When it comes to the holiday season, we all know smoked turkey is the undisputed king. Nothing beats a wood-fired bird surrounded by all the trimmings on Thanksgiving day. If youre curious about how to smoke a turkey like a pro, read our turkey smoking guide for the best tips and tricks.
Smoking a turkey is a great way to add delicious smoky flavor to your holiday meal or anytime you want to enjoy turkey While smoking any turkey can result in moist, tender meat, Butterball turkeys are a popular choice for smoking. Their lean meat holds up well to the long, slow smoking process and absorbs the wonderful flavor of the smoke.
If you’ve never smoked a turkey before, it may seem intimidating. But with the right tips and techniques, you can easily learn how to smoke a Butterball turkey. In this article, we’ll walk through everything you need to know, from choosing the right size turkey to maintaining the correct temperature as it smokes. Follow our step-by-step guidance for smoking success!
Picking the Right Size Butterball Turkey
Butterball offers a range of turkey sizes from small 8-12 pound birds all the way up to 20+ pound giants. When selecting your turkey consider the number of people you want to serve. As a general rule of thumb, plan for 1 pound of turkey per person.
For novice smokers, we recommend choosing a 12-15 pound turkey for your first attempt. The smaller birds are quicker to smoke and more forgiving if you make any temperature mistakes. Once you become a pro, you can graduate to the bigger turkeys which require more time and attention.
It’s also important to note that frozen Butterball turkeys come pre-brined meaning they’ve already been soaked in a salt solution to help keep the meat moist. Avoid brining a pre-brined turkey again as it can make the flavor too salty. Fresh turkeys that haven’t been pre-brined should be brined 12-24 hours before smoking for best results.
Getting the Turkey Ready for the Smoker
Before the turkey hits the smoker, you’ll need to do a little prep work:
-
Thaw the turkey completely: Place frozen turkeys in the refrigerator 2-3 days before smoking to thaw. Never thaw a turkey at room temperature.
-
Remove giblets and neck: Check the main cavity as well as front and rear openings for the bag containing the giblets and neck. Discard or save for another use.
-
Dry the skin: Pat the skin dry with paper towels. This helps the skin get crispy in the smoker.
-
Apply a rub: For flavor, coat the skin with olive oil or butter then apply a spice rub. Common rub ingredients include brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
-
Insert a meat thermometer: Place an oven-safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, ensuring it doesn’t touch bone. This allows monitoring of the internal temperature during smoking.
Choosing the Right Wood for Smoking
The choice of wood used for smoking makes a big impact on flavor. For turkey, lighter fruitwoods like apple, cherry, and pecan work well and impart a delicate sweetness. Stay away from heavy smoke flavors like hickory and mesquite which can overpower the turkey.
We recommend using wood chunks versus chips. Chunks provide a longer, steadier smoke which is ideal for the long turkey smoking time. Soak the chunks for 30-60 minutes before adding to the smoker to help slow down burning.
Maintaining Proper Smoker Temperature
The key to perfectly smoked turkey is maintaining a steady temperature between 225-250°F throughout the entire cook time. This low and slow approach allows the meat to become tender and take on optimal smoke flavor.
Use a quality smoker thermometer placed at turkey level to monitor the temperature. Make adjustments during the smoke to keep the temp in the target range. If it creeps up above 275°F, vent the smoker more to reduce the temp. If it drops below 225°F, close vents to restrict airflow and increase the temperature.
Maintaining an even temperature can be more challenging in some types of smokers. Offset smokers and kamado grills require more monitoring than electric, gas, and pellet smokers which provide greater temperature control.
Estimating Total Cook Time
The total smoking time for turkey depends on a few factors, most notably the size of the bird. Use these time estimates as a guide:
- 8-12 pounds = 2.5 – 3.5 hours
- 12-16 pounds = 3.5 – 4.5 hours
- 16-20+ pounds = 4.5+ hours
As you monitor temperature, keep in mind that the turkey should reach 165°F internal temp by about 3⁄4 through estimated cooking time. This is a good checkpoint – if your turkey hasn’t hit 165°F by this point, increase heat to speed cooking.
Always rely on the final internal temp rather than time to determine doneness.
Is the Turkey Done? Final Internal Temps
A smoked turkey is finished cooking when the thigh meat reaches 175-180°F and the breast reaches 170°F on a meat thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer inserted in both places, check multiple areas.
Butterball turkeys do not contain pop-up timers that indicate when the turkey is done like some brands. This makes the meat thermometer extra important for determining doneness.
When the turkey reaches the proper internal temperature, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 15-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat for increased moisture and tenderness.
Step-by-Step Smoking Process
Now let’s walk through the full process start to finish for smoking a juicy Butterball turkey:
-
Remove thawed turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before starting to allow it to come closer to room temp.
-
Set up smoker for indirect cooking and preheat to 225-250°F using preferred wood chunks.
-
Coat turkey skin with oil or butter and spice rub. Insert meat thermometers.
-
Place turkey in smoker breast-side up. Maintain temperature between 225-250°F for duration of smoke.
-
Monitor internal temp starting after about 2 hours. Turkey should reach 140°F at first temp check.
-
Check again every 30-45 minutes until turkey breast reaches 170°F and thigh reaches 175-180°F.
-
Remove turkey from smoker once done and let rest 15-30 minutes before carving.
-
Enjoy your perfectly smoked Butterball turkey! Dig into the juicy, smoked meat.
With the right prep and monitoring, you can easily learn how to smoke a delicious Butterball turkey using this step-by-step guide. Adjust cooking times as needed based on the size of your turkey. Serve it up for a memorable meal!
Handy Tips for Success
Here are some additional tips to ensure turkey smoking success:
-
Injecting the turkey with broth or marinade adds extra moisture and flavor. Inject different areas of breast, thighs, legs.
-
Use a disposable drip pan under the turkey to catch grease drippings in the smoker. This prevents flare ups.
-
If breast or thighs brown too quickly, tent them loosely with foil to slow cooking.
-
For extra crispy skin, let turkey sit uncovered in the fridge overnight before smoking to dehydrate the skin.
-
Carve the turkey just before serving to prevent the meat from drying out.
-
Let your smoked turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute.
-
Save the leftovers! Smoked turkey makes amazing sandwiches, salads, soups and more for days after.
Smoked Turkey Side Dishes
A smoked turkey needs some delicious side dishes to complement it at the table. Here are some classic recipes that pair perfectly:
-
Smoked Mac and Cheese – The rich, melty cheese is a crowd fave!
-
Smoked Sweet Potatoes – A Thanksgiving staple, take them to the next level.
-
Smoked Cranberry Sauce – Tart, sweet and smokey.
-
Smoked Beans – Baked or green beans with an extra smoky kick.
-
Hasselback Potatoes – Crispy sliced potatoes for a fun presentation.
Get creative with your sides and smoke flavors that your guests will remember!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time do I need to smoke a turkey? Estimate 15-20 minutes per pound, factoring in the size of your bird. For example, a 15 lb turkey will take 4-5 hours at 225-250°F.
Should I brine a Butterball turkey? Avoid brining pre-brined Butterball turkeys. Only brine them if purchased fresh without brining solution.
What’s the best way to prep a turkey for smoking? Thaw completely if frozen, remove giblets, pat dry the skin, apply oil/rub, and insert meat thermometers.
What temperature do I smoke a turkey at? Maintain even temperature between 225-250°F for the entire smoke time. Use a quality thermometer.
How do I get crispy turkey skin when smoking? Dry skin overnight in the fridge, coat with oil and rub, and smoke at 250°F. Avoid opening the smoker
How To Choose a Turkey
Before we get into how long to smoke a turkey or the type of brine you’ll want to use, we have to start with how to choose the right turkey for your big day.
You first need to ask yourself – “how big of a turkey should I get?” The size of turkey you’ll need to smoke depends on the number of guests. The general rule of thumb for buying turkey is 1 1/2 pounds per person.
But be warned if youre feeding a big group: Before you go running out to find the biggest turkey you can find we recommend sticking with one that weighs 16 pounds or less. Why? Nearly all the birds you can find that weigh more than 16 pounds are bound to be male turkeys, and male turkeys are not as tender as females. If you cook a large male bird, your meat will be a little bit tougher.
That’s why if you’re cooking for a large holiday crowd, smoking multiple smaller turkeys or adding a bone-in turkey breast to supplement your whole bird is the way forward. It will also take less time to smoke smaller birds.
Brining & Seasoning Smoked Turkey
Once you’ve chosen your turkey, it’s time to think about how you’d like to season it.
First of all, if you’ve bought a frozen bird, learn how to thaw your frozen turkey so that it’s ready to go come smoke time.
For seasoning and brining smoked turkey, there are a few different methods:
- Brining: If you haven’t bought a pre-brined turkey from the store, make sure to read our guide on how to brine a turkey for smoking. Brining (soaking your turkey in a salty bath) makes it moist, tender, and most importantly, full of flavor. And yes, you can brine frozen turkey (just make sure it’s completely thawed out).
- Seasoning: There are a ton of different rubs and seasonings you can use on your bird this Thanksgiving (including one specifically made for turkey), to add some extra flavor to your meal. Make sure to apply any dry rub to the turkey about 12-24 hours in advance so that the flavor can penetrate the skin. If you leave it uncovered and let the skin dry out a bit in the fridge, you’ll get an extra crispy texture when smoking.