How to Smoke a Whole Turkey – A Step-by-Step Guide – The online encyclopedia for carnivorous connoisseurs

Smoking a whole turkey imparts incredible smoky flavor and frees up oven space, making it a fantastic cooking method for holidays like Thanksgiving Follow this simple guide to learn how to smoke a whole turkey from start to finish

What You’ll Need

Whole turkey, 12-15 lbs – Go for a smaller bird to ensure it cooks evenly.
Smoker – Any type of smoker like an offset smoker, pellet grill, etc.
Wood chips – Use fruit woods like apple, cherry or go for classics like hickory or maple.
Roasting pan – To place the turkey in while smoking.
Meat thermometer – Monitor temperature without opening the smoker.

Prep the Turkey

Remove giblets and neck from the cavity. Save for making gravy or stuffing.
Pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels.
Place breast side up in a roasting pan. Do not stuff it.
Brush lightly with olive oil and season generously with salt, pepper and any other dry rub.

Fire Up the Smoker

Soak wood chips in water for 30 minutes prior to smoking.
Set up your smoker or grill for indirect smoking.
Maintain a temperature of 225-250°F.
Add soaked wood chips to create smoke. Try apple, cherry, hickory, maple or pecan wood.

Smoke the Bird

Place seasoned turkey in roasting pan breast side up onto smoker rack.
Insert an oven safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.
Close smoker and smoke turkey for approximately 30 minutes per pound.
Check temp periodically. Turkey is done at 165-175°F.
Remove turkey when finished and let rest 15 minutes before carving.

Carving and Serving

Allow turkey to rest 15 minutes before carving. Use a sharp carving knife to slice turkey. The meat may have a pink smoke ring which is normal.

Serve smoked turkey on its own or use it in dishes like sandwiches soups casseroles, and more! It also makes fantastic leftovers.

Turkey Smoking Tips

Choose a smaller turkey around 12-15 lbs so it cooks evenly. Larger birds take too long.
Brining the turkey in saltwater or a wet rub adds moisture and flavor.
Use a probe thermometer to monitor temperature. Opening the smoker loses heat.
Let turkey rest before carving to allow juices to redistribute for moist meat.
Add a water pan to the smoker to help keep the turkey moist.
Avoid putting stuffing inside the turkey, make it separately to avoid bacteria.
Injecting the turkey with broth adds extra moisture and flavor to the meat.
glazing or mopping the turkey with barbecue sauce adds flavor but avoid overdoing it.

Common Turkey Smoking Questions

What is the best wood for smoking turkey?

Fruit woods like apple, cherry, pear, and pecan work very well with turkey. Oak, hickory, maple and mesquite are other good options. Stay away from strong woods like mesquite.

How long does it take to smoke a turkey?

Figure around 30 minutes per pound at 225-250°F. So a 12 lb turkey will take 6 hours, a 15 pounder will need 7.5 hours. Monitor temperature with a meat thermometer.

What temp do you smoke a turkey at?

Keep your smoker or grill at a low temperature between 225-250°F for smoking turkey. This slower cooking results in tender, juicy meat.

Can you smoke a turkey on a pellet grill?

Yes, pellet grills are fantastic for hot smoking turkey. Set up for indirect heat and use your favorite pellets for flavor. Maintain 225-250°F and smoke until the breast meat reaches 165°F.

How do you keep turkey moist when smoking?

Brining, injecting, and spritzing or mopping the turkey will all help retain moisture while smoking. Use a water pan in the smoker and don’t overcook it. Letting rest before carving also keeps juices locked in.

Should you brine a smoked turkey?

Brining is highly recommended to keep smoked turkey extra juicy and flavorful. Make a simple saltwater brine or use brine recipes with lots of aromatics. Soak 12-24 hours before smoking.

Perfectly Smoked and Flavorful Turkey

With some preparation and patience, smoked turkey is deeply flavorful and tender every time. Follow these tips for success and enjoy the amazing taste. Impress your guests with your expertly barbecued bird this holiday season!

how do you smoke a whole turkey

How to spatchcock a whole turkey

Spatchcocking a turkey requires a little elbow work, but the results are worth it. Start by patting the turkey dry, then turn turkey over with breast side down on a large cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove the entire backbone. You can save the backbone to make turkey stock.

Once the backbone is removed, flip the turkey back over. Rotate both thighs until they are flat on the cutting board. Using your palms, press down on the breastbone until it breaks. You will hear a crack and the turkey will lay flat. Finally, tuck the wing tips in and your bird is fully spatchcocked and ready to season.

How to smoke a spatchcocked turkey

Once the bird is spatchcocked and seasoned, it’s ready to smoke. Place the prepared turkey directly on clean and oiled grill grates of your preheated 250°F smoker and close the grill lid.

Smoke the turkey for approximately 12-15 minutes per pound. Try to keep the temperature at a consistent 250°F for an even smoke and to avoid flareups. While it’s tempting to peek, it’s important to keep the lid closed. Remember, if you’re lookin’, it ain’t cookin’.

Your turkey is fully cooked when the breast and thigh portions reach an internal temperature of 165°F, measured by a meat thermometer. Once fully cooked, remove your turkey from the smoker. The easiest way to keep the bird from sticking to the grill grates bird is to loosen all sides first with a metal spatula before transferring to a cutting board.

Finally, tent the bird with foil and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Cutting a turkey too soon is one of the 10 biggest turkey cooking mistakes. The final step is the easiest, but very important to allow the juices to reabsorb and keep your meat moist. Cut too soon and the juices will leak out, leaving your meat drier than you wanted. Besides, a super-hot turkey is no fun to carve.

Pair your smoked turkey with easy side dishes and a decadent dessert for an incredible holiday dinner.

how do you smoke a whole turkey

AWESOME Smoked Turkey Recipe For Beginners!

FAQ

How long does it take to smoke a whole turkey?

It takes about 3 ½ hours to smoke a 10-12lb turkey but checking the internal temps is key. It has to hit at least 165 in the breast and 175 in the thigh.Nov 22, 2014

How do you keep turkey moist when smoking?

We swear by wet brining our turkey before smoking because it not only adds a ton of flavor but also helps the turkey retain moisture during the smoking process.Oct 17, 2022

Is it better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?

325-350. It’s not a low and slow like a brisket or pork shoulder. Poultry soaks up the smoke flavor so you run the risk of having way too much smoke flavor if you go 225. Also 225 will never give you crispy skin.

Should I wrap a turkey when I smoke it?

Avoid wrapping your turkey in foil. Although it may seem as if foil will speed the cooking, the layer of foil actually guards the turkey from the smoke, thus rendering the smoking process useless.