A properly cooked turkey with all the trimmings is a true sight to behold. The star of any Thanksgiving feast.
It’s too bad that cooking a 15-pound thunder chicken takes up a lot of space in the kitchen and the oven, leaving very little room for anything else.
You can cook other things in the oven while smoking the turkey. It also makes the turkey taste great on the grill.
Read the full turkey recipe to learn how to smoke a turkey in an electric smoker if you don’t have a lot of room in your kitchen but want to serve tasty new takes on holiday favorites.
Smoking a whole turkey in an electric smoker like the Masterbuilt is a fantastic way to end up with a moist, flavorful bird that will be the star of your holiday table. With the right technique, seasonings, and smoking time, your Masterbuilt can turn out competition-quality smoked turkey.
Why Smoke a Turkey in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker?
There are several benefits to using an electric smoker like the Masterbuilt to prepare your holiday turkey
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Moist and Juicy Meat – The low indirect heat of the electric smoker slowly infuses flavor into the meat while retaining moisture. The result is very juicy breast meat that isn’t dried out.
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Incredible Smoky Flavor – Hardwood smoker chips impart a wonderful smoky taste to the turkey meat that your guests will love It’s a great way to mix up the usual roasted turkey flavor
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Set It and Forget It – After loading up your turkey and chips, an electric smoker like the Masterbuilt runs automatically with little monitoring needed. You don’t have to constantly tend a smoker or grill.
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Large Capacity – Even a mid-sized Masterbuilt smoker can hold a good sized turkey up to 20 pounds. There’s plenty of room for the star of your meal.
Tips for Smoking Turkey in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
Follow these tips to end up with the perfect smoked turkey using your Masterbuilt:
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Choose a turkey 12-15 pounds. Larger birds may not fit or cook evenly. Smaller ones cook faster so monitor closely.
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Thaw completely in the refrigerator before smoking. This ensures even cooking.
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Remove giblets from the cavity before smoking. Reserve for gravy.
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Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels before seasoning.
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Inject with a broth marinade for extra moisture and flavor.
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Apply a dry rub inside the cavity and over the skin. Try garlic, onion, paprika, salt and pepper.
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Use wood chips like hickory, apple, cherry or pecan for flavor. Soak before use.
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Place turkey breast up directly on the bottom rack. Add water to the smoker pan.
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Smoke at 225-250F until breast is 165F and thighs 175F, about 3.5-4 hours per pound.
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Let rest 20 minutes before carving for juicier meat.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Smoking Turkey in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
Follow this simple process for smoking the perfect turkey in your Masterbuilt:
1. Thaw the Turkey
Be sure your turkey is completely thawed. Place frozen turkey in the refrigerator 3-4 days ahead to thaw. Do not thaw at room temperature.
2. Remove Giblets
Check the inner cavity and remove the bag of giblets. Reserve for making gravy or stock. Rinse turkey inside and out.
3. Apply Seasoning
Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. For moisture and flavor, inject broth marinade deep into the breast and thighs using an injection syringe. Apply a dry rub inside the cavity and all over the skin.
4. Prepare the Smoker
Add water to the smoker pan. Fill the wood chip drawer with soaked smoker chips – use hickory, apple, pecan, cherry or other fruit woods. Preheat smoker to 275F.
5. Add Turkey to the Smoker
Place turkey breast side up directly on the bottom rack. Close smoker and smoke until the breast is 165F and thighs are 175F. Plan for 3.5-4 hours of smoking time per pound.
6. Let Turkey Rest
Remove turkey from smoker once done and let rest 20 minutes before carving. The meat will reabsorb juices and be more moist.
7. Carve and Enjoy!
Dig into your juicy, smoky Masterbuilt-smoked turkey! It will have irresistible flavor your guests will love.
Common Smoking Times for Turkeys
To estimate the total smoking time, allow about 30-40 minutes per pound at 225-250F. Always rely on a meat thermometer for doneness, not just time.
- 12 pound turkey – 5-6 hours
- 14 pound turkey – 6-7 hours
- 16 pound turkey – 7-8 hours
- 18-20 pound turkey – 8-10 hours
Monitor temperature early and be prepared to finish in the oven if smoking slower than expected.
Useful Accessories for Smoking Turkey
Having the right supporting accessories makes the smoking process much easier:
- Meat injector – Injects marinades deep into turkey for added moisture
- Instant read thermometer – Monitors doneness precisely
- Disposable foil pan – Catches turkey drippings
- Insulated gloves – Protects hands when handling hot smoker
- Carving knives & fork – Makes carving the cooked turkey easier
Get Creative with Flavor
While basic poultry seasoning is always tasty, consider using these creative flavor ideas:
- Applewood smoke with rosemary herb butter
- Cherry wood with bourbon, brown sugar and orange zest
- Hickory smoke with Cajun seasoning
- Mesquite smoke with salsa verde
- Pecan smoke with maple glaze
Mix up your usual turkey flavors with the possibilities of your Masterbuilt smoker!
Troubleshooting Smoked Turkey
Follow these tips if you encounter any issues:
Turkey taking longer than expected – Increase heat to 300F once internal temperature is 120F to speed cooking. Be ready to finish in oven.
Breast meat drying out – Wrap breast in foil if cooking much longer to retain moisture. Take turkey off smoker once breast hits 165F.
Skin not getting crispy – Finish under broiler on high 2-5 minutes to crisp the skin after smoking. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Smoker temperature uneven – Rotate turkey midway through smoking for even heating. Add water to smoker pan if getting too hot.
Not enough smoke flavor – Try a stronger wood like mesquite. Increase wood chip amounts. Smoke an extra 30-60 minutes for more intensity.
Turkey too smokey – Opt for milder fruit woods like apple or cherry. Reduce overall smoking time to desired level.
With the right techniques and a good Masterbuilt electric smoker, you can enjoy incredible smoked turkey with juicy meat and amazing flavor. Experiment with different woods and seasonings to find your family’s favorite. Happy smoking!
Should you inject the turkey before smoking?
Injecting a turkey is precisely what it sounds like. You put things like melted butter, duck fat, cognac, maple syrup, and lemon juice into an injector, which is a special kind of syringe. Then you inject it into the turkey meat to make it taste better.
Injecting is usually brought up as an alternative to brining. But there’s no reason you can’t brine a turkey and inject it at the same time, as long as you don’t add extra salt to the guns.
The only difference between the two is that brining takes about 24 hours, and if you don’t have that much time, injecting your turkey is a much faster way to make it taste better.
How to smoke a turkey in an electric smoker
It’s the big day. This is where all your prep pays off, and you wow your family with a smoked turkey.
You should have a thawed and brined turkey that’s almost ready to hit the electric smoker.
SMOKED TURKEY in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker | CRISPY SKIN!!
FAQ
How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a masterbuilt electric smoker?
Is it better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?
Do you wrap a turkey with foil on an electric smoker?
Can you smoke a Turkey in a Masterbuilt electric smoker?
If you are going for a classic Thanksgiving style turkey smoked in your Masterbuilt electric smoker, stick with salt, pepper, and maybe a little thyme for seasoning. However, if you want to do more of a barbecued style smoked turkey, then feel free to go a little bigger with your rubs and flavors you add.
Can you smoke a Turkey in an electric smoker?
Smoking a turkey in an electric smoker like the Masterbuilt is a fantastic way to enjoy juicy, flavorful and moist turkey year-round. With the right technique, an electric smoker makes smoking turkey easy and foolproof. In this complete guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about smoking a turkey in a Masterbuilt electric smoker.
What is a Masterbuilt electric smoker?
Precise Temperature Control – Electric smokers allow you to precisely set and maintain a steady low temperature like 225-250°F which is ideal for smoking turkey. This gives you complete control over the smoking process. Proper preparation is key to smoking juicy, flavorful turkey in your Masterbuilt electric smoker:
How do you brine a turkey breast in an electric smoker?
Remove from brine after 12-24 hours and pat dry. Preheat your electric smoker to 250°F. You can go as hot as 350°F if your smoker allows it as this will help the skin crispen up. If you brined your turkey, make sure you pat it down so its nice and dry. Place it breast side up on a cutting board and stuff the cavity with the aromatics.
How long do you smoke a Turkey in an electric smoker?
Preheat electric smoker to 225°F (107°C). Apply a thin layer or cooking oil to cooking grate, and add a handful of wood chunks to smoker box. Cook for 40 minutes per pound of turkey, about 8-10 hours. Aim for internal temperature of 165°F. Remove turkey from smoker. Wrap in foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve.
How does an electric Turkey Smoker work?
Once you set the temperature and add wood chips, it smokes the turkey automatically without having to constantly tend to the smoker. Precise Temperature Control – Electric smokers allow you to precisely set and maintain a steady low temperature like 225-250°F which is ideal for smoking turkey.