A smoked Traeger turkey is cooked to perfection with smoke and heat giving it a nice crispy skin and juicy meat. We brined this turkey in buttermilk and spices to make sure this is the juiciest turkey you have ever served for Thanksgiving.
Cooking a turkey on a Traeger wood pellet grill results in an incredibly moist, tender and flavorful bird that your family will rave about. With the Traeger you can achieve a juicy smoked turkey with crispy skin, something that can be difficult when using a traditional oven.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to prep, brine, smoke and serve a show-stopping Traeger smoked turkey. Follow these simple steps for the best Traeger turkey you’ve ever tasted.
Why Cook a Turkey on the Traeger?
There are a few key advantages to cooking your turkey on a Traeger rather than the oven
-
Moist and Juicy Meat – The Traeger imparts continuous smoke flavor and seals in the moisture. The turkey stays tender and does not dry out.
-
Crispy Skin – With the Traeger, you can smoke the turkey at a low temperature and then crank up the heat at the end for amazingly crispy skin. This level of crispy skin is hard to achieve in an oven.
-
Incredible Flavor – The real wood pellets in the Traeger infuse the turkey with delicious subtle smoky flavor you just can’t replicate with an oven.
-
Frees Up Oven Space – With the turkey on the Traeger, your oven is freed up to cook all the side dishes and pies.
Step 1: Choose the Right Size Turkey
When selecting your turkey at the grocery store, plan for about 1-1.5 pounds of turkey per person. For example, for a group of 8 people, choose a 12-16 pound turkey.
Opt for a fresh, natural turkey rather than a frozen one if possible for maximum flavor and juiciness. Make sure to remove the giblets from the inner cavity.
Step 2: Brine the Turkey
Brining is a key step to ensuring a flavorful and moist turkey. The brining process seasons the meat and helps it retain moisture during the smoking process.
To make the brine, combine 1 gallon of water, 1 cup Traeger turkey rub, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic and 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar.
Place the turkey in a container and pour the brine over the bird. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Brining longer imbues more flavor.
Step 3: Prepare the Turkey
Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse if desired and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the body and tie the legs together with butcher’s twine.
Rub the skin liberally with canola oil or melted butter. This helps crisp the skin during cooking.
Step 4: Smoke the Turkey
Fire up the Traeger grill and use the smoke setting or smoke at 225°F using hickory, cherry or apple wood pellets for optimal flavor.
Place the turkey in a disposable foil pan, breast side up. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, taking care that the probe does not touch bone.
Smoke the turkey for about 3 hours until the internal temperature reaches 140-145°F. Spritz the turkey with an apple juice and vinegar mixture every 45-60 minutes to help moisture and flavor.
Once the turkey reaches 140°F, increase the Traeger temperature to 350°F. Smoke for 2-3 more hours until the breast reaches 165°F and the thighs reach 175°F.
Step 5: Let the Turkey Rest
Once the turkey reaches the target temperature, remove it from the Traeger and tent it loosely with foil. Let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
This resting time allows the juices to redistribute so they don’t run out when you carve.
Step 6: Carve and Serve
Use a sharp carving knife to carefully slice the turkey. Cut parallel to the bone rather than across for tender slices.
Arrange the smoked turkey slices on a platter with the drumsticks, thighs and wings and serve alongside your favorite Thanksgiving sides and sauces.
Turkey Perfection Tips
Follow these tips for the very best Traeger smoked turkey:
- Brine for 12-24 hours for enhanced moisture and flavor
- Apply oil or butter under and on the skin for crisping
- Use a meat thermometer for perfect doneness
- Spritz with a vinegar mixture every 45 minutes while smoking
- Let rest at least 30 minutes before slicing
Best Traeger Turkey Recipes
If you want to jazz up your turkey with rubs, glazes or stuffings, try these delicious recipe ideas:
- Maple Bourbon Smoked Turkey – A sweet and savory maple rub
- Jalapeño Popper Smoked Turkey – Stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeños
- Citrus Herb Smoked Turkey – Zesty citrus flavors
- Cajun Injected Smoked Turkey – Injected with spicy Cajun butter
The possibilities are endless when you use a Traeger to smoke a turkey. Follow this guide for the juiciest, most flavorful and crispiest Traeger turkey you’ve ever tasted. Your family will be amazed and thankful.
Turn up the Heat
After 3 hours the turkey should be close to 110°-120°F internal temperature. Leaving the bird on the smoker, increase the Traeger smokers temperature to 350°F. Turning up the heat is going to help get that skin nice and crispy!
Continue to spritz the bird every 30-45 minutes during this high temperature cooking to help keep the turkey moist. Smoke until the the breast reads 165°-170°F and the thigh reads 180°F internal temp.
When these temperatures are reached, the turkey is finished cooking and ready to be removed to a cutting board or serving platter. Use meat gloves to transfer the turkey from the grill to your cutting board/platter.
Allow the turkey to rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute within the meat.
THIS IS IMPORTANT! You have done everything you can up to this point to keep this turkey moist, dont ruin all your hard work by carving too soon.
Use an electric carving knife when carving turkey for extreme ease. Its the best way to get consistent slices and super easy to use. I find the perfect thickness to be ⅛ – ¼” thick.
Arrange the sliced turkey on a serving platter making it easier for guests to pick the ones they want! Everyone will love the buttery and delicious smoky flavor this smoked turkey recipe brings to the table!
Dont expect that many leftovers. The juicy meat and crispy skin will be irresistible, causing overeating and satisfied dinner guests.
How to Make a Traeger Turkey
Ill show you EVERYTHING you need to know about prepping, brining, and smoking up the perfect bird. Get ready to fire up those smokers and lets get started.
Cut open the bag the turkey came packaged in and drain any water/juices into the sink. Remove the giblets and neck found inside the cavity of the bird. Make sure to check both ends of the turkey to remove everything from inside.
Rinse the turkey under cool freshwater and set aside while preparing the brine.
When buying your ingredients, make sure to buy some turkey roasting or brining bags. This allows us to use a smaller amount of buttermilk than would be possible if simply brining in a 5 gallon bucket.
Add the buttermilk and other brine ingredients into the turkey bag. I like placing the bag into a 5 gallon bucket or deep roasting pan just incase the bag gets a hole in it while brining in the fridge.
Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together well before adding the turkey.
Add the turkey into the brine submerging the entire bird. The goal is to have every part of the turkey coated during the brining process. Place in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours before removing to cook.
Once the turkey is finished brining, remove from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. I do NOT rinse the bird after brining on this smoked turkey recipe because I want that salt and herb flavor to come through when finished smoking.
Using a spoon, loosen the skin covering the breast of the chicken so you can place butter between the skin and breast. Slice chunks of butter and using your hands, place butter under the skin so it melts and penetrates the meat when cooking.
Now, cover the entire outside skin of the turkey with melted/softened butter. Make sure to get the legs and sides of the bird. No need to butter the bottom/back side of the turkey.
Fire up your smoker to 225°F with your favorite wood. I like to use fruity woods when I smoke turkey. These include apple wood & cherry wood pellets. Hickory wood is also a good choice for Smoked Traeger Chicken and Traeger Smoked Turkey.
Place the turkey breast side up directly on the grill grates and place a meat thermometer in the breast and one in the thigh of the bird. Smoke the turkey for 3 hours, spritzing with a 50:50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water every 40 minutes or so.
The PERFECT TURKEY on a Traeger Pellet Grill | Holiday Recipes
FAQ
How long does it take to cook a turkey in the Traeger?
Traeger Smoked Turkey
Garlic, butter, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper combine to create an herbal rub to maximize flavor while you smoke the meat for 3-4 hours. Make sure to get an early start to begin smoking your Thanksgiving Turkey.
Is it better to smoke turkey at 225 or 325?
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.
How long do you smoke a 15lb turkey on a pellet grill?
At 225 degrees F, you can plan on it taking approximately 30 minutes per pound to smoke your turkey. Alternatively, if you are running your smoker at 250 degrees F, it will typically take 25 minutes per pound. For example, my 15-pound turkey took around 7 and 1/2 hours at 225 degrees F to fully cook.
How long to smoke a 10 lb turkey?
- Temperature: Smoking at a higher temperature (250–275°F) will cook the turkey faster.
- Size: Larger turkeys take longer to cook.
- Smoker type: The type of smoker used can affect the cooking time.
How do you cook a Turkey on a Traeger?
Next, season the entire bird with salt and black pepper, and stuff your turkey cavity with our Traditional Stuffing (if that’s the route you want to go). Preheat your Traeger to 300 degrees Fahrenheit with the lid closed for 15 minutes, place your turkey on the grill, and let that bird roast for 3 to 4 hours.
How do you smoke a turkey breast on a Traeger Grill?
When ready to cook, set the Traeger temperature to 225°F and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes. For optimal flavor, use Super Smoke, if available. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the turkey breast. Place the pan with the pellet grill turkey on the grill grates. Close the lid and smoke for 2 1/2-3 hours.
How long do you smoke a Traeger smoked turkey?
Place turkey on the grill and smoke for 3-4 hours. Check the internal temperature, the desired temperature is 175°F in the thigh next to the bone, and 160°F in the breast. Traeger smoked turkey will continue to cook once taken off grill to reach a final temperature of 165°F in the breast. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.