Smoked Turkey

This smoked turkey makes the best holiday main course without taking up any oven space. It’s wet brined in a flavorful mixture of spices and seasonings and then slow-smoked to juicy perfection. You’ll love that added smokiness that you don’t get from your regular roast turkey.

Easy Smoked Whole Turkey

I know, I know, that it’s kinda labor-intensive, but you can always prepare this a day ahead, let it brine. And on Thanksgiving Day, just pop it in the smoker.

Easy, breezy, tasty bird for everyone!

The secret to this easy holiday dish is the brine, the rub, and the technique that I’ll share with you today.

Ingredients for Brining Turkey

We want our turkey to be as flavorful as it can. One easy way to achieve this is through brining. It’s basically pickling and marinating in a nutshell. Here are the things we’ll need to get the flavor we oh so desire!

Brine Ingredients

• Water
• Apple Cider – (may be replaced with water)
• Kosher Salt – the key ingredient for brining that draws out the water from the meat. Regular rock salt works fine too.
• Brown Sugar – This already has moisture so it only adds flavor and takes little to no moisture at all! You don’t have to worry about dry turkey.
• Smashed Garlic – Cracking some cloves open releases the aromatic flavor for the whole turkey
• Thyme – using fresh herbs for this recipe is great but dried ones also work fine. I’m actually using fresh thyme here for a more intense flavor. Learn more about Thyme.
• Rosemary – has a strong aroma with a piney flavor and very versatile herb.
• Sage – this herb has a pungent earthy flavor that’s almost peppery with undertones of mint, and eucalyptus
• Bay Leaves – the tea-like aroma adds another layer of flavor to this dish with a hint of minty flavor.
• Cracked Peppercorns – are simply whole peppercorns that’s been slightly opened to expose the insides
• Orange Slices – Add a bit of sweet tangy freshness with a few slices of this zesty fruit.
• Lemon Slices – Add these slices to increase the the acidity of the brine. This will help in tenderizing the meat.

The rule of thumb when wet brining your turkey is to let it sit in the brine (covered and placed in the fridge) for an hour per pound. That can range from 12-24 hours depending on your turkey’s size. You won’t regret doing this so as it adds flavor to every inch of your meat!

Smoked Turkey Rub Options

• Creole Seasoning – my all-time favorite rub that’s perfect for any meat. It spices up the turkey all around giving you a well-flavored holiday dinner. You can make your own with my Immaculatebites Creole Seasoning.
• Homemade Poultry Seasoning – Talk about a perfect pair! The blend of ingredients perfectly complements the turkey meat and the smoky aftertaste. Check out my homemade Poultry Seasoning version today.
• Italian Seasoning – The herby flavors of this rub gives your holiday turkey a fresh and delightful taste. See how I made my own version of Italian Seasoning.

Once your turkey is completely brined, take it out and pat it dry. Apply the rub all over the turkey, in and out. Now, all you have to do is put it in the smoker, sit back, and relax.

What smoker to use?

Preparing your turkey comes in different ways. There are a lot of smokers you can use for this recipe and I tried three of them so you don’t have to. Here’s what I found.

My Choice: Pellet Smoker

Pros

• Distinct Flavor – the smoky flavors covers both the meat and the stuffing.
• Temperature control – The smoker automatically feeds the heating element with woodchips regulating the temperature inside This method also infuses the flavor of the wood chips in the turkey meat. (Personally, I think Apple flavored wood is great for Turkey meat but feel free to mix and match.)
• Indirect Heat – This uses indirect heat which means a lot less chances of burning the turkey.

Con

• Bulky unit – It just takes too much space.

How to use it?

• Placing the Meat – Place the meats in a rack indirect to the heat source. This makes sure that your meat will cook evenly. No flipping necessary.
• Installing the water pan – Add a pan with half a cup of water to the smoking chamber to prevent it from drying out.
• Trapping the heat – Close the lid to trap the flavorful smoke and the heat.

Verdict: By far, this is the easiest way to smoke. No need for the dirty work, just check the meat from time to time!👍

I, myself, use a Traeger Pellet Smoker because it’s one of the most versatile cookers in the market.

Charcoal Grill

Pros

• Compact unit – Its small size is makes it truly convenient
• No electricity – No need to plug it for electricity so you can enjoy your smoked turkey legs even when you’re in the great outdoors.
• Low Cost – It’s a low cost makes it really affordable. and it’s super easy to clean.

Con

• Direct heat – The heat source is in the same chamber as the meat. this can lead to roasting rather than smoking which burns one side

A simple compact charcoal grill can also be used for smoking.  This is the perfect smoker for you if you don’t have much space in your backyard. Avoid wearing white when using this as you can easily stain your shirt with soot.

This method uses hot charcoal which cooks the meat with low but direct heat. Flavored wood can also be used for this method to infuse your preferred smoky flavor

How to use your charcoal grill as a smoker?

• Heat the charcoals – Place the hot charcoals on one extreme side of the grill.
• Catch – Add a tin catch just below the grill so you can catch any juices that drip off.
• Placement – Place the turkey legs on the other side of the grill farthest from the coals and the water pan beside it.
• Trap the heat – Close the lid to start the smoking process

Verdict: I like using this method whenever my smoker isn’t available because it’s super convenient. 👍 All I have to do is take my favorite wood flavor and use it along with charcoal.

Electric Smoker

Pros

• No direct heat – We won’t be using an open fire for this smoker. it’s woodchips and some heating rods.
• Its own thermometer – It has a built in thermometer to tell the temperature inside the smoker.

Cons

• Longer smoking time – It cooks longer and slower because of the low temperature threshold.
• Electric consumption – Depending on your unit, expect a higher electric bill when using this type of smoker.
• Tastes different – If you don’t preheat the smoker. you’d probably taste a bit of plastic or grease from the manufacturing in your dish, especially if it’s new.

It uses convection to heat food which gives the food a different flavor due to the lack of fire. The parts are generally similar to a bullet smoker with the wood tray substituting the fire chamber.

How to use an Electric Smoker?

• Preheat the smoker: Pre-smoke the unit with the woodchips of your choice.
• Attach the water pan: Once it reaches the desired temperature, place the water pan inside the lowest space inside the unit.
• Placement: Place the turkey leg in the racks and close the lid or door.

NOTE: If you’re a first-time user of this type of smoker, I suggest seasoning your grill with cooking oil. This prevents any residue from the manufacturing to stick to your food.

Verdict: Electric grills tend to cook at a lower temperature which means they would cook longer.

• Time – Smoking typically takes about four to six hours (depending on the size of your turkey) while roasting only takes about one or two.
• Indoors vs Outdoors – You’re gonna want a lot of smoke to fully penetrate the turkey meat so it’s best to do that outside. Roasting doesn’t really make much smoke so you can do that in the kitchen.
• Cookware – Although both roasting and smoking can be done with a nice grill, only roasting can be done in an oven. So in essence, you can smoke on a grill but not in an oven.
• Taste – Smoking adds a unique woody smoky infusion to the meat as it cooks. Roasting, on the other hand, has little to no flavor infusion if you don’t count the brine or seasoning.

FAQs

Different Ways to Smoke Turkey

• Using a smoker – Personally, I think using a smoker will give you the most accurate end product. Smokers can run on charcoals, gas, or wood pellets – and, of course, there are also electric smokers that you can consider. I recently purchased a treager pellet smoker and it’s so amazing!
• Use a grill – grills can be used as a smoker using charcoal or gas  (see this article HERE). If you’re using a charcoal grill, be ready to add more charcoals every hour just so you’d maintain that desired temperature.
• Fake Smoking – You can also do fake smoking. This uses liquid smoke which is often only available online or in specialty stores. You can either mix it in your marinade or brine or rub it as a seasoning before roasting.
• Make-shift smokers – From digging a deep hole in the ground to recycling a metal barrel or cabinet. I haven’t tried this course yet but it’s really amazing to see how creative people can be. (see this article HERE)

Things to Consider Before Smoking Turkey

• Brining – Aside from infusing the flavors down to the core of the meat, brining helps in keeping your meat moist.
• Type of wood – Personally, I prefer mesquite, cherry, or apple for poultry but you can change it depending on your preference.
• Tools – You’ll need either a smoker or a grill to get the right temperature and flavor infusion. I personally use my Treager pellet smoker for smoking. Some aluminum pans to catch those lovely juices. And the most important one for me is an instant-read thermometer to make sure that our turkey is perfectly done.

What to Serve with Smoked Turkey?

Turkey is a holiday dish so it’s just fitting that it’s served with your favorite holiday dishes. Here are just some of my favorite dishes to go with it.

• Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Giblet Gravy or Homemade Gravy
• Green Bean Casserole
• Cornbread Dressing
• Duchess Potatoes

Other Holiday Recipes That You Need to Try

• Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham
• Spicy Roast Turkey
• Roast Turkey Breast
• Eye of Round Roast

How to Smoke Turkey

Brining and Seasoning the Turkey

• Clean the turkey – Discard any wrappings from the turkey and remove the giblets. Place it in a desired brining pot. Heat up about 4 cups of water in the microwave or stovetop until warmed. (The idea is to heat it up so it can dissolve the sugar and salt.)
• Dissolve the dry ingredients – Remove and pour in the salt and sugar. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Let the salt and sugar brine cool, then add the remaining water and apple cider (or replace it with water). Water should not be warm – you want it to be completely cold.
• Add the ingredients – Pour over the turkey in the pot. Then add garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage and bay leaves, peppercorns, orange and lemon slices.
• Cover and Brine – Cover the pot or container with a lid. Place in a prepared place in the fridge for the turkey to brine for 12 or up to 24 hours.
• Dry the turkey – Remove the turkey from the brine and dry all over with paper towels. Brush with oil. Stuff the turkey with onions, apple, and herbs (optional). (Photos 2-3)
• Tie it up – Tie the legs of the turkey together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place. This will help to stabilize the turkey when carving. (Photo 4)

Smoking the Turkey

• Pre-heat – Pre-smoke the smoker to 250- 275 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the temperature, the faster the turkey would cook.
• Start Smoking – Place the turkey in the smoker and brush every 1-2 hours. Smoke until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees F.
• Rotate – Rotate turkey halfway through for even browning. This turkey was 16 pounds and took about 4-5 hours to get to that temperature.
• Remove, Rest and, Serve – Remove the turkey from the smoker and allow it to sit, covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving.