What’s not to love about smoked turkey? You get tasty and tender meat, and the smoky flavor is just irresistible. Even better, smoked turkey is healthier and has less calories than most other smoked meats, meaning you can indulge without feeling guilty.
Is good smoked turkey hard to find in your area? If so, you should consider making your own smoked turkey. It’s not as hard as you might think, and to prove it, we are about to show you how to smoke a turkey on a grill or smoker at home.
Smoking a turkey produces incredibly moist, tender meat infused with delicious smoky flavor But an important step that should not be skipped is letting the smoked turkey rest before carving and serving Allowing time for the turkey to rest is crucial for evenly distributed juices and ideal texture. So how long should you let a smoked turkey rest?
In this article, I’ll explain why resting smoked turkey is so important, provide guidelines for recommended rest times, and share tips for superior rested turkey. Follow these simple best practices, and your smoked turkey will be a big hit at your next meal!
Why You Must Let Smoked Turkey Rest Before Carving
After spending hours tending to your smoker, you probably can’t wait to dive right into that delicious smoked turkey. But cutting into it immediately off the smoker is a rookie mistake. Here’s why letting it rest first is essential
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Allows juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat, instead of spilling out when sliced
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Gives time for the proteins to relax and reabsorb expelled moisture for tender juicy meat
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Allows smoky flavor to penetrate all areas of the turkey
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Provides carryover cooking time to finish without drying out
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Prevents overcooked, stringy breast meat and dry texture
Letting the turkey rest gives you the succulent, deeply smoked flavor in each bite that you worked hard to achieve. Don’t ruin your efforts by skipping this step!
Recommended Resting Time for Smoked Turkeys
The ideal resting time for smoked turkeys is:
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20 minutes minimum – Allows smaller 10 lb birds to rest adequately
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30-40 minutes for larger birds – Up to 40 minutes for very big 20+ lb turkeys
A good guideline is to rest approx. 20 minutes per every 5 lbs of turkey weight. The larger the turkey, the longer the recommended resting time for proper moisture distribution.
Always rest the turkey breast-side down on a cutting board. This allows juices to be reabsorbed back into the delicate white breast meat.
Step-by-Step Guide to Resting Smoked Turkey
Follow these simple steps for perfect smoked turkey resting:
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When internal temp of thickest thigh area hits 165°F, transfer turkey from smoker to a cutting board, breast-side down.
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Loosely tent foil over top if desired, but leave mainly uncovered for crispy skin.
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Allow turkey to rest for 20-40 minutes depending on weight. The meat will continue rising 5-10°F.
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After full resting time, remove foil if used and carefully slice turkey against the grain. Serve immediately.
That’s all it takes for spectacular smoked turkey! Just resist the urge to carve right off the smoker.
Should You Cover the Turkey While Resting?
For the best texture, allow turkey to rest completely uncovered. This helps maintain crispy smoked skin.
Lightly draping foil over the top can help retain heat for longer rests or colder conditions. But fully wrapping traps in steam which makes the skin soggy.
Only wrap tightly in foil if holding the rested turkey hot for serving much later. Monitor temperature and reheat gently in the oven if needed before serving.
What Happens If You Don’t Let Smoked Turkey Rest?
Carving into smoked turkey immediately leads to disappointing results:
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Dry, stringy meat from expelled moisture
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Pooling of juices on the cutting board instead of in the meat
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Uneven pink or raw areas of meat
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Smoky flavor not distributed throughout turkey
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Overcooked, dried out breast meat
Adequate resting gives you the tender, deeply smoky turkey you worked hard to achieve in your smoker. Don’t skip this crucial step!
Tips for Superior Rested Smoked Turkey
Follow these tips for the very best rested smoked turkey:
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Rest on a wooden cutting board to wick away moisture
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Keep turkey in a warm area like near heating vent during rest
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Lightly tent foil to retain heat for 30+ minute rests
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Leaving uncovered keeps the skin nice and crispy
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Carve across the grain for most tender slices
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Serve immediately after full rest for ideal texture
The Takeaway: Let That Smoked Turkey Rest!
Allowing your smoked turkey ample resting time is just as vital as the long, slow smoking itself when cooking the perfect bird. Follow the guidelines above for resting 20-40 minutes breast-side down uncovered for superior results.
Have patience and let your smoked turkey relax and reabsorb the flavorful juices before diving in. Your taste buds will thank you with juicy, deeply smoky turkey in every bite!
Preparing Turkey for the Smoker
Before putting your turkey in a smoker, you need to prep it. If you have a frozen whole turkey, your first step should be thawing your turkey. Otherwise, you may experience a longer cooking time and an uneven cook. You can thaw your frozen turkey by placing it in a 40°F fridge for 24 to 36 hours.
After thawing your turkey, take the giblets and neck out and dry or wet brine the whole turkey overnight. If you have a fresh turkey, you can skip the thawing process move right to brining it. Brining will enhance the turkey’s flavor and ensure that the meat stays moist throughout the smoking process. Learn more about how to brine a turkey here.
You cannot smoke a turkey without these items:
- Smoker or Grill: If you do not have a smoker, you can use a grill to smoke your turkey. However, if you want your turkey to have that distinct smoky flavor, you should only use a wood smoker or charcoal grill.
- Shady Brook Farms Turkey: You can buy and smoke a fresh or frozen whole turkey. If a whole turkey is too big for you, buy a bone-in turkey breast.
- Seasonings: You can buy a dry rub or make your own by mixing kosher salt, pepper, onion powder, and any other spices you like.
- Large Roasting Pan with Cooking Grate: The grate will hold the turkey, and the pan will catch the drippings during the roasting process.
- Wireless Thermometer: Your wireless thermometer will let you know when your turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. A wireless thermometer is better because you don’t have to keep opening the smoker to check the turkey’s doneness. Frequently opening the smoker or grill can cause lost heat and increase your cooking time.
Instructions for Smoking a Turkey
Now that you have everything you need to make smoked turkey, here’s how to smoke a turkey in a grill or smoker:
You can make a smoked turkey with a gas or electric smoker, but a charcoal grill or wood smoker is your best choice for maximum smoky flavor. You can also use a pellet grill. If you plan on using a charcoal smoker or grill, soak your wood in water to help it burn slower. The best woods for smoking turkey include apple, hickory, cherry, or pecan wood.
While soaking your wood, clean the grates of your smoker or grill, then season the grates with oil or a non-stick cooking spray. You can then load in your wood and fire up the smoker or grill to preheat it.
Take your thawed turkey and pat the inside and outside dry with paper towels. If the turkey skin isn’t dry, your seasonings may not adhere to it, and you may not get crispy skin. You can season your turkey with a store-bought dry rub or make your own. In addition to kosher salt and black pepper, your homemade dry rub can include brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and onion powder.
If you dry brined the turkey, it may not need extra seasonings. You only need to coat it with oil before placing it on your smoker or grill. However, if you wet brined the turkey, coat its dried body with oil before applying your dry rub. After covering the turkey with your seasonings, insert your oven-safe wireless thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey thigh. Do not stuff a turkey before smoking.
Place your seasoned turkey breast side up on your preheated grill or smoker. Put a pan under the turkey to collect drippings, or flames could flare up and char it. Close your smoker or grill to smoke the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
The exact amount of time it will take the turkey to reach an internal temperature of 165°F will depend on the size of the turkey and grill temperature.
When smoking at 225°F, it can take about 30 to 45 minutes to cook one pound of turkey. That means a 12-pound turkey should take at least six hours to cook in a smoker.
To smoke your turkey faster, increase the smoker’s temperature to 250°F to 275°F. At 250°F, it can take about 25 minutes to cook one pound of turkey, meaning you will need about five hours to smoke a 12-pound turkey. A 275°F smoker will cook one pound of turkey in about 20 minutes – a four-hour cook time for a 12-pound turkey. Any of these temperatures will work great for smoking your turkey, as long as it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
After smoking your turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F, take it out of the smoker or grill, but don’t cut it. Instead, place the turkey on a wire rack to rest for at least 20 minutes.
Resting your turkey before carving allows its juices to redistribute and settle. If you cut the meat without resting it, the juices will escape, resulting in a loss of juiciness and flavor.
How to Rest Your Turkey Before Carving
FAQ
How long should my turkey rest after smoking?
Let the turkey rest (mandatory!): Transfer the turkey to a cutting board. Cover and let rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes (it will stay piping hot much longer; don’t worry about it getting cold).
How long to let turkey rest after roasting?
About 45 minutes or so gives it time to reabsorb the juices; otherwise they’ll dribble out when you slice, and the meat will be dry.Nov 27, 2024
How long to rest turkey after smoking reddit?
Gordon Ramsey says you should rest a turkey for as long as you cooked it. I’ve never done that, I usually rest it for an hour or so but I think you’re fine to rest it for 2 or 3 hours if you need to.
Can you pull turkey off a smoker at 155?
Smoked turkey breast temperature
In fact, skinless turkey breast reaches the same kill-off at only 157°F (69°C) in only 47.9 seconds. It will have the same safety at 155°F (68°C) in 1.2 minutes!
How long should a smoked turkey rest?
You can rest the turkey for up to 2 hours without the temperature dropping below 140°F (60°C). You should rest turkey for at least 20 minutes, and up to 40 minutes for large whole turkeys. The longer you let your smoked turkey rest, the more moist and tender the meat. This is when the juices will redistribute in the turkey.
Is it dangerous to quit vaping nicotine cold turkey?
Quitting vaping nicotine ‘cold turkey’ is not dangerous, but it can be very unpleasant. This is because nicotine alters the way your brain functions such that your body feels dependent on it. Some of the unpleasant side effects of quitting abruptly are tremors, headaches, and nausea. These side effects can make it very hard to quit and often cause people to relapse. Fortunately, these unpleasant side effects can be partially or completely avoided by gradually cutting down your use instead of quitting abruptly. Your primary care physician can help you design a plan to quit vaping nicotine.
Why do you rest a Turkey after smoking?
During smoking, heat causes the proteins in the meat to tighten, squeezing out moisture. Resting allows them to relax and reabsorb the juices. Resting allows the smoky flavor imparted during smoking to distribute evenly throughout the turkey. It gives time for carryover cooking to finish without drying out the meat.
Can You Refrigerate a smoked turkey?
To keep the meat moist, drizzle some of the turkey pan drippings or chicken broth over the top before refrigerating it. To Reheat. Wrap the smoked turkey in an aluminum foil pouch, drizzle turkey drippings or broth over the meat, then seal it. Warm the pouch in a baking dish in a 300 degrees F oven. To Freeze.
How long does it take to smoke a Turkey?
Smoke your turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before removing it. Depending on the size of the bird, this should take about 4-6 hours. Bear in mind that the internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests, so you can pull the meat from the smoker when it’s about 5°F short of target temperature.
Should you let a smoked turkey rest before carving?
Smoking a turkey produces incredibly moist, tender, and flavorful meat when done right. An often overlooked but critical step is letting the turkey rest before carving and serving. Resting gives time for juices to redistribute and allows smoky flavor to permeate the meat. But exactly how long should you let a smoked turkey rest?