcocking

“Spatchcocking” the turkey (removing the backbone and flattening it out) significantly decreases smoking time. A spatchcock turkey will be done in about half the time or less.

Brining

Soaking your turkey in a saltwater brine before smoking helps retain moisture, but it can extend cooking time slightly since brined birds weigh more.

Step-by-Step Guide to Smoking Times for Whole Turkey

Follow this timeline as a guide for approximating the smoking stages and times required when cooking a whole turkey on your Traeger grill:

1. Turkey Prep – Up to 24 Hours

  • If frozen, thaw turkey in fridge 1 day for every 4 lbs
  • Remove giblets & neck from cavity
  • Trim excess fat & skin
  • Brine turkey (optional) – needs 8-12 hours
  • Apply dry rub the night before – up to 24 hours ahead

2. Remove Turkey from Fridge – 30 Minutes

  • Take turkey out of fridge 30 minutes before smoking
  • Let it come closer to room temp before cooking

3. Preheat Grill – 15 Minutes

  • Preheat Traeger grill to 225°F
  • Use Super Smoke mode if available
  • Let it preheat 15 minutes with lid closed

4. Place Turkey on Grill – Monitor Temp

  • Insert probe thermometer into thickest part of breast
  • Place turkey on grill breast-side up
  • Maintain temperature at 225-250°F
  • Monitor internal temp – target is 165°F

5. Estimate Smoking Time

Approximate time ranges:

  • 12 lb turkey – 6-8 hours
  • 14 lb turkey – 7-10 hours
  • 16 lb turkey – 8-12 hours
  • 18 lb turkey – 10-14 hours
  • 20 lb turkey – 12-16 hours

6. Let Turkey Rest – 30 Minutes

  • Once breast temp hits 165°F, remove turkey
  • Tent loosely with foil and let rest 30 minutes
  • Internal temp will rise to 170°F+
  • Turkey is now safe to eat!

7. Carve and Serve

Your Traeger smoked turkey is ready to carve and serve! Dig in and enjoy.

Tips for Maximizing Flavor

Follow these tips when smoking turkey on your Traeger pellet grill for the best possible flavor:

  • Brine the turkey – Brining makes the meat super juicy and seasoned throughout. Aim for about 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water.

  • Use a rub – Coat the turkey evenly with a Traeger turkey rub or poultry seasoning for great flavor. Apply at least 12 hours before smoking.

  • Try turkey injection – Injecting a flavorful marinade deep into the turkey adds moisture and flavor. Popular options are broth, melted butter, herbs, citrus or hot sauces.

  • Use wood pellet flavors – Opt for milder, sweeter pellets like apple, cherry, pecan, or Traeger’s Turkey Blend to complement the turkey.

  • Crank up the heat – Finish at 350°F to crisp the skin.

  • Make turkey stock – Simmer the neck, giblets, aromatics and veggies in water while smoking then strain for an amazing turkey stock.

Troubleshooting Smoking Times

If your smoked turkey is taking much longer than expected to reach the target internal temp, here are a few things to try:

  • Increase the smoker temperature to 275-300°F

  • Check that your probe thermometer is properly placed deep in the breast and not touching bone

  • If breast is cooked but thighs aren’t, tent foil over breast and continue cooking until thighs are 165°F

  • If turkey seems done on outside but not inside, tent loosely with foil and continue cooking until breast hits 165°

  • Be sure to calibrate your thermometer in boiling water to ensure accuracy

The most surefire way to guarantee your turkey is fully cooked through to a safe temperature is to use a reliable digital meat thermometer. This takes the guesswork out of determining doneness.

Enjoy Perfectly Smoked Turkey

Smoking a turkey on a Traeger pellet grill results in an incredibly flavorful, moist and tender bird, but cook times can vary. Plan on about 30-40 minutes per pound as a general rule of thumb. Monitor the temperature closely with a meat thermometer and use these timing guidelines to ensure your turkey turns out perfectly cooked.

With a little preparation and patience, your Traeger smoked turkey will be a huge hit on Thanksgiving and any time of year. Just relax and let your pellet grill do the hard work of infusing your turkey with delicious Traeger wood-fired flavor.

how long do you smoke a turkey on a traeger

How to Smoke a Turkey Step-by-Step

how long do you smoke a turkey on a traeger

Stuff Your Bird (Optional)

You can stuff a whole turkey if you like though these days the practice is not as common. Thats in part because the USDA says it risks cross-contamination and because it takes the turkey longer to cook. A better practice is to cook the stuffing separately.

As your bird cooks, it sheds delicious bits of fat and flavor to the bottom of the cooking surface. You can incorporate turkey drippings into your turkey gravy. Once the turkey is done cooking, remove the bird and strain the remaining liquid into a container. Add the strained drippings into your gravy. However, if you have brined the bird, its juices may be too salty to use. Taste it to see and be careful with adding additional salt.

how long do you smoke a turkey on a traeger

How To Smoke A Turkey On A Traeger Pellet Grill – FULL STEP-BY-STEP

FAQ

How many hours does it take to smoke a turkey on a Traeger?

Traeger Smoked Turkey

Garlic, butter, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper combine to create an herbal rub to maximize flavor while you smoke the meat for 3-4 hours. Make sure to get an early start to begin smoking your Thanksgiving Turkey.

Is it better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?

325-350. It’s not a low and slow like a brisket or pork shoulder. Poultry soaks up the smoke flavor so you run the risk of having way too much smoke flavor if you go 225. Also 225 will never give you crispy skin.

How long to smoke a 14 lb turkey on a pellet grill?

Place the turkey on the smoker and smoke for 6 hours or about 30 minutes per pound until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F for the breast and …Oct 18, 2024

How long will it take to smoke a 15lb turkey?

This 12-15 lb turkey is smoked (covered) for 6 hours. If you have a larger turkey you will need to smoke the turkey longer. Just check the internal temperature.Oct 17, 2022

How long do you smoke a Turkey on a Traeger?

Smoke the turkey for 3 hours, spritzing with a 50:50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water every 40 minutes or so. How long does it take to cook a turkey on a Traeger? Place turkey on the grill and smoke for 3-4 hours. Check the internal temperature, the desired temperature is 175°F in the thigh next to the bone, and 160°F in the breast.

What temperature should a Traeger smoked turkey be?

Place turkey on the grill and smoke for 3-4 hours. Check the internal temperature, the desired temperature is 175°F in the thigh next to the bone, and 160°F in the breast. Traeger smoked turkey will continue to cook once taken off grill to reach a final temperature of 165°F in the breast. Is it better to smoke turkey at 225 or 325?

How long do you cook a Turkey on a Traeger?

Place the turkey breast side up directly on the grill grates and place a meat thermometer in the breast and one in the thigh of the bird. Smoke the turkey for 3 hours, spritzing with a 50:50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water every 40 minutes or so. How long does it take to cook a turkey on a Traeger?

How do you cook a turkey breast in a Traeger smoker?

Place the turkey breast side up on the grill grates. Spray the turkey with a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and water about every 40 minutes while it’s cooking for three hours. After 3 hours the turkey should be close to 110°-120°F internal temperature. Leaving the bird on the smoker, increase the Traeger smokers temperature to 350°F.

Can you smoke a Turkey on a Traeger Grill?

Smoking a turkey on a Traeger grill results in a mouthwateringly moist and flavorful bird that will be the star of your holiday table. With the Traeger’s precise temperature control and wood-fired smoke, you can infuse your turkey with delicious hardwood flavor in a hands-off cooking process.

What is a smoked Traeger Turkey?

A smoked Traeger turkey is cooked to perfection with smoke and heat giving it a nice crispy skin and juicy meat. We brined this turkey in buttermilk and spices to make sure this is the juiciest turkey you have ever served for Thanksgiving.

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