This smoked turkey recipe calls for a whole turkey that is covered in a homemade spice rub and then cooked slowly until it is soft and juicy. A super easy and impressive holiday main course that won’t take up any oven space!.
Are you tired of the same old roasted turkey? This smoked turkey is a one-of-a-kind and show-stopping Thanksgiving meal that’s easy enough that even a beginner cook can make it look great and taste great. Serve your turkey with homemade cranberry sauce and watch the rave reviews come in!.
On Thanksgiving, I love making a turkey, but I don’t like how it takes up my whole oven for hours and hours. So now I smoke my turkey instead of roasting it, and the result is nothing less than amazing.
Forget fussing with an outdoor smoker. You can infuse your holiday turkey with delicious smoky flavor right in your oven with easy-to-follow steps. Smoking the turkey indoors allows the heat from your oven to work double duty on sides, frees up stovetop space, and ensures you’ll get juicy, fully-cooked meat without monitoring a smoker for hours outdoors.
Follow this guide to learn tips for achieving perfection A smoked turkey’s deep flavor and enticing aroma will make your kitchen and dining table the place to be on Thanksgiving or any special meal
Benefits of Oven-Smoked Turkey
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Infuses smoky flavor indoors without mess of outdoor smoker.
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Convenient since oven is already on for sides,
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Gets crispy smoked skin without drying out meat.
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Saves counter and stovetop space for other dishes
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Gives you reliably safe doneness compared to a smoker.
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Provides show-stopping centerpiece with minimal effort.
What You’ll Need
Smoking a turkey in the oven requires very little equipment:
- Roasting pan with rack
- Wood chips – apple, cherry, hickory
- Disposable foil pan
- Smoker box or pouch
- Meat thermometer
Prep Work
- Thaw frozen turkey completely 1-2 days in fridge.
- Remove giblets and rinse turkey inside and out. Pat very dry.
- Rub turkey skin evenly with oil or butter. Generously season.
- Place turkey breast up on roasting rack in pan.
Oven Smoker Setup
- Fill smoker box with soaked wood chips as per instructions.
- Place foil pan on bottom rack to catch drips, smoker box on higher rack.
- Preheat oven to 350°F to start smoking before turkey goes in.
Trussing and Roasting
- Tie turkey legs together with twine to hold shape.
- Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of thigh, avoiding bone.
- Roast turkey on top rack for 15-20 minutes per pound until 165°F.
Resting and Carving
- Let turkey rest 30 minutes before carving for juicier meat.
- Transfer to cutting board and slice breast meat and legs.
Expert Tips
- Brine 24 hours for super moist, flavored meat.
- Use a thermometer for perfect doneness, not just time.
- Baste with pan drippings every 30 minutes.
- Tent with foil if skin browns too fast.
- Infuse cavity with lemons, onions, herbs.
- Let sit at room temp 1 hour before cooking.
- Carve across the grain for tenderness.
With minimal effort, you can make a show-stopping smoked turkey with the ease of your home oven. The combination of indirect heat, wood smoke, and occasional basting results in a bird with crispy, browned skin wrapping tender, juicy meat infused with flavor.
How do you smoke a turkey?
You should put the turkey in the brine solution 24 hours before you want to cook it. Preheat your smoker with the wood of your choice. Place the turkey in a disposable aluminum pan, and tuck the wings under the bird. Put the onion, lemon, and herbs inside the turkey, and then use twine to connect the legs. Place the BBQ rub all over the outside of the turkey. Move the turkey from the pan to the smoker and cook it, basting every now and then, until a thermometer reads 165 degrees F. Let the turkey rest, then carve it and serve.
Tips for the best smoked turkey
- It’s easier to clean up if you leave the turkey in the disposable pan while it smokes instead of moving it straight to the rack.
- A probe thermometer is a must-have when making smoked turkey. The temperature of a smoker can change, which can change the cooking time. Always use the temperature instead of the time.
- When I smoke, I usually use an electric smoker because it’s easy to use and the heat is well controlled.
Making a turkey smoke can take a long time, so begin early in the day to make sure the turkey is ready for dinner. Typically, it takes at least 5 hours to smoke an average sized turkey at 250 degrees F. Plan on having your turkey cook for about 25-30 minutes per pound. This time frame can change a bit based on the smoker you use and how well it keeps the temperature steady. It’s imperative to use a thermometer rather than a clock to gauge when the turkey is ready.
I like to use apple wood to smoke poultry, as it imparts a mild and sweet flavor. Apple wood is readily available in most stores. Other great choices are cherry wood or hickory.
When 165 degrees F is read on a thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the thigh, the turkey is done. I leave a digital thermometer in the turkey while it smokes so I can check on it from home using a temperature remote.
I like to baste my smoked turkey because no one wants a dry turkey! As it cooks, I sometimes baste the turkey with chicken broth to make sure it stays moist. If you’ve brined your turkey before hand, you can skip the basting step.
Plan on one pound of turkey for every person to get an idea of what size turkey you’ll need. If you want a lot of turkey left over, plan on 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person.
This recipe is delicious as-is, but you can also customize the flavors to your tastes if you prefer.
- Spice Rub: If you don’t want to grill, you can use blackened seasoning, Creole seasoning, or Cajun seasoning instead.
- When making brine, you can change up the flavors by adding different herbs, honey for sweetness, or different kinds of fruit like apples or pears.
- When stuffing the bird, you don’t have to use onion and lemon. You can use apples, a half-head of garlic, carrots, orange slices, leeks, or any other vegetable you like.
The end result is a beautifully browned turkey that’s tender, juicy and full of flavor. I love that it frees up my oven so I can bake the sides and desserts for the big meal. A smoked turkey is always a good choice.
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FAQ
How do you cook a fully cooked smoked turkey?
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