If you own a Pit Boss and haven’t tried a Pit Boss smoked turkey, you’re in for a pleasant surprise! This delicious turkey with an easy maple BBQ rub is so juicy, incredibly flavorful turkey with a perfectly browned and crispy skin, and it can be smoked to perfection in less than 3 hours. Smoked turkey recipes are a great twist on a holiday favorite or a nice alternative to chicken in the summer months!
Smoking a juicy, flavorful turkey on your Pit Boss pellet grill is a fantastic way to prepare the centerpiece of your holiday feast. But knowing exactly how long to smoke a turkey can be tricky
Cooking times can vary based on a number of factors, including the size of your bird, temperature setting, and whether or not you brined. Follow this guide for tips on how long it typically takes to smoke a turkey to perfection on a Pit Boss grill.
Choosing the Right Size Turkey
The first step is selecting the right size turkey for your Pit Boss smoker. Smaller birds around 12-15 pounds tend to cook the most evenly. Larger turkeys over 18-20 pounds will take considerably longer, and the breast meat is prone to drying out.
Ideally you want a turkey that’s about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of your grill’s cooking surface This allows enough room for indirect heat circulation Aim for a turkey in the 12-15 pound range for most Pellet Boss models like the 1100, Austin XL, etc.
Thaw your turkey completely before smoking. Never try to cook a frozen bird, as it will take far too long to come up to temperature.
Average Smoking Times Per Pound
The general rule of thumb for smoking turkey is approximately 30 minutes per pound at 225-250°F. So a 15 pound turkey will take roughly 7-8 hours to cook through.
Here are some estimates based on size:
- 12 pound turkey: 6 hours
- 15 pound turkey: 7.5 hours
- 18 pound turkey: 9 hours
- 20+ pound turkey: 10+ hours
At higher temperatures like 325°F, you can deduct about 5 minutes per pound. But higher heat tends to dry out the breast meat.
Monitor Internal Temperature
Rather than relying solely on cook times, use an instant read thermometer to test the turkey’s internal temp. The thigh and breast meat need to reach the following minimums for safe consumption:
- Breast: 165°F
- Thigh: 175°F
The pop-up thermometer inserted into the breast is not always accurate. Check multiple thick spots on both the breast and thighs with an instant read thermometer near the estimated finish time.
Once the turkey hits the target temps after smoking, let it rest 15-30 minutes before carving.
Brining Makes a Difference
Soaking your turkey in a saltwater brine before smoking helps retain moisture and prevents the meat from drying out. You can reduce cook time slightly for a brined bird.
Plan for about 25-28 minutes per pound if you brined your turkey overnight before putting it in your Pit Boss. The salt and water are absorbed into the meat, keeping it juicy.
Pellet Grill Setup Tips
Proper setup of your Pit Boss grill is key for ideal smoked turkey:
- Use indirect heat on one side with the turkey on the other.
- Place a drip pan underneath to catch drippings.
- Use a digital meat probe in the thickest part of breast.
- Keep the temperature as close to 250°F as possible.
- Add a water pan for extra moisture.
Maintaining an even, consistent temperature and avoiding direct heat on the turkey will ensure the best results.
What If It Finishes Early?
Checking the turkey’s temp periodically as it smokers prevents overcooking. If the breast and thighs reach the target internal temperature well before the estimated time, go ahead and remove it from the grill.
You can always let a fully cooked turkey rest in a warm oven or insulated cooler while you finish up sides and appetizers if dinner isn’t quite ready yet. The extra resting time just allows the juices to redistribute more evenly.
Pit Boss Turkey Smoking Tips
Here are some additional tips for smoking the perfect turkey on your Pit Boss:
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Inject with melted butter or turkey stock for added moisture and flavor.
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Rub skin with olive oil or cooking spray before applying seasonings.
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Place aromatic vegetables and herbs in the cavity.
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Use apple, pecan, cherry, or maple wood pellets for flavor.
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Create a foil tent if the skin browns too quickly.
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Let rest 20-30 minutes before slicing for juicy meat.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow this simple process for smoking turkey on a Pit Boss:
Ingredients:
- 12-15 lb turkey, fully thawed
- Dry poultry seasoning rub
- Olive oil
Instructions:
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Rinse turkey and pat dry. Coat with olive oil. Apply seasoning rub inside cavity and all over skin.
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Prepare grill for indirect cooking, with no heat on one side. Preheat to 250°F using apple pellets.
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Place turkey breast-side up on the cool side of the grill, over a drip pan.
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Insert a meat probe thermometer deep into the thickest part of breast.
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Smoke turkey for approximately 30 minutes per pound, until breast hits 165°F and thighs 175°F.
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Carefully remove turkey when finished smoking. Let rest 20-30 minutes before carving.
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Carve turkey and serve immediately. Enjoy your delicious smoked turkey!
Smoking a turkey on your Pit Boss pellet grill results in a flavorful, juicy bird that’s sure to be the star of your Thanksgiving table. Follow these guidelines on cook times per pound, target internal temperatures, proper grill setup, and smoking tips for perfect results.
The savory wood-fired flavor from your Pit Boss paired with the mesquite, apple, pecan, or cherry wood pellets makes all the difference. Smoke on and enjoy your family feast!
The Perfect Pit Boss Smoked Turkey with Maple BBQ Rub
Hello All! Today I’m letting my hubby Justin do a take-over on the blog with this incredible smoked turkey recipe we prepared for a small gathering the other weekend. With it being the holiday season we had a turkey in our freezer that just needed to be thawed for a less formal occasion.
That’s the beauty of a smoked turkey, it’s a more casual approach to a bird that is often prepared for formal occasions. This smoked turkey recipe can be enjoyed any time of year; winter or summer, it’s a delicious and easy dish to prepare.
If you’re the kind of chef that likes to set it and forget it, then this is the turkey recipe for you. It’s simple, it’s versatile and it’s gosh darn easy and delicious. The patience required to pull off this recipe is hard but it is so worth it in the end and the results will truly shine for themselves.
Heck, if I can make a turkey on the Pit Boss…anyone can! I’ll let Justin take it from here.
Why smoke a turkey?Smoking your turkey is a long process of love but it is one that’s pretty hands off and basically just requires patience. In time your turkey will be finished cooking and with that, you will have a crispy skinned bird with juicy meat inside. Together every bite is a wonderful combination of flavor and taste. Even the leftovers taste incredible! How do you smoke a turkey in a pit boss pellet smoker?One of the easiest ways to smoke a turkey on a Pit Boss pellet smoker is to spatchcock the turkey, then place it right on the grill grate to cook. The spatchcock method allows for even cooking of the bird and gets more surface area of the turkey browned and crispy. There’s nothing better than juicy, tender meat underneath perfectly crispy and browned skin. This is the BEST smoked turkey recipe when you follow along with the step by step instructions. It doesn’t get much easier than this! For this smoker method, I kept the temperature lower at 300F for most of the cooking time, then increased the temperature to 350F for the last half an hour to reach that ideal level of browning and crispiness on the skin and seal in the moisture. |
What kind of pellets should I use?I recommend the Pit Boss competition blend pellets, but you can use any pellets you prefer. If you want to stick with the pit boss brand then you have a lot of great and flavorful options including charcoal pellets, Georgia pecan, mesquite, a classic blend, hickory, apple, and fruit-flavored too. Pick and choose which ones you want and create a wonderful and subtle taste of heaven in every bird. Note that you do not have to stick with the Pitboss brand pellets for this recipe if you do not want to. Other brand pellets will work just fine in this recipe and can offer you a bigger flavor variety as well. Is a pit boss smoker electric or gas?Pit boss makes smokers that are electric and they make some that are gas. For this recipe, I am using my gas smoker but you are more than welcome to use an electric smoker if your turkey can fit. Note that you can still use wooden pellets inside of your electric smoker so go right on ahead and enjoy a smoked turkey that is sure to have you dreaming of the holidays all year long. How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a pit boss smoker?Cooking time all depends on the size of your bird and if you use the spatchcock method or not. We went with a smaller-sized 5-7kg young turkey, and the total smoking time was 2.5 hours. If you have a larger turkey, but still use the spatchcock method you can estimate approximately 25 minutes per kg, so a larger 9kg turkey will take approximately 3 hrs and 45 minutes (using the spatchcock method). What is spatchcock turkey?Spatchcocking means to butterfly the bird. This is when you remove the backbone of the chicken or turkey and lay it out flat to cook. When you do this, the cooking time significantly decreases and the bird cooks faster and more evenly. With a more level surface space, the breasts and the thighs can cook and finish at about the same time instead of one before the other. There’s also more skin exposed to the heating elements so that means that the skin gets even crispier. Should I spatchcock my turkey?If you have the space for it, I always recommend it. This added butchering step really helps to provide you with the best holiday turkey results. By spatchcocking a turkey you can really shave down on the amount of time needed to cook it. By a rule of thumb, an oven-roasted turkey that was spatchcocked would take about ⅓ of the required time to cook. When you smoke a spatchcocked turkey you allow more surface to be exposed for the flavorful pellets to penetrate as well so that means that your entire bird tastes incredible and that no areas are left unflavored. So it is up to you whether or not you would like to try this method of cooking but there really are no downsides to it. You will need some strong kitchen shears and a large sharp knife to do this as that backbone can be a bit tough to get out, but after that, it’s practically as easy as a cakewalk! |
Should you wrap a turkey in foil when smoking?No. When spatchcocking a turkey, wrapping it with tin foil on the smoker is not required. Nor is it desired. You want the smoke to penetrate the meat during smoking and tin foil would prevent this key aspect of the cooking. Not only that but it would also prevent the turkey from browning too much so you’d be left with a plain looking bird instead of one that’s golden delicious! Also, because of the relatively short cooking period, the turkey is not at risk of getting dried out and therefore you don’t need to worry about covering it with foil to help seal in the moisture. Without foil, this crispier skin turkey is still super juicy and delicious! |
Smoked Turkey with Maple BBQ Rub IngredientsTo prepare this smoking turkey, and the barbecue rub, you do not need many ingredients. The rub is very simple to make but packs a ton of flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
Maple BBQ Rub:
The combination of sweet and salty works so well with the smoky flavor created by the Pit Boss and the rub creates a nice crispy, caramelized skin that locks in the moisture of the turkey meat. |
How To Prepare, Step-by-Step:While Christal is a great cook, she definitely is not a pro with the Pit Boss. So, I walked her through the process of preparing her first smoked turkey and she was pleasantly surprised at how easy it really was. This is pretty much a “set it and forget it” recipe. The great thing about smoking a turkey as compared to oven-roasting is that you don’t have to baste the turkey over and over again to avoid a dry bird. Here’s what you’ll do: 1. Spatchcock the turkey with kitchen shears, then open it and lay flat. Place it cut-side down on a large baking/roasting pan. Then, rub 1 tablespoon of butter all over the turkey skin. 2. In a bowl combine the dry rub spices with the maple syrup and mix, then pour over the turkey and rub all over the skin, into the breast and legs to generously coat, then set aside. 3. Turn on the Pit Boss and set the temperature to 300 degrees F, pre-heat with the lid closed for 15 minutes. 4. Transfer the turkey directly from the pan onto the Pit Boss grill grate and close the lid. 5. Smoke for approximately 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. 6. Increase the smoker temperature to 350F and baste the turkey with the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and smoke until internal temperature reaches 165F(approx. 30 mins). A larger bird takes longer. 7. When finished, remove turkey from the smoker, cover with tin foil and let rest for 15 minutes, then carve as desired, serve, and enjoy! |
Whether you are new to the smoker world or are a smoker master, you’ll love this simple Pit Boss smoked turkey with maple bbq rub. It’s easy, delicious, and great for a small gathering of friends or family.
Serve up this smoked turkey for thanksgiving dinner or throughout the year so you can also make the most epic leftover turkey sandwiches (if there is any!). There’s never a wrong time for a delicious turkey dinner!
Have you ever made a whole turkey on a Pit Boss? Tell me about it in the comments and be sure to pin the photo below the recipe to save for later!
Smoked Turkey On A Pit Boss Pellet Smoker
FAQ
How long to smoke a turkey on my Pit Boss pellet grill?
Cook time at 225°F is 30 minutes per pound, or when the temperature internally reaches 165°F. At 165°F, remove the turkey from the grill and allow to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Is it better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?
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Cooking time:At 250°F, a turkey will cook faster than at 225°F, which can be beneficial if you want a quicker cook time.
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Skin crispness:Higher temperatures like 250°F may help achieve crispier turkey skin compared to a lower temperature like 225°F.
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Smoke flavor:While both temperatures can infuse smoke flavor, a lower temperature like 225°F may result in a more intensely smoky turkey.
How long to smoke a 20 lb turkey on a pellet grill?
If you’re cooking a 20-pound turkey at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, you should plan for a cooking time from 4 ½ hours to 4 ¾ hours.
How long does it take to smoke a 15 pound turkey at 225 degrees?
Place the turkey directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and smoke the turkey. At 225 degrees F, you can plan on approximately 30 minutes per pound for your turkey to smoke. For example, this 15 pound turkey will take 7 and 1/2 hours at 225 degrees F. I always plan an extra 30 minutes, just in case.
What temperature do you smoke a Turkey on a pit boss?
The ideal temperature for smoking turkey on a Pit Boss is between 325-350°F. This allows the skin to get crispy while fully cooking the meat without drying it out. How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a Pit Boss grill?
Can you smoke a Turkey on a pit boss pellet grill?
Smoking a turkey on a Pit Boss pellet grill is a great way to prepare your holiday meal, or to easily add a second turkey when the oven is already full with your first one! In this article, we’ll show you how we prepare our turkey with a simple overnight dry brine oy get crispy skin and juicy meat.
How do you cook a smoked turkey on a pit boss Grill?
Here are some additional tips to ensure smoked turkey success on your Pit Boss grill: Inject with melted butter or broth for extra moisture and flavor. Add aromatic veggies like onion and celery to the cavity. Rotate the turkey every 45-60 minutes for even doneness. Use a water pan filled with broth or cider to add moisture.
How long should a pit boss smoked turkey rest before carving?
If the skin starts to get too dark before the turkey is fully cooked, tent it with foil. Monitor the temp in several places to ensure even doneness. Once your Pit Boss smoked turkey reaches the target temp, let it rest 15-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute.
Can you smoke a Turkey on a pellet grill?
Smoking a turkey on a pellet grill is a fantastic way to prepare a juicy, flavorful bird for your holiday feast Pellet grills like the Pit Boss are ideal for smoking turkey, as they provide even, consistent heat and smoky wood flavor that you just can’t achieve in a traditional oven
What size Turkey to smoke on a pit boss?
When selecting a turkey to smoke on your Pit Boss, smaller birds around 12-15 lbs tend to work best. Larger birds take much longer to cook and the breast meat can dry out before the legs and thighs are finished. A smaller turkey will cook more evenly from top to bottom. You’ll also want to make sure you have a thawed turkey.