Smoked Turkey

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!

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!

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. This yummy smoked turkey recipe is a staple for us every holiday season. If you’ve got a pellet grill, then put it to good use with a yummy recipe like this one!

Why You’ll Love this Smoked Turkey

• The turkey is brined overnight to lock in flavor and juice. It’s the most juicy and tender turkey.
• 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! This smoked turkey recipe really is super easy.

Ingredients for Smoked Turkey

• Turkey – The whole turkey needs to be fully 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.
• Hot water – Hot water is key to ensuring all of the brine ingredients thoroughly combine.
• Kosher salt – Use salt to bring out all the flavors and season the turkey brine recipe well.
• Apple cider – This is key to make a good brine that will help make the turkey super tender.
• Black peppercorns – You can use cracker black pepper if that is all you have on hand!
• Montreal steak seasoning – Really, any steak seasoning will do. You can even make homemade steak seasoning if that’s easier.
• Thyme and rosemary – Fresh thyme and rosemary is used in the turkey brine, but use dried in the turkey rub. Bay leaves are a good swap for one of these herbs if needed.
• Rub – Make a mixture of butter, ground black pepper, thyme, rosemary, safe and garlic powder. Other spices and herbs like onion powder and paprika would be great after a wet brine too.

How to Smoke a 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.

Grab a large food safe bucket and combine the hot water and salt. Stir this mixture until the salt is fully dissolved. Then mix in remaining ingredients for the brine.

Add the turkey to the brine mixture, seal the container and then place in the fridge overnight (8-12 hours). If the brine mixture does not cover the entire turkey, add more water/apple cider to the mixture.

Next prepare your smoker by heating it to 250 degrees Fahrenheit according to the manufacturer’s directions. We used cherry wood chips in our Traeger electric smoker.

The next day, 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. Gently lift the skin of the turkey up and rub the butter mixture under the skin. Then brush the outside of the turkey with olive oil. Season the cavity of the turkey 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 Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breast meat.

Remove your turkey from the smoker, then 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! Serving a small crowd? Check out our recipe for smoked turkey breast.

What flavor of wood chips should I use when 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.

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Do I need to brine the turkey?

Technically, no you do not have to brine the turkey. However, brine will give it a lot of extra moisture so you won’t end up with a dry turkey. I personally think it’s key to making the best smoked turkey.

If you skip the brine, then you will need to baste the turkey every 30-45 minutes with either the drippings in the pan or some chicken broth.

How to Store Leftover Turkey

Once your turkey is carved, you can store the leftovers in an airtight container or plastic zip top bag. Allow it to cool completely and then transfer to a storage container.

FRIDGE: Store leftover smoked turkey in the fridge for 3-4 days.

FREEZER: Leftover turkey will also freeze well for a couple of months. Allow to thaw before reheating.

For best results, reheat in the oven with a bit of extra liquid like water or broth.

What if my turkey is done early?

If your Thanksgiving turkey finishes cooking earlier than you want to eat, then 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 it up again.

What to Serve with Smoked Turkey

Serve this delicious smoked turkey with Thanksgiving favorites like smoked green bean casserole, seasoned smoked potatoes, and smoked stuffing. You could seriously create a whole Thanksgiving menu on the smoker!

Don’t forget some fluffy dinner rolls on the smoker and some easy turkey gravy. A sweet treat like smoked pumpkin pie is a great way to round out the meal.

You’re going to love this easy smoked turkey recipe. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

More Must Have Holiday Recipes!

• 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.
• This Bacon Wrapped Asparagus recipe is a wonderful side dish to serve with your holiday favorites.
• Need an appetizer? Then check out these Smoked Deviled Eggs!