The Secret to Perfectly Juicy Traeger Smoked Turkey (No Brining Required!)

Smoking a turkey on a Traeger grill results in tender, juicy meat flavored with wood smoke – no brining required. This cooking method saves oven space, cooks faster than roasting, and infuses your holiday bird with incredible flavor.

As Thanksgiving approaches, you may be wondering how to cook a smoked turkey on your Traeger pellet grill without brining it first. While brining does make the turkey juicier it’s not required to get a moist bird when using a smoker.

In this article, I’ll explain how to smoke a turkey on a Traeger grill without brining to get a delicious smoked turkey every time.

Why Smoke a Turkey on a Traeger Grill?

There are several advantages to smoking your turkey rather than roasting it in the oven:

• Adds flavor – The wood smoke permeates the meat, infusing it with smoky flavor you can’t get from oven roasting. Apple, hickory, pecan, and cherry are popular wood pellet flavors.

• ** Saves oven space** – Free up room in your oven for all those side dishes by cooking the bird outside on the grill,

• Cooks faster – Smoking cooks the turkey at a lower temperature over a longer time, but it’s still faster than oven roasting. A 15 lb turkey takes only 3-4 hours.

• Juicy and tender meat – The low and slow cooking method keeps the turkey incredibly moist and tender.

• Easy temperature control – Traeger grills allow you to set the temp digitally, so no worrying about fluctuations.

• Uses wood pellets – No need to babysit a fire or monitor a water pan. The grill does the work for you.

How to Smoke a Turkey on a Traeger Grill

Smoking a turkey on a pellet grill couldn’t be easier. Here are the simple steps:

Ingredients:

• 1 12-15 lb whole turkey, thawed
• 1 stick salted butter, softened
• Herbs and spices: basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic powder, salt, pepper
• 1 stick butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Remove giblets and rinse turkey. Pat the outside dry with paper towels.

2. Make herb butter. Mix softened butter with chopped fresh herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

3. Loosen skin and rub herb butter. Gently loosen the skin from the breast meat with your fingers. Rub herb butter mix directly onto meat under skin.

4. Season outside of turkey. Rub skin all over with olive oil or melted butter first. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.

5. Place turkey on grill. Preheat Traeger grill to 225°F. Put turkey on grill breast side up, no trussing needed.

6. Smoke uncovered for 2 hours. Keep temp at 225°F and smoke with lid closed for 2 hours. Do not peek or baste!

7. Melt butter and cover. After 2 hours, melt 1 stick of butter and pour over turkey. Tent turkey loosely with foil.

8. Increase heat to 325°F. Cook covered for 1 more hour.

9. Check temp. Insert instant read thermometer into thickest part of breast and thigh. Breast should read 165°F.

10. Rest and carve. Remove turkey and let rest 30 minutes before carving.

The combination of low, indirect heat and wood smoke cooks the turkey gently so it stays incredibly moist and tender. The herb butter rubbed under the skin bastes the meat from the inside out.

Resting the turkey after smoking allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat before carving. Be sure to save any juices from the grill to make an amazing smoked turkey gravy!

Turkey Smoking Times

Smoking times vary based on the size of your turkey. Estimate 30-35 minutes per pound at 225°F.

Here are approximate Traeger turkey smoking times:

• 10-12 lb turkey: 3-4 hours
• 12-15 lb turkey: 4-5 hours
• 16-18 lb turkey: 5-6 hours
• 20-24 lb turkey: 6-7 hours

The best way to ensure doneness is to use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temp. The thighs and breast should reach 165°F. If they haven’t reached temp after the estimated times, continue cooking and check every 30 minutes until done.

Smoked Turkey Temperature Guide

• 225-250°F – Low “smoke” setting for first half of cook time. Do not open the grill lid.

• 325-350°F – Increase heat to this “roast” setting for uncovered portion once turkey is browned.

• 165°F – Minimum safe internal temperature of breast and thighs as measured by a meat thermometer.

Maintaining the right grill temperature is key for properly smoked turkey. Keep the temp low at first to infuse flavor and gradually increase to finish cooking.

Signs Your Smoked Turkey is Done

Checking the temperature is the most reliable way to determine doneness, but here are a few other signs your Traeger turkey is ready:

• The skin is nicely browned.
• The meat feels firm when pressed with tongs (no jiggling).
• The joints move easily.
• The juices run clear (not red or pink) when pierced.

The USDA recommends cooking turkey to 165°F minimum to eliminate risk of bacteria and foodborne illness. When in doubt, keep smoking and verifying with a meat thermometer.

Can You Smoke an Unthawed Turkey?

You should never cook a frozen turkey directly on a Traeger grill. The grill temperature is too low to safely thaw and cook a frozen bird.

Be sure to thaw your turkey completely in the refrigerator before smoking. Place it breast side up in a pan to catch any drips. Allow 24 hours of thawing for every 4-5 pounds of turkey.

A thawed turkey ensures the meat cooks evenly and the skin gets nicely browned and crispy. For food safety, do not thaw at room temperature or in standing water.

Brining vs No Brine for Smoked Turkey

While brining does make a moister, more flavorful turkey, it’s not required when smoking. The extended low and slow cook time keeps the meat plenty juicy without brining.

If you want to brine, do it a day or two ahead:

• Use a broth mixture of salt, sugar, and spices. Submerge turkey completely.
• Brine 8-12 hours for a 12-15 lb turkey. Up to 18 hours max.
• Rinse turkey, pat very dry before smoking.

Skip the brining if short on time. Just rub the skin with olive oil or butter before seasoning and smoking.

Smoked Turkey Resting Time

After smoking, always allow the turkey to rest before carving – regardless of whether you brined or not.

Resting gives time for the juices to redistribute and be reabsorbed back into the meat. If you skip this step, the turkey will spill juices everywhere when sliced.

• Rest for 30-40 minutes after removing from smoker.
• Tent lightly with foil to keep warm.
• The internal temp will rise 5-10°F during resting.

Letting the smoked turkey rest results in juicier meat and easier, neater carving.

Smoked Turkey Leftover Tips

One of the best parts of Thanksgiving is turkey leftovers! Here are some tips:

• Allow turkey to cool completely before refrigerating. Store within 2 hours after cooking.
• Remove all stuffing/dressing from cavity before storing leftovers.
• Cut turkey meat from the bone and store in shallow containers.
• Use leftovers within 3-4 days. Reheat to 165°F.
• Freeze carved turkey meat in airtight containers or bags up to 4 months.

Smoked turkey makes amazing leftovers. Add it to sandwiches, salads, pasta, soup, chili, casseroles, pizza and more!

Common Smoked Turkey Problems Solved

Pink or bloody meat? This smoked turkey doneness issue is caused by undercooking. Use your thermometer to verify the breast and thigh meat reaches 165°F minimum. The pink color should disappear once the meat is fully cooked.

Dry, stringy texture? Overcooking is likely to blame. Be sure to smoke at 225-250°F only until the turkey reaches temp. The low slow method keeps it moist when not overcooked.

Rub won’t stick? Make sure the skin is very dry before applying any oil, butter or seasoning. Also loosen the skin gently so rubs and moisture can penetrate beneath.

Skin not browning? Try increasing the heat to 300°F+ after the first 2 hours once the smoke flavor has permeated. Higher heat helps crisp the skin nicely.

Grill flare ups? Use a drip pan under the turkey to minimize grease drips and prevent smoking flames.