This Smoked Turkey recipe adds herb-y season and juicy tenderness to a whole turkey, perfect for your Thanksgiving or vacation dinner! A spice rub made amongst smoked paprika, dark-brown sugar, too a range of herbs infuses flavour correct into the pare. I’ll demonstrate you lot how to ready this turkey in a smoker box on the grill, and then y'all accept a unique primary dish that everyone will beloved!
What’second inwards this Smoked Turkey Recipe?
Feeling adventurous this Thanksgiving? Try this fun too flavorful twist on classic Thanksgiving turkey. It’second sweetness, savory, smoky, together with but then good!
- Turkey: This smoker recipe is for a whole turkey. We used a 12-pound turkey, but you lot can conform the cooking time depending on the size of your turkey. Make certain your turkey is fully thawed earlier cooking.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the natural flavor of the turkey.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a bear on of balancing sweet.
- Smoked Paprika: Enhances the smoky flavor.
- Dried Herbs: Sage, rosemary, in addition to thyme add an herbal flavour in addition to aroma to the pith.
- Garlic + Onion Powder: Add an earthy flavor.
- Black Pepper: Adds a impact of spice.
- Olive Oil: Helps the spices adhere to the pare in addition to helps the peel crisp upward.
- Chicken Broth: Ensures the turkey stays moist spell cooking. You can likewise purpose apple cider (make certain non to use apple tree cider vinegar, though!).
Pro Tip: Smoke the kernel for thirty minutes per pound–adjust to the size of your turkey!
Seasoning a Smoked Whole Turkey
I beloved using this sweetness together with savory spice rub on my turkey, merely y'all can use whatever combination of herbs in addition to spices y'all similar. Spice blends similar Creole seasoning, Italian seasoning, or herbs de Provence would all be delish.
It takes just about xxx minutes per pound at 225-250°F to fume a whole turkey. Check this nautical chart for turkey cooking times.
There’sec no ask to cover the turkey unless it is starting to brown besides chop-chop. However, I make recommend keeping the grill shut to seal inwards all that smoky flavour!
Spritz the turkey alongside chicken broth or apple tree cider a few times throughout the cooking procedure to keep it moist! But accept aid non to open the grill besides ofttimes, or this could dry it out.
The danger zone is temperatures betwixt 40-140°F, where harmful bacteria tin can multiply. This is why it’sec important to completely thaw the heart and soul earlier smoking then that the essence doesn’t pass too long inward that temperature zone.
The turkey is done when the thickest function of the breast registers 165-170°F in addition to the thickest role of the thigh registers 175-180°F.
Yes, it’sec definitely possible to overcook. Individual grills vary greatly, together with birds vary greatly inwards size. Be certain to fix to temperature, not to time. If the nub says it’second done, it’sec done!
How to Store in addition to Reheat
Store leftover smoked turkey in an airtight container inwards the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave, or covered alongside foil inwards a 300°F oven for xx-30 minutes.
How to Freeze
Freeze slices of smoked turkey in an airtight container for up to three months. Let thaw overnight inward the fridge earlier reheating. I do non recommend freezing a turkey whole–e'er cutting it into portions showtime.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this smoked whole turkey with the Thanksgiving dishes, like turkey gravy, crescent rolls, dark-green bean casserole, beloved glazed carrots, slow mashed potatoes, wild rice sausage stuffing, and maple roasted sweet potatoes.
If you lot don’t need to brand a whole turkey, endeavor this Smoked Turkey Breast instead!
Recipe
Smoked Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 pound whole turkey thawed if frozen
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- ii tablespoons chocolate-brown carbohydrate
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon earth sage
- ½ tablespoon dried rosemary
- ½ tablespoon dried thyme
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ane teaspoon earth dark pepper
- ½ loving cup olive rock oil
- ane loving cup depression-sodium chicken broth or apple cider (not apple tree cider vinegar)
Recommended Equipment
- Smoker Box
- Wood Chips
- Spray bottle
Instructions
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator one hr before roasting.12 pound whole turkey
- Soak the wood chips inward H2O for at to the lowest degree xxx minutes prior to cooking.
- Preheat the grill to medium oestrus (350-375°F).
- Fill the smoker box amongst woods chips. Place the smoker box on the grill.
- Pat the turkey dry out with paper towels.
- Remove the neck and giblets.
- Combine the spices and olive oil to grade a paste, and rub it all over the turkey, including nether the peel of the breasts.ii tablespoons kosher common salt, 2 tablespoons brown saccharide, ½ tablespoon smoked paprika, ½ tablespoon ground sage, ½ tablespoon dried rosemary, ½ tablespoon dried thyme, ½ tablespoon garlic pulverization, ½ tablespoon onion pulverization, 1 teaspoon earth black pepper, ½ cup olive petroleum
- Turn the oestrus downwards to depression (225-250°F).
- Turn off one-half of the burners on the grill together with home turkey over the unlit burners.
- Grill the turkey over indirect heat for nearly thirty minutes per pound (well-nigh six hours total).
- Check the turkey a few times throughout cooking as well as spritz it amongst apple tree cider or chicken broth from a spray bottle. If the peel is becoming too dark-brown, loosely encompass the turkey with tin can foil.ane loving cup depression-sodium chicken broth
- Check the temperature at the meatiest part of the thigh or chest to ensure it has reached 165°F.
- Remove the turkey from the grill, and loosely cover the it alongside foil. Let it residual for at least 30 minutes before carving.
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Becky’second tips
- Adjust smoking time to the size of your turkey. Estimate xxx minutes of cooking, per pound of turkey.
- If y'all’re using a frozen turkey, make sure it is fully defrosted earlier seasoning it. It’sec best to let it thaw in the fridge.
- Check the turkey throughout the make fourth dimension, to be certain it’sec not cooking or browning likewise chop-chop.
- Use an moment read thermometer. This will ensure that you lot don’t overcook your Thanksgiving turkey. It should register at 160-165F when inserted into the centre of the chest and thigh.
- Let it rest! When the turkey is ready to come up out of the oven, embrace it loosely with foil too let it residual for at to the lowest degree 30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute in addition to non escape when it is carved.
Storage: Store smoked turkey inwards an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or inward the freezer for up to three months.
Nutrition Information
More Smoked Meat Recipes We Love
- Smoked Brisket
- Smoked Ribs
- Smoked Pork Chops
- Smoked Chicken Breast
- Smoked Chicken Wings
- Smoked Pulled Pork