This is probably the easiest and most foolproof way to cook a turkey in the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. Best of all, it requires no attention to the cooker’s temperature.
Smoking a turkey on a Weber Smokey Mountain cooker is a fantastic way to prepare a juicy, flavorful bird for your next holiday feast. With some planning and a few simple steps you’ll impress your guests with a moist tender, smoky turkey.
Selecting and Preparing the Turkey
When selecting a turkey for smoking, choose a fresh (not frozen) bird that’s about 12-15 pounds. This size will fit nicely on the Weber Smokey Mountain and cook in about 4-5 hours Look for a turkey labeled “enhanced” or that has been injected with a salt solution – this will help keep the meat juicy during smoking.
Once you have your turkey, remove the giblets from the cavity. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cool water and pat it completely dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Leave the turkey unwrapped and place it on a rimmed baking sheet or tray. Refrigerate for 24 hours which allows the skin to fully dry out – this helps produce crispy skin when smoked.
Brining the Turkey
Soaking the turkey in a saltwater brine solution before smoking infuses flavor and keeps the meat juicy. Dissolve 1 cup of kosher salt in 2 gallons of cold water in a large stockpot or clean bucket. Add any other desired brine flavorings like brown sugar, garlic, peppers, citrus, or fresh herbs. Submerge the turkey, breast side down, and brine for 8-12 hours in the refrigerator. Rinse the turkey, pat it dry, and let sit uncovered in the fridge for another 12 hours before smoking.
Setting Up the Weber Smokey Mountain
The Weber 22″ model is ideal for smoking a 12-15 lb turkey. Assemble your smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add water to the water pan until it’s about half full – this will help regulate temperature and add moisture.
Use a mix of lump charcoal and wood chunks or chips to generate smoke. Soak the wood for 30 minutes before adding to allow it to produce more smoke. Good wood options are hickory, apple, cherry, pecan, or maple.
Bring the smoker to 225-250°F before adding the turkey. It may take 30-45 minutes to preheat. Keep the vents wide open and use the built-in thermometer on the lid to monitor the internal temp. Add more charcoal as needed to maintain the heat.
###Adding a Drip Pan
Put an aluminum foil drip pan on the bottom cooking grate, underneath where you’ll place the turkey. Fill it with water, wine, broth or cider to help add moisture and flavor. The pan will catch drippings as the turkey cooks.
Placing the Turkey on the Smoker
Once smoker is up to temp, carefully place the turkey on the top cooking grate, breast side up. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, being careful that the probe tip does not touch bone.
Close the lid and monitor the temperature – maintain 225-250°F by adjusting the vents and adding charcoal. Let the turkey smoke for about 15 minutes per pound, until the breast reaches 165°F and the thigh 175°F. Spritz or mop the turkey with broth, cider or juice every 45-60 minutes to help keep it moist.
Wood Chunks for More Smoke
For continuous smoke, add 2-3 more wood chunks after the first hour of smoking. Use long-handled tongs to carefully place them on top of the hot coals. The extra smoke will further flavor the turkey skin and meat.
Carving and Serving the Smoked Turkey
When the turkey breasts and thighs reach the target temperature, use heavy duty gloves to remove it from the smoker. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.
Place the turkey on a cutting board and carefully slice the breast meat from the bone. Cut into the thigh to remove the leg quarters. Serve the smoked turkey warm or at room temperature, and enjoy!
Smoking a turkey on a Weber Smokey Mountain is foolproof when you follow a few simple steps. With the right preparation, brining, and smoking technique, you’ll have rave reviews of your juicy, smokey holiday turkey cooked to perfection in your backyard.
Choose The Smoke Wood
Use three chunks of apple wood, if available. Cherry, oak, or another mild fruit wood can be used if apple is not available. Do not use hickory or mesquite for this recipe.
Each smoke wood chunk should be small, for example 3″ x 2″ x 2″ or similar.
There is no need to soak the wood or remove the bark before use.
Learn More Later: All About Smoke Woods
Buy A Self-Basting Turkey
Choose a self-basting turkey weighing 12-14 pounds. Look for the phrase “basted” or “self-basting” on the label and the phrase, “Contains up to x% of a solution to enhance juiciness and tenderness” or something similar.
When we think of self-basting turkeys, the famous Butterball brand turkey is the first to come to mind—America’s best-selling turkey for over 60 years. However, you’ll find other name brand and store brand self-basting turkeys at the supermarket of similar quality and perhaps lower price.
Note that Butterball also makes a fresh (not frozen) turkey that’s not self-basting. Remember, look for “Contains up to X% of a solution” on the label to make sure you’re getting a self-basting turkey.
Thaw according to the package directions. Remove and discard any leg restraint, then remove the giblets from the neck cavity and the neck from the body cavity. Trim away large areas of fat or excess skin around the body cavity, and cut off the tail (if attached). Rinse thoroughly inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.
Tuck the wing tips under the bird so they’re out of the way.
Learn More Later: Turkey Selection & Preparation
Sprinkle a generous amount of your favorite barbecue rub inside the turkey’s neck cavity and body cavity.
Apply a thin coating of vegetable oil to the outside of the turkey and sprinkle with rub to your liking.
If you don’t have a favorite homemade rub, a product like Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning is a good choice and is available in most supermarkets.
Allow the seasoned turkey to sit at room temperature while firing up the cooker.
How To Smoke A Turkey | Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker | Charlie Mckenna
FAQ
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 do you keep a turkey moist when smoking?
We swear by wet brining our turkey before smoking because it not only adds a ton of flavor but also helps the turkey retain moisture during the smoking process.Oct 17, 2022
Should I spray turkey while smoking?
keep the meat moist… and create the best smoked turkey possible. I personally like to smoke my turkeys around 275 – 300 degrees for 3 hours. Also, I always recommend spraying the outside of your turkey with cooking spray. This also works to keep the skin crispy and give it that golden-brown color.
Can you smoke a Turkey in a Weber Smokey Mountain cooker?
If you’ve never tried smoking a turkey in a Weber Smokey Mountain cooker, you’ve been missing out on a great experience, and some really tasty turkey! The Smokey Mountain Cooker, also known by aficionados as the “WSM” or the “Weber Bullet”, is a very well made vertical charcoal smoker that’s efficient and durable.
How do you smoke a Turkey on a Weber grill?
Let the smoker preheat for at least 30 minutes and you are ready to go. Place the turkey directly on the grate or you can place the Weber grill pan with the turkey directly on the grate to make it easy. Both methods will work great. Quickly close the door or replace the lid and let the cooking and smoking commence.
How long does it take to smoke a Turkey?
Try to plan for about 15-18 minutes per pound when you smoke at around 275F-300F degrees. If you like the skin to be crispy raise temperature to 300F. Check the temperature of your turkey after 3½ hours. Your turkey must pass through a critical range of 40F to 140F in 4 hours or less.