On Thanksgiving, everyone loves a good turkey dinner, so make sure you serve the best turkey you can! Oven-baked turkey is good, but this perfectly smoked turkey recipe is even better!
Smoked turkey is a delicious alternative to roasting, but getting crispy skin when smoking can be tricky. The low, slow smoking method doesn’t lend itself well to crisping up the skin. However, with a few preparation tips and smoking adjustments, you can achieve tender, juicy meat and deliciously crispy turkey skin every time.
Why Smoked Turkey Skin Gets Rubbery
Traditional smoking temperatures around 225-250°F are too low to render the fat and collagen in turkey skin. This causes the skin to become rubbery rather than crisp. Plus, smoke itself creates moisture which makes crisping even more difficult. But there are ways around this.
Prep the Bird for Crispy Skin
Properly preparing the turkey before smoking is crucial for crispy skin. Here are the key steps:
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Brine the Turkey – Brining adds flavor and moisture to the meat. A wet brine of saltwater or a dry brine of kosher salt both work. Brine for 12-24 hours.
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Dry the Skin – Pat the turkey completely dry after brining, especially the skin. Let it air dry in the fridge uncovered for a few hours or overnight.
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Loosen the Skin – Use your fingers to gently loosen the skin from the breast meat. Be careful not to tear it.
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Rub Oil Under the Skin – Coat the breast and thighs under the skin with oil. This helps conduct heat to crisp the skin.
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Season the Skin – Sprinkle seasoning like smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper directly on the skin before smoking.
Smoke at a Higher Temperature
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Smoke at 275-300°F rather than 225°F. This higher heat renders fat and dries the skin.
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For electric or pellet smokers, crank up the heat to 375-400°F for the last 30-60 minutes.
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For charcoal or wood smokers, finish in a hot oven at 425°F if needed.
Other Tips for Crispy Skin
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Smoke skin-side up so drippings fall away from the skin surface.
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Avoid tenting foil over turkey when resting. It steams the skin.
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Let turkey rest before carving. Carving too soon releases juices and steams the skin.
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If skin isn’t crispy enough, broil briefly just before serving. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Step-by-Step Method
Follow these steps for foolproof crispy smoked turkey skin:
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Brine: Soak turkey in wet or dry brine for 12-24 hours. Rinse and pat very dry.
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Loosen Skin: Carefully loosen skin from breast and thighs with fingers.
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Coat Under Skin: Rub oil under loosened skin. Cover entire breast and thigh area.
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Season Skin: Sprinkle smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper directly onto skin.
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Refrigerate Uncovered: Place turkey in fridge uncovered at least 2 hours or overnight. Air drying yields crisper skin.
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Smoke at 225-250°F: Generate smoke with moist wood chips like apple or cherry. Smoke 2-3 hours until turkey reaches 145°F.
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Increase Heat: Raise temperature to 375-400°F. Cook 30-60 minutes until skin crisps and breast hits 165°F.
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Check Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to verify 165°F in thickest part of breast and 180°F in thighs.
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Let Rest: Allow turkey to rest 20-30 minutes before carving. Juices will redistribute.
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Crisp More If Needed: If skin isn’t crispy enough, place back in 400°F oven or broil briefly just before serving.
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Carve and Enjoy! Slice turkey and dig into the crispy smoked skin along with the juicy meat!
With the right prep and smoking adjustments, you can absolutely get deliciously crispy turkey skin when smoking. Follow these tips for the essential combination of tender, juicy meat and crackling crisp skin on your smoked turkey. Enjoy this flavorful alternative to oven roasted this holiday season!
Video – How to smoke the perfect turkey
You can’t get a smoky or woodsy flavor in turkey any other way than by smoking it. Sure, oven baked turkey is good, but a juicy smoked turkey with crispy skin is to DIE for!.
This turkey not only tastes great, but it also looks great, with nice color on the skin and meat. This is hands down the best way to smoke a turkey.
Charcoal Grill / Gas Grill
I dont recommend using a charcoal grill when smoking a turkey. Keeping a temperature for several hours is not done best with a grill.
Crispy Skin Smoked Turkey
FAQ
How to make crispy skin on smoked turkey?
What is the secret to crispy turkey skin?
How do you get the turkey skin crispy on a Traeger?
How do you get a crispy skin on a smoked turkey?
Really, the secret to avoiding rubbery skin on smoked turkey goes hand in hand with the top tips to get a crispy skin: Keep that skin dry! Avoid using wet brines, marinades, or basting your turkey. Smoke your turkey at higher temperatures between 275-325F. Use a salty rub, or add baking powder to the mix to really dry out and crispen that skin up.
Is it dangerous to quit vaping nicotine cold turkey?
Quitting vaping nicotine ‘cold turkey’ is not dangerous, but it can be very unpleasant. This is because nicotine alters the way your brain functions such that your body feels dependent on it. Some of the unpleasant side effects of quitting abruptly are tremors, headaches, and nausea. These side effects can make it very hard to quit and often cause people to relapse. Fortunately, these unpleasant side effects can be partially or completely avoided by gradually cutting down your use instead of quitting abruptly. Your primary care physician can help you design a plan to quit vaping nicotine.
Does smoking a turkey make it crispy?
This leaves the turkey with a tough, rubbery, and chewy skin. On the other hand, smoking turkey at higher temperatures will draw out the moisture in the skin, allowing the fat to properly render, completing what’s called the Maillard reaction. All while still “slow-cooking” the turkey, leaving it moist, juicy, AND with crispy skin.
How do you keep a Turkey skin crispy?
Maintaining the Temperature The skin of a bird gives the first impression, and crispy golden brown skin wins over soggy grey every time. Low and slow is perfect for the gorgeous smoky flavoured juicy breast meat, but the process does nothing for achieving crispy turkey skin.
Why is my Turkey skin so crispy?
Low temperatures and excessive moisture are the main culprits. If you are basting, using a liquid bring, wrapping, or tenting your turkey then you are not going to get crispy skin. The temperature needs to stay within 275°-325°F for optimal crispiness and try coating it with oil and your pick of herbs to help it crisp up.
Is Turkey skin crispy?
Results: The turkey was a lovely golden color, with shiny, glistening skin. The skin was phenomenally delicious but not exactly crispy. It was more chewy than crispy — which I enjoyed very much — with a few legit crispy spots on the drumsticks. The skin on the underside of the thighs and wings was soft.