Smoked Turkey
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It’s the holidays and your holiday is not complete with this amazing Smoked Turkey! It’s so juicy, full of flavor and easy. Simply brine the turkey overnight, then add butter, seasoning and oil to the turkey and pop it on your smoker the next day. The result is the perfect smoked turkey for your Thanksgiving Dinner!
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It’s Turkey Day and you need a turkey recipe. Am I right? Something that will be the star of the show next to your dinner rolls and apple pie. You need a bird that is full of flavor, juicy and easy to make so your holidays are stress-free. This smoked turkey is your answer!
We tested this smoked turkey multiple times on our Traeger Eastwood 34 Pellet Grill and had family and friends over each time we made it. I think we are elected to bring the turkey to Thanksgiving this year after every got a taste of this!
It’s hands down the best turkey I’ve ever had. Plus, it makes amazing leftovers for sandwiches because of the smoked flavor of the turkey!
Why this Recipe Works:
- The turkey is brined overnight to lock in flavor and juice.
- Cook the turkey in a disposable aluminum pan to collect the drippings and make a fabulous gravy that’s packed with flavor from the turkey drippings.
- We used our Traeger electric smoker to smoke this turkey and it turned out amazing! I love using my Traeger because it maintains the smoke and temperatures for me so I don’t have to do as much babysitting.
Ingredients Needed
- Turkey – You will want it thawed when you are ready to smoke it. We used a 15 lb turkey. Estimate about 1 1/2 lbs of turkey per person. If you need more than 15 lbs of turkey we recommend smoking multiple turkeys, not buying a bigger bird. The reason for this is because your turkey will be sitting in the food danger zone for far to long at a lower temperature. You can risk bacteria growing and spoiling your turkey before it’s finished. We don’t want that!
- Brine – You’ll need hot water, kosher salt, apple cider, black peppercorns, Montreal Steak Seasoning, thyme and rosemary to give it that wonderful flavor.
- Rub – A mixture of butter, ground black pepper, thyme, rosemary, safe and garlic pepper.
What do I need to Smoke a Turkey?
- Turkey (fully defrosted)
- Wood chips (we used cherry)
- Food Safe Bucket
- Instant read meat thermometer or remote meat thermometer
- Foil Pan
- Silicone Grilling Mitts
How to Smoke a Turkey
- Prep Turkey – The night before you want to smoke your bird unwrap the thawed turkey and remove and parts like the neck, giblets etc. that might be in the cavity.
- Brine – Grab your large food safe bucket and combine the hot water and salt. Stir this mixture until the salt is dissolved. Mix in remaining ingredients for the brine. Add the turkey to the brine mixture, seal container and place in the fridge overnight (8-12 hours). If the brine mixture does not cover the entire turkey we add more water/apple cider to mixture.
- Prep Smoker – Next prepare your smoker by heating it to 250 degrees F according to the manufacturer’s directions. We used cherry wood chips in our Traeger electric smoker.
- Rub – The next day you will want to remove the turkey from the brine mixture, rinse under cold water and pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Place in large foil roasting pan. Grab a small bowl and mix together the ingredients for the rub. Next gently lift the skin of the turkey up and rub the butter mixture under the skin of the turkey. Brush the turkey skin with olive oil. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Smoke – Put the turkey into the smoker and smoke for about 30 minutes per pound, or until an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast meat.
- Carve – Remove your turkey from the smoker. Tent with foil and let rest for about 30 minutes. This will let the juices redistribute and give you that amazing juicy turkey!
How long does it take to smoke a turkey?
I would recommend planning about 30 minutes per pound of turkey when you smoke it between 225 – 250 degrees F. The internal temperature of a turkey needs to be 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh.
Please remember that if you live in a colder climate it will take longer than this so plan a little bit of extra time. We use an insulated blanket on our smoker and I highly recommend using one to keep the heat in. It will make a huge difference.
If you are smoking a turkey that is over 15 lbs please make sure to smoke it at a higher temperature about 350 degrees. The reason for this is because your turkey will be sitting in the food danger zone for far to long at a lower temperature. You can risk bacteria growing and spoiling your turkey before it’s finished. We don’t want that!
We have increased our temperature to 350 degrees F on the smoker and smoked a larger bird that way and it was great, but there wasn’t as much smoke flavor.
If you need to serve more people and want to cook turkey at a lower temp just grab multiple turkeys!
What flavor of wood chips for smoking turkey?
We used cherry wood chips for smoking this turkey, but you can also use flavors such as apple, maple or even mesquite! Hickory is a stronger flavor but it is a classic and gives an even smoky flavor.
How much Turkey per person?
Usually you will estimate that 1 1/2 lbs of turkey will feed one person. It may seem like a lot, but the weight includes the bones, giblets etc. which will not be consumed.
Love this recipe? I’d love it if you comment below and leave a five-star rating!
Do I need to brine the turkey?
Technically, no you do not have to brine the turkey. The brine will give it a lot of extra moisture so you won’t end up with a dry turkey.
If you skip the brine you will need to baste the turkey every 30-45 minutes with either the drippings in the pan or if you don’t have enough you can use chicken broth.
What if my turkey is done early?
If you turkey is done earlier than you want to eat just cover it with foil then place it in a large cooler with towels on top to insulate it. The skin won’t be as crisp when you do this, but to make it crisper just pop it under the broiler in the oven for a few minutes to crisp the skin up again.
Must Have for the Holidays!
- Every holiday needs these delicious and easy Smoked Cheesy Potato Casserole! It’s easy and always a hit.
- Serve up some BBQ Smoked Meatballs as an appetizer to keep guests happy. You can make these ahead of time and keep them warm in the crock pot.
- Have you ever tried a Smoked Pumpkin Pie? The hint of smokiness gives it a boost of flavor.
- Smoked Green Bean Casserole is so easy to make and the perfect holiday side dish.
Don’t forget, comment below and let me know how much you love this meal!
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Brined Smoked Turkey
Ingredients
- 15 lb turkey defrosted
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
Brine
- 16 c. hot water
- 8 c. apple cider
- 1 c. kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 Tbsp Montreal steak seasoning
- 1 Tbsp thyme fresh
- 1 Tbsp rosemary fresh
Rub
- 1/2 c. butter softened
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Unwrap thawed turkey and remove any parts (neck, giblets etc.) that may be inside cavity.
- In a large food safe bucket combine the hot water and salt. Stir until dissolved. Mix in remaining ingredients for the brine. Add turkey to brine, seal container and place in the fridge overnight (8-12 hours). If the brine mixture does not cover the entire turkey we add more water/apple cider to mixture.
- The next day remove turkey from brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in a large foil roasting pan, breast side up.
- Then tie the legs together with baking twine.
- Heat your smoker to 250°F according to manufacturer's instructions. We recommend using cherry wood chips.
- In a small bowl mix together the ingredients for the rub. Gently lift the skin of the turkey up and rub butter mixture under the skin.
- Brush the turkey with olive oil. Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Put the turkey into the smoker and smoke for about 30 minutes per pound, or until an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast meat.
- Remove turkey from smoker. I recommend using silicone mitts to lift the roasting pan off the smoker. Tent the turkey lightly with foil for at least 30 minutes before slicing, giving the juices time to redistribute.
Tips
- If you are smoking a turkey that is over 15 lbs please make sure to smoke it at a higher temperature about 350 degrees. The reason for this is because your turkey will be sitting in the food danger zone for far to long and you can risk bacteria growing and spoiling your turkey before it's finished. We don't want that!
- We have increased our temperature to 350 degrees F on the smoker and smoked a larger bird that way and it was great, but there wasn't as much smoke flavor.
- If you need to serve more people and want to cook turkey at a lower temp just grab multiple turkeys!
- If the brine mixture does not cover the entire turkey we add more water/apple cider to mixture.
- Technically, you do not have to brine the turkey. The brine will give it a lot of extra moisture so you won't end up with a dry turkey. If you skip the brine you will need to baste the turkey every 30-45 minutes with either the drippings in the pan or if you don't have enough you can use chicken broth.
Todd Walker says
I have used this recipe the last several years! Every time I get nothing but good reviews from anyone that eats it. I have added halved oranges to the brine just for a little extra depth, but it absolutely not needed. I also put the orange halves and some rosemary in the cavity, when I smoke it. Again this recipe is soooo good on its own it does not need to be tweaked. I just like experimenting 🙂
Courtney says
Thank you, Todd! That makes us so happy to hear. Nothing wrong with experimenting and adding to a recipe! Thanks for rating this recipe.
Jerry Mangan says
I am going to cook two small turkeys. Do I need to do the thirty minutes the total of the two birds or just take the biggest of the two?
Courtney says
I’m sorry, I am not understanding your question. Are you talking about basting every 30 minutes?
Tiffany says
Hi what if we spatchcock the turkey and inject it. Is everything else the same.
Thank you
Jennifer says
We could only find a 16 pound Turkey. Do we need to up the temp or is it ok at the above temp?
Courtney says
You can use the temp but may have to adjust the time on the smoker. Make sure to have your meat thermometer to temp your turkey to ensure not overcooking it.
Erika says
If I have to make this the day before I’ll be eating it. How do you reccommend reheating it?
Karen says
With the Brine should it be cooled before putting in the turkey? Seems like adding it to hit water could speed up development of bacteria
Courtney says
If you need more than 15 lbs of turkey we recommend smoking multiple turkeys, not buying a bigger bird. The reason for this is because your turkey will be sitting in the food danger zone for far to long at a lower temperature. You can risk bacteria growing and spoiling your turkey before it’s finished. We don’t want that!
mp says
The little woman says this is the best turkey I have ever made and she is the authority around here.
Courtney says
Love it! So glad it turned out great.
Lisa says
let me tell you this BIRD was WONDERFUL! great flavor I did a 10 lb turkey and everybody raved over wishing there was more..So juicy Thanks for the recipe!!
Megan Mitzel says
You’re welcome! I’m so happy it was a hit!
Lyndsee says
Do you have to do the brine first? Can it be a shorter time?
Megan Mitzel says
You don’t need to do the brine but I highly recommend it! It helps keep the meat nice and moist while smoking. Yes, you could do it for a shorter time if needed.
Debra says
Just the recipe I was looking for. Everything in 1 recipe. Thank you
Megan Mitzel says
Perfect! I hope you enjoy it!
Betty says
When you put it on the grill do you place it in there on a foil pan to begin with or place it directly on the grill to get grill marks and then transfer on a pan?
Megan Mitzel says
That is up to you! You can start with it on the grill grates and then transfer to the foil pan or leave it in the foil pan for the entire time. We had it in the foil pan the entire time.
Annette says
Does the per 30 minute per pound change with a lathers bird ????? Or only the temp ?
Megan Mitzel says
Just the temperature but make sure to use a meat thermometer to avoid over-cooking, all smokers/grills heat differently!
Jamie says
For the brine, you’ve listed Apple Cider. Are you referring to prepared apple cider or apple cider vinegar? Thanks!
Megan Mitzel says
Apple cider, not apple cider vinegar.
Doorly says
Hi! If you add more water to cover the turkey, is the water salted or unsalted?
Julie Evink says
Mine was unsalted!
Malinda Linnebur says
Can you send leftovers, lol?!?! I love smoked turkey!!
Julie Evink says
Ha! I’ll send them right over 😉
Melissa Howell says
Oh my gosh, this sounds AMAZING! I can almost taste the smoky flavor right now! And I bet the gravy is incredible! Those spices sound so delicious! Can I come to your house for Thanksgiving next year?
Julie Evink says
The gravy is amazing! Yes of course you can!
Abeer Rizvi says
That looks so moist and juicy and love the detailed post.
Julie Evink says
It was the best turkey I’ve had!
Noelle says
We made this last week, great recipe! thank you.
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Tayler Ross says
This looks like turkey perfection! I can’t wait to try it for the holidays!
Julie Evink says
Is is perfection! Enjoy!
Danille Green says
There is nothing to say other than that turkey looks incredibly delicious!
Julie Evink says
It’s so full of flavor!