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Every year at Thanksgiving, it’s the same: People who normally cook for two to four find themselves preparing a feast for a crowd. It’s not as easy as it sounds, especially for new cooks taking on the turkey cooking challenge for the first time. It’s a little unfair, actually; you’re not only expected to cook a massive 16-pound main dish, but there are all those side dishes and desserts, too. Talk about pressure!
I started thinking there had to be a better way to get it all done and still produce a tasty meal that would (hopefully) impress my family. After spending all summer working with the Big Green Egg, the wheels in my head started turning: What about a smoked turkey? Everything I’d cooked on my new favorite kamado grill tasted fantastic, and it sounded like a real hands-off way to cook a turkey. Plus, it would free up the oven to make roasted vegetables and all my favorite Thanksgiving casseroles, seriously reducing my stress levels on the big day.
To make sure I could pull off this alternative way to cook a turkey, I put the Big Green Egg to the test. I picked up a couple of cups of hickory wood chips, took a few days to thaw the turkey in the refrigerator, and whipped up my favorite dry brine. How did it turn out? Good enough that I might smoke two next time so I end up with leftovers.
The Big Green Egg is the ultimate outdoor cooker for producing tender, juicy smoked turkey with incredible flavor The ceramic construction provides precise temperature control for low and slow smoking while infusing the turkey with delicate smoky essence Follow these tips and techniques for foolproof smoked turkey success in your Big Green Egg every time.
Why Smoke Turkey in a Big Green Egg
There are several key benefits to using a Big Green Egg ceramic cooker to smoke turkey versus other grills or ovens
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Precise temperature regulation – The thick ceramic walls retain heat for excellent temperature control at perfect low smoking temps of 225-275°F. This prevents drying out.
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Infuses smoke flavor – The porous ceramics allow continuous smoke to circulate for deep flavor penetration over the long cook time.
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Juicy and tender meat – Low and slow smoking keeps turkey incredibly moist and tender.
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Crisp skin – The high radiant heat from the charcoal deliciously crisps up the skin.
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Large capacity – Even a medium Big Green Egg can fit a good sized turkey up to 18 lbs for holiday meals.
Simply put, the unique attributes of the Big Green Egg deliver the best possible smoked turkey.
Step-By-Step Smoked Turkey Process
Follow this simple process for foolproof smoked turkey in your Big Green Egg:
Prep – Remove giblets, rinse turkey, pat dry, rub with oil, season cavity and exterior, tie legs together.
Brine (optional) – Soak turkey in saltwater brine 12-24 hours to retain moisture.
Prepare EGG – Arrange charcoal, wood chunks, convEGGtor, drip pan. Heat to 225-250°F.
Smoke – Place turkey in EGG, maintain target temp, add wood chunks every 45-60 mins.
Check doneness – Use a meat thermometer to check breast and thigh temp. Smoke until 165°F breast, 185°F thighs.
Rest – Let sit 30 minutes before carving for juiciest meat.
Serve and enjoy! – Carve turkey and serve with your favorite sides and sauces.
The basics are that simple for incredible smoked turkey. Now let’s look at some tips for maximizing flavor, moisture and appearance.
Helpful Tips for Best Smoked Turkey
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Brine the bird – Soaking in a saltwater brine improves moisture retention. Use a basic brine of 1 cup salt per gallon of water.
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Inject with broth – Injecting turkey with chicken or turkey broth adds even more juiciness.
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Pat skin dry – Drying out the skin helps it get crispy when smoked.
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Coat skin in oil – Rubbing oil or butter under and on skin promotes browning.
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Season generously – Layer flavors with herbs, spices, citrus, garlic, onions.
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Place aromatics in cavity – Stuff with onion, lemon, garlic, herbs for extra flavor.
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Use a meat thermometer – Don’t rely on pop-up timer. Check temps in breast and thighs.
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Let turkey rest before slicing – Waiting 30 minutes allows juices to redistribute.
Choosing Your Turkey
For the juiciest, most flavorful smoked turkey, look for:
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Fresh – Minimally processed without preservatives allows better smoke absorption.
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Free-range – Access to open space yields a better texture and fat content.
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Organic – No synthetic chemicals like pesticides, hormones or antibiotics.
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Heritage breed – Heritage turkeys like Bourbon Red have more dark meat and rich flavor.
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12-18 pounds – This size range fits nicely in a medium or large Big Green Egg.
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Thawed – Completely thaw frozen turkey for 3+ days in the fridge before smoking.
Avoid pre-brined birds like Butterball, as they’ll end up over-salted if you brine them again. Seek out high quality, additive-free fresh turkeys for the very best results when smoking in the Egg.
Best Wood Types for Smoking Turkey
The choice of smoking wood makes a big difference in the final flavor. Opt for sweeter, more delicate types of wood that complement turkey:
- Apple – mild, fruity essence
- Cherry – subtly sweet and fruity
- Peach – pleasant, delicate stone fruit flavor
- Maple – rich with a hint of sweetness
- Alder – mellow, subtly smoky flavor
Harder woods like hickory, oak and mesquite overpower the delicate turkey meat. Mix in a small amount along with fruit woods. Pecan is a nice middle ground option that pairs well with turkey.
Aim to use 2-3 fist sized chunks along with charcoal in the Egg. Replenish wood every 45-60 minutes to maintain consistent smoke.
Estimated Smoking Times
Here are approximate smoking times for whole turkey in a Big Green Egg at 225-250°F:
- 12 lb turkey – about 5-6 hours
- 15 lb turkey – about 6-7 hours
- 18 lb turkey – about 7-8 hours
The total time can vary a bit based on exact size, shape and temperature. At this low cooking temp, estimate around 30 minutes per pound as a general guideline.
Use a good digital meat thermometer to check internal temp in the breast and thighs rather than relying solely on time. Cook until breast reaches 165°F and thighs reach 185°F for safe, properly smoked turkey.
Serving Smoked Turkey
A smoked turkey deserves the full feast treatment. Pair it with classic Thanksgiving or holiday sides:
- Stuffing or dressing
- Mashed potatoes and gravy
- Green bean casserole
- Cranberry sauce
- Dinner rolls
- Pumpkin or pecan pie
Leftovers also make amazing sandwiches, soups, casseroles and other creative meals. Take your turkey to the next level this season with the incredible flavor only a Big Green Egg can provide.
How to smoke a turkey step-by-step
I prefer dry brines to wet brines—theyre much less messy and just as effective.
The best way to keep your turkey juicy and moist as it cooks is to brine it. Most recipes use a wet brine (you know, the kind that involves submerging a whole turkey in a salt-and-water solution). This type of brining is such a hassle, so I switched to a dry brine technique a few years ago, and life has never been easier.
Start by placing the turkey in a roasting pan and rub it down with the baking powder and salt mixture. While the baking powder might seem like a weird ingredient, it helps to break down the proteins in the turkey skin so it crisps up and browns while it cooks. Keep in mind that you may not need all the salt mixture, either; just use however much adheres to the outside of the turkey.
Put the salted turkey in the refrigerator, uncovered, and let it marinate for 12 to 24 hours. You can go longer than that if you like, too, but you’ll want to cover it lightly with plastic wrap if you’re brining for longer than 48 hours to prevent the skin from drying out. When you’re ready to cook the bird, there’s no need to rinse off the brine. You can rub the skin with oil and herbs, if you like, but I usually just toss it straight into the smoker, and it tastes great.
Smoking on the Big Green Egg
The precise temperature control of the Big Green Egg makes it perfect for smoking.
All in all, we had a fantastic experience smoking on the Big Green Egg. It has better precise temperature control than most charcoal grills, thanks to its thick, insulated ceramic sides and easy-to-use venting system. Simply ignite the lump charcoal and when the coals are ashed over on top, close the lid and slide the bottom vent so it’s mostly closed. This keeps air away from the hot coals, tempering the heat inside to a perfect 325°F.
We will say it was problematic to add additional wood chips or chunks to the coal bed once the ConvEGGtor ceramic deflector plate was in place. That means that once we started the smoking process, we weren’t really able to add any additional wood. What worked for us was interspersing soaked wood chips within the charcoal bed as we built it inside the firebox. That allowed consistent smoke through the cook time, and we didn’t feel the need to add any more during the three-hour smoke.
For the smokiest flavor, we recommend adding a higher proportion of wood chips on top of the charcoal layer—smoke penetrates meat more quickly during the early stages of the cooking cycle.
After the turkey was done, it not only had a really appealing smoke-forward aroma, but it also had a sweet flavor and a beautiful smoke ring. The turkey skin turned a dark mahogany color from the hickory wood chips we added to the firebox, and the dry brine kept the meat extra juicy as the turkey cooked. It freed up the oven and created a better-tasting turkey? Yup, this cooking method is absolutely going to be a staple in our Thanksgiving meal-planning for the next few years.
- 1 turkey
- 1 tablespoon baking powder*
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt*
- 3 large yellow onions, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth, water, or white wine (or a combination)
*These proportions created more than enough dry brine to coat our 16-pound turkey, but you may want to double the recipe if you’re cooking a larger bird.
Smoked Turkey on Big Green Egg | How To Smoke A Turkey BGE with Malcom Reed HowToBBQRight
FAQ
How long do you smoke a turkey at 225?
- The exact cooking time depends on the turkey’s size and the smoker’s temperature.
- Keep the smoker’s temperature consistent.
- Add wood as needed to maintain the temperature.
What temperature do you smoke on the Big Green Egg?
Step 2: Fill the Big Green EGG with charcoal and starters and ignite the starters. Step 3: Heat the EGG to a temperature between 100 and 150 °C. Hot smoking is usually done at low temperatures between 60 and 110 °C, but the temperature in the EGG will drop another 40 °C when you put in the convEGGtor.
Is it better to smoke a turkey breast at 225 or 250?
Forget Low and Slow for Smoking Turkey
Many hardcore barbeque and smoking aficionados will argue that smoking meat (including poultry) is best when done at a lower temperature range of 225 to 250℉.