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.
Cooking a turkey on a Traeger pellet grill results in a tender, juicy bird with incredible wood-fired flavor With the right techniques, you can make this year’s Thanksgiving turkey the best yet.
Why Cook a Turkey on a Traeger?
Traeger pellet grills are known for infusing food with smoky, savory flavor Cooking a turkey slowly over a wood fire gives the meat a delicious taste and aroma. The turkey will have a lovely golden brown exterior with crispy skin
Traeger grills provide steady, even heat for thoroughly cooking the turkey without drying it out. The convection airflow circulates around the turkey, heating it evenly throughout. You won’t have to worry about hot and cold spots like in a traditional oven.
With a pellet grill’s precise temperature control, you can cook the turkey low and slow. The longer cook time allows the smoke to penetrate deep into the meat, providing unmatched flavor.
Selecting and Preparing the Turkey
Choose a fresh or thawed frozen turkey weighing 12-16 pounds. This size can feed 8-10 people comfortably with leftovers. Make sure to remove the giblets from the cavity before cooking.
For extra flavor and moisture, brining is highly recommended. Dissolve salt, sugar, and seasoning in water or buttermilk to make the brine. Submerge the turkey completely and let it soak in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours.
After brining, rinse the turkey and pat it completely dry. Loosen the skin over the breast and rub butter underneath to keep the meat juicy. Coat the skin all over with canola oil to promote browning.
Setting Up the Traeger Grill
Assemble your Traeger grill according to the manufacturer’s instructions if using for the first time. Make sure the hopper is full of premium hardwood pellets. Hickory, maple, cherry, and apple woods work well for poultry.
Turn on the grill, open the lid, and preheat to 225°F. Closing the lid allows the grill to heat up faster. If your model has a super smoke setting, enable it for extra smoky flavor.
Smoking the Turkey
Place the turkey breast-side up on the grill grates in a disposable aluminum pan. Insert a meat thermometer probe into the thickest part of the breast. Close the lid to trap in heat and smoke.
Maintain the temperature at 225°F and smoke the turkey for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. Spritz the skin with a mixture of broth and vinegar every 45 minutes to keep it moist.
Once the internal temperature reaches 110-120°F, increase the heat to 350°F. Smoke for another 3 1/2 – 4 hours until the breast temperature hits 165°F.
Letting the Turkey Rest
Allow the turkey to rest for 30 minutes before carving. This lets the juices redistribute so they don’t run out when you cut into it. The internal temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees during this time.
Carving and Serving
Use a sharp carving knife to carefully slice the turkey. Cut parallel to the surface of the meat against the grain for tender pieces.
Arrange the sliced turkey on a platter with the legs, wings, and white/dark meat. Garnish with fresh herbs. Serve alongside classic Thanksgiving sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
Turkey Roasting Times and Temperatures
- Brining time: 8-24 hours
- 225°F smoking time: 2 1/2 – 3 hours
- 350°F roasting time: 3 1/2 – 4 hours
- Target minimum internal temperature: 165°F in breast, 180°F in thighs
- Resting time: 30 minutes
Handy Tips for the Best Traeger Smoked Turkey
- Brine using a salt, sugar, and herb mixture to soak up moisture and flavor.
- Inject melted butter or broth under the breast skin to prevent drying.
- Use a disposable drip pan to catch drippings and make gravy.
- Spritz with a broth/vinegar mix hourly to keep the skin from drying out.
- Let it rest before slicing to allow juices to be reabsorbed.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness; temperature is key.
- Utilize the Traeger app to monitor the turkey remotely.
- Switch to a higher temperature midway through for crispy skin.
- Rest the turkey at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a Traeger?
Cooking times can vary based on the size of your turkey, but plan for around 7 hours total including a 2-3 hour smoke at 225°F and a 3-4 hour roast at 350°F. Larger birds will take more time.
What pellets are best for smoking turkey?
Fruit wood pellets like apple, cherry, peach, and maple impart a mild, sweet flavor that complements poultry. You can also blend fruit and nut pellets. Stay away from heavy mesquite smoke.
Do you need to brine a turkey before smoking?
Brining is strongly recommended but optional. It helps the turkey retain moisture and gives it a more seasoned flavor. Make sure to rinse and pat dry thoroughly after brining.
Should you spritz a smoked turkey?
Spritzing with a broth, vinegar, wine, or juice mixture every 45-60 minutes ensures the turkey skin doesn’t dry out. This adds flavor and moisture during the long cooking time.
What if my turkey is not done on time?
If the turkey is not quite fully cooked when expected, simply keep cooking it on the Traeger at 350°F until the minimum safe internal temperature is reached. Check every 20-30 minutes to avoid overcooking.
Cooking a mouthwatering smoked turkey on a Traeger grill is easy when you follow these tips. Brine, inject, and rub the turkey with flavorful ingredients for the most moist and delicious results. Maintain proper smoking temperatures and use a meat thermometer for perfect doneness. Rest the turkey before slicing, and get ready for amazing wood-fired flavor!
Video – How to make a Traeger Turkey
First, we brined this turkey in buttermilk overnight with an assortment of great spices and herbs. This ensures the turkey is going to turn out extremely juicy when you serve it for dinner. I use a brine when cooking any turkey or my Traeger Chicken recipe.
Second, smoking with a variety of fruit woods gives it a nice smoky flavor that you just wont get when roasting a turkey in the oven. Rubbing the outside with butter also helps that skin crisp up.. My favorite part!
Choosing fresh ingredients and brining overnight will really make the difference when preparing this Traeger turkey recipe.
- 15lb Turkey (Should serve 8-10 people)
- Butter
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
- Buttermilk
- Kosher Salt
- Black Peppercorns
- Bay Leaves
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Sage
How to Make a Traeger Turkey
Ill show you EVERYTHING you need to know about prepping, brining, and smoking up the perfect bird. Get ready to fire up those smokers and lets get started.
Cut open the bag the turkey came packaged in and drain any water/juices into the sink. Remove the giblets and neck found inside the cavity of the bird. Make sure to check both ends of the turkey to remove everything from inside.
Rinse the turkey under cool freshwater and set aside while preparing the brine.
When buying your ingredients, make sure to buy some turkey roasting or brining bags. This allows us to use a smaller amount of buttermilk than would be possible if simply brining in a 5 gallon bucket.
Add the buttermilk and other brine ingredients into the turkey bag. I like placing the bag into a 5 gallon bucket or deep roasting pan just incase the bag gets a hole in it while brining in the fridge.
Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together well before adding the turkey.
Add the turkey into the brine submerging the entire bird. The goal is to have every part of the turkey coated during the brining process. Place in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours before removing to cook.
Once the turkey is finished brining, remove from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. I do NOT rinse the bird after brining on this smoked turkey recipe because I want that salt and herb flavor to come through when finished smoking.
Using a spoon, loosen the skin covering the breast of the chicken so you can place butter between the skin and breast. Slice chunks of butter and using your hands, place butter under the skin so it melts and penetrates the meat when cooking.
Now, cover the entire outside skin of the turkey with melted/softened butter. Make sure to get the legs and sides of the bird. No need to butter the bottom/back side of the turkey.
Fire up your smoker to 225°F with your favorite wood. I like to use fruity woods when I smoke turkey. These include apple wood & cherry wood pellets. Hickory wood is also a good choice for Smoked Traeger Chicken and Traeger Smoked Turkey.
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.