Preparing a Thanksgiving meal can be a daunting task, especially for first-time hosts. But the centerpiece of the meal—a moist, Instagram-worthy, and gloriously burnished smoked turkey with Rockwell-esque aspirations can be one of the easiest dishes on your T-Day menu. Really. Read on.
The Secret to Perfectly Smoked Turkey – HowToBBQRight Style
When it comes to smoking turkey, juicy meat plus crispy skin can be tricky to achieve. But with the right techniques, you can make a show-stopping bird that looks and tastes amazing. This step-by-step guide will teach you how to smoke a turkey the HowToBBQRight way for your best holiday feast yet.
Choose the Right Size Bird
For even cooking, smaller turkeys around 12-15 lbs tend to work best Larger birds take much longer to fully cook, leading to dried out breast meat. A more compact turkey will smoke and roast more evenly from the inner thighs to the outer breast
Always Thaw Before Smoking
Make sure your turkey is completely thawed before smoking. Never try to smoke a frozen bird, as it will be unsafe and take way too long to reach proper internal temperatures. Plan ahead and allow about 24 hours of refrigerator thawing time per 5 pounds of frozen turkey.
Dry Brine for Moist Meat
Dry brining is a simple but extremely effective turkey brining technique. It helps ensure juicy, well seasoned meat, while also crisping up the skin beautifully.
To dry brine, coat your raw turkey all over with kosher salt. Place breast side up on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 8-24 hours before smoking. The extended salt exposure deeply seasons the meat while drawing out excess moisture.
Prep the Grill for Indirect Heat
The key to smoking turkey is maintaining a steady, consistent temperature on your grill or smoker. For even cooking, set up your grill for indirect heat by only using one side of the grill, leaving the other empty.
Preheat your smoker or grill to 325°F using wood chunks, pellets, or charcoal paired with aromatic wood chips. Place a drip pan filled with broth, cider, or water on the empty side to catch drippings.
Season and Smoke the Turkey
After patting the dry brined turkey completely dry, coat it with olive oil. Generously season the cavity and outside with a savory poultry rub or herb blend.
Place the turkey breast side up on the grill grate over the drip pan, away from the direct heat source. Maintain an even temperature of 325°F, with thin blue smoke throughout the cook.
Monitor the Internal Temperature
Be diligent about monitoring the internal temperature when smoking turkey. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast to track the temp.
Target an internal temperature of 160-165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thighs. For a 12-15 lb turkey, this will take approximately 4 hours at 325°F.
Let It Rest Before Carving
Once the turkey reaches the target internal temperature, remove it from the grill and let rest for 30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute for tender, juicy meat.
After resting, carve up the turkey and serve it alongside your favorite holiday sides. Enjoy your incredibly moist and flavorful smoked turkey!
Tips for Smoked Turkey Perfection
Here are some additional tips for nailing smoked turkey on your grill or smoker:
- Dry brine for at least 12 hours for well seasoned, moist meat
- Inject with melted butter or turkey broth for added moisture
- Stuff the cavity with aromatic veggies like onions, apples, and herbs
- Use a foil tent if the skin browns too quickly
- Apply glazes or sauces only during the last 30 minutes
- Let the cooked turkey rest for 30 minutes before slicing
- Serve with gravy and cranberry sauce
HowToBBQRight’s 72 Hour Smoked Turkey
For the ultimate smoked turkey, HowToBBQRight recommends taking things low and slow with a 72 hour process. Here are the simple steps:
Ingredients:
- 1 whole thawed turkey (10-12 lbs)
- 1 bottle turkey brine
- 2 gallons sweet tea
- 1⁄2 onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots
- Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage)
- 1⁄4 cup barbecue seasoning rub
Instructions:
- Brine turkey in fridge for 48 hours in brine and sweet tea.
- Remove turkey and air dry uncovered in fridge for 20 hours.
- Fill cavity with chopped veggies and herbs. Tie legs together.
- Season all over with rub. Smoke at 350°F until breast hits 160°F.
- Rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
This extended brining and low-and-slow smoking yields incredibly moist, seasoned meat with crispy smoked skin. The sweet tea in the brine and subtle smoke flavor are the secrets to HowToBBQRight’s famous turkey.
Troubleshooting Common Smoked Turkey Issues
Smoking a turkey is pretty straightforward, but a few problems can pop up:
Overcooked Dry Meat – Ensure the turkey is brined and monitor temperature closely. Don’t overcook.
Soggy Skin – Dry out the skin fully after brining. Smoke at 325°F. Avoid basting.
Takes Too Long – Cook smaller 12-15 lb birds. Don’t use frozen turkey.
Uneven Cooking – Rotate turkey and use a drip pan for indirect heat.
Flare Ups – Trim excess fat before smoking. Keep the grill clean.
With proper preparation and temperature control, you can avoid these potential issues and smoke a juicy, delicious turkey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of the most common questions about smoking turkey:
What temperature do you smoke a turkey at?
The ideal hot smoking temperature for turkey ranges from 325°F to 350°F on most smokers and grills. This allows the skin to crisp while fully cooking the meat.
How long does it take to smoke a turkey?
Plan for approximately 30 minutes per pound. A 15 lb turkey will take 7-8 hours including the rest time at 325°F.
Should you brine a turkey before smoking?
Yes, brining helps keep the meat very moist and infuses it with lots of flavor. Dry and wet brining are both great options.
What wood is best for smoking turkey?
Fruit and nut woods like apple, almond, pecan and cherry impart a nice mild flavor that complements turkey. Avoid heavy mesquite smoke.
Is it safe to smoke a turkey?
Yes, smoking turkey is safe when proper food handling and cooking guidelines are followed. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat reaches a safe internal temp.
Can you stuff a turkey before smoking?
Absolutely, just be sure to factor in the extra cook time needed for a stuffed bird. Monitor the temperature carefully for food safety.
With the right preparation and smoking technique, you can make an incredibly juicy, flavorful turkey on your grill or smoker. Follow HowToBBQRight’s tips for the ultimate smoked turkey this holiday season.
How to Smoke-Roast Your Thanksgiving Turkey
Why would you listen to me? Because I’m a battle-scarred veteran of many Thanksgivings and have tried just about every harebrained scheme out there to place the perfect bird on the table. My turkey piccadilloes are embarrassing to recall.
Steven and I (I’ve been his assistant for more than 20 years) and our amazing barbecuebible.com team are in complete agreement: It’s time to get back to basics when it comes to turkey. (If you thrive on a little stress, volunteer to make the pies.)
When I made my first smoke-roasted turkey, I only had a Weber kettle grill. Fortunately, I had bought a rotisserie unit for it. If you’re unfamiliar, that unit consists of a large metal collar that supports a rotisserie and lifts the lid of the grill by several inches. Without it, my turkey would not have had enough “ceiling” space. Some gas grills and kamado-type cookers do have enough room under their lids to accommodate big birds. Gas grills, too, often have room. If not, you may have to “spatchcock” your turkey.
Unlike chickens and other fowl, turkeys are harvested in late fall—just once a year. The frozen bargain-priced turkeys you find in stores in late summer/early fall are excess inventory, silently creeping toward the end of their shelf-life. Try to buy turkeys from the current season, either frozen, or preferably, fresh. Fresh turkeys will only last 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. If you’ve bought a frozen one, give it several days (refrigerated) to thaw, about 1 day per every 3 pounds. If you wake up on Thanksgiving morning and the bird is still icy inside, don’t panic. Just submerse it in cold water (40 degrees) and change the water every 30 minutes. Larger birds are older and tougher. If you’re feeding a crowd, it’s better to buy two 10 to 12 pound turkeys as opposed to a 24 pound one.
This is not a parlor trick. Brining is like a miracle, turning a potentially dry bird into something the people at your table will rave about. Is it fussy? Just a little. All you’ll need is a clean insulated picnic cooler, water, salt, and (if desired), sugar. Oh. Did I mention whiskey? Here’s Steven’s recipe. About 12 to 18 hours is all you need. Put bags of ice in the cooler to keep things food-safe cold. For years, I used a 5 gallon pickle bucket that a local restaurant gave me, but I had a second refrigerator in the garage that was big enough to hold it. Not everyone, I realize, has that space. That’s why a cooler—which almost everyone has—works so well. (Pro tip: Place a bag of ice on top of the turkey to keep it submerged.)
Brining is a damp process, which means you have to remove moisture from the skin if you like it to be crispy for serving. After brining, dry the skin (and the inside of the bird) with paper towels. Then, let it rest, refrigerated and uncovered, for about a day. Put it on a wire cooling rack positioned over a rimmed sheet pan to catch any drips.
How to Smoke a Turkey Full of Flavor and Dripping with Moisture
FAQ
How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a BBQ grill?
If your grill has a temperature gauge, set it to about 325°F. About 90 minutes into smoking your turkey, turn the bird 180° to ensure even cooking. Smoke the turkey for about 12 minutes per pound—for a 15-pound turkey that means about 3 hours total.
How to cook a turkey that is already smoked?
There are a few different ways that you can cook a pre smoked turkey. You can either reheat it, cook it from frozen, or cook it fresh. Reheating is the quickest and easiest way to cook a pre smoked turkey. Simply put the turkey in a baking dish and heat it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes per pound.
Do you wrap a smoked turkey in foil?
… way to ensure you wind up with a perfectly roasted turkey—juicy and flavorful no matter what part you dig into—is to both cover it and not cover it with foilDec 25, 2024
How to prepare a butterball fully cooked smoked turkey?
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Remove turkey breast from the wrapper. …
- Place turkey breast, skin side up, on a flat roasting rack in 2-inch open roasting pan. …
- Brush or spray skin with vegetable oil.
- Place turkey breast in 350° oven and heat until warm. …
- Check temperature with a meat thermometer.
How do you cook a Turkey in a Traeger pellet smoker?
Prepare Traeger pellet smoker or other grill for indirect cooking at 300 degrees using apple pellets for smoke flavor. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the fruit cut into quarters. Tie the legs together with butcher twine. Coat the skin with peanut oil and season the turkey with The BBQ Rub on all sides.
How do you smoke a bird on a Traeger pellet smoker?
Pour in 1 cup of Bird Brine and 1 cup Killer Hogs The BBQ Rub. Add apple juice and extra water if necessary to cover bird. Squeeze air out of bag and secure. Place in refrigerator for 48 hrs. Prepare Traeger pellet smoker or other grill for indirect cooking at 300 degrees using apple pellets for smoke flavor.
How do you smoke a rib rib?
Rub the spice mix over the skin and under the skin for maximum flavor. For grilling, heat your gas or charcoal grill to medium heat, around 350°F. For smoking, heat your smoker to 225-250°F using wood chips, chunks or pellets. Good wood choices are hickory, pecan, apple, cherry, etc. Use an instant read thermometer to monitor the temperature.