Have you always wanted to make your own Smoked Turkey? This “How to Smoke a Turkey” tutorial will show you how easy it is to make the best turkey you’ve ever had!
Not only will this be the best smoked turkey you’ve ever had, it’ll be the best Thanksgiving Turkey you’ve ever tasted. Get ready for a Thanksgiving dinner that will wow!
Smoked Turkeys have something of a mystique surrounding them. We have a store nearby where people flock eight weeks before Thanksgiving to order smoked turkeys for their Thanksgiving feast.
Everyone in these parts agrees that smoked turkeys are where it’s at flavour and texture-wise. I’m not sure why very few people take on the process of smoking it themselves because it’s such an easy and forgiving cooking method.
The truth is that you’re far, FAR more likely to render a turkey inedibly dry when roasting it. Think of Clark Griswold’s sister-in-law on ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’. Remember how that thing was turkey jerky?
Smoking a turkey is a popular way to infuse it with delicious smoky flavor and moist, tender meat. But one question that often comes up is whether you should wrap the turkey in foil during the smoking process. There are pros and cons to consider when making this decision.
The Purpose of Foil When Smoking Turkey
The main reason people wrap turkey in foil when smoking is to help retain moisture. Since smoking uses low, indirect heat over a long period of time, it can potentially cause the turkey meat to dry out. The foil creates a protective barrier that seals in the natural juices and steam to keep the meat moist and tender.
Foil can also promote more even cooking throughout a large turkey. It conducts heat efficiently to help prevent cold spots or raw areas, especially in the thicker parts like the breast and thighs. This can lead to a better final product.
Potential Downsides of Foil-Wrapped Smoked Turkey
However, there are some potential cons to wrapping turkey in foil when smoking:
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It can reduce smoke absorption, resulting in less intense smoky flavor in the meat. Smoke needs to circulate freely to properly penetrate.
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Foil prevents the turkey skin from crisping up properly. For those who prefer crispy skin, skipping the foil allows the skin to render and caramelize better.
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Monitoring temperature is more difficult through foil, increasing chances of overcooking. The foil insulation holds in heat very efficiently.
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Trapping moisture can make the meat overly soft or mushy if left wrapped too long. Some texture and firmness is usually desirable.
Alternative Moisture Retention Techniques
If you want to avoid using foil when smoking turkey but still need to retain moisture, some alternatives include:
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Brining – Soaking the turkey in a saltwater solution seasons it and helps it retain moisture.
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Basting – Regularly mopping the turkey with broth, melted butter, or marinades adds back lost moisture.
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Stuffing – Filling the cavity with stuffing or aromatic ingredients provides extra internal moisture.
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Spritzing – Misting the turkey with apple juice, wine, or other liquids as it smokes replenishes surface moisture.
To Wrap or Not To Wrap?
Whether you should wrap your turkey in foil when smoking ultimately depends on your priorities and preferences:
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If maximum moisture and tenderness are most important, foil-wrapping can help achieve that.
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If you want bold smoky flavor and crispy skin, skipping the foil is likely better.
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Combining methods like a short foil wrap at the end or leaving parts of it uncovered may provide a good compromise.
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Foil-free smoking requires more monitoring and preparation like brining or basting.
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Gas smokers tend to dry out meat more than charcoal, so foil may be more useful in a gas smoker.
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A large turkey likely benefits more from foil than a small turkey that will cook faster.
General Smoking Tips
Beyond the foil question, here are some tips for overall smoking success:
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Cook at 225-275°F with clean smoke from wood chips or chunks. Hickory, apple, cherry, pecan, and mesquite are common wood choices.
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Brine or rub the turkey with herbs, spices, oil, etc for extra flavor.
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Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature until it reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
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Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving for juicier meat.
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Add a water pan or spritz to increase humidity and moisture.
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Carve across the grain of the meat for more tenderness.
With some experimentation and paying attention to moisture levels, you can master delicious smoked turkey whether you wrap in foil or not. Proper preparation and monitoring throughout the smoke are the keys to flavorful, tender turkey.
What Temp to Smoke a Turkey
This is a great time to share a list of the equipment you’ll need to smoke a turkey because the smoker is going to determine how easily you maintain your temperature. And I’m happy to say you have options!
- A smoker with a thermostat that allows you to set a temperature and maintain it.
- A Roaster pan or drip pan for your smoker.
- Wood pellets, wood chips, or wood briquettes, depending on the type of smoker you use.
Obviously, a proper smoker is going to make this job FAR easier, but it can most certainly be done in a grill with a very low indirect heat. You’re going for 225°F to 250°F. If you have a real deal smoker with an adjustable thermostat, please set it at 250°F for the duration.
We need to address what kind of wood smoke we’re applying right? I swear by apple or alder wood for my turkeys.
I think it’s mild but flavourful and easy to come by (at least in this neck of the proverbial and literal woods.) If you wanted a good second choice, I think hickory would be excellent, too. I’d be less likely to go for mesquite, but it wouldn’t be bad.
I used to use a dedicated smoker, but these days, I use my handy-dandy, trusty Traeger pellet grill for the job. It’s insulated, it maintains temperature as easily as an oven, and it has a hopper I can fill with convenient wood pellets.
It takes all of the work out of smoking any number of proteins. Bonus: I can order my Traeger pellets to be shipped monthly from Amazon via the subscribe and save feature.
If you use a smoker that requires wood chips, you can use the same varieties of wood with good results. Just follow the smoker manufacturer’s instructions to maintain approximately 250ºF.
You can either smoke your turkey directly on the grates of your smoker with a drip tray below it or in a roasting pan on a rack. I prefer to use the roasting pan because I like to collect the turkey drippings to use in gravy or roasted potatoes.
If you cook the turkey directly on the grates, please check your drip pan to make sure it isn’t over-flowing. Turkeys give off a lot of liquid as they cook!
What spices are best for smoked turkey recipes
I meant it when I said you don’t have to do anything more than salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and granulated onion. If you want to boost the colour, you can add a bit of paprika.
Don’t skip those aromatics inside the turkey cavity! They lend serious flavour to the party.
Do you wrap a turkey in foil when smoking?
FAQ
When to wrap turkey with foil when smoking?
If the turkey is done early, you can then wrap it in foil to insulate the heat and help the juices absorb into the meat.
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
What is the secret to a moist turkey?
Baste It Another key to a delicious, juicy turkey is to baste as it cooks. Basting is also the key to delicious pan drippings and gravy! I love the combination of melted butter, chicken broth, and a little bit of cooking sherry for this turkey. Rich and flavorful, just as Thanksgiving and the holidays should be.
Should I wrap my meat in foil when smoking?
Foil is relatively cheap and easy to use, plus it can really help speed up your cook. The foil acts as a heat insulator in the smoker and will trap the moisture in the meat, allowing the meat to steam as it finishes cooking.
Should you cover a Turkey with foil?
Should you decide to cover your turkey with foil, don’t do it for the entire length of the cook. You can wait until the turkey is nearly done and then add the foil, or start with the foil and remove it toward the end. Either way, your goal is to attain nice crispy skin without turning the breast meat into sawdust.
Should you wrap turkey breast when smoking?
Below we will look at the pros and cons of wrapping turkey breast when smoking to help you decide if it’s the right technique for you. There are a few potential benefits to wrapping turkey breast during the smoking process: Prevents drying out – One of the biggest challenges when smoking turkey breast is keeping it moist and juicy.
Should you tent a smoked turkey with foil?
We’ve found that tenting the turkey with foil can prevent the skin from crisping up as much as we’d like, especially when we use the smoker. For this reason, we don’t advocate the practice, except in specific circumstances. Crisp, golden-brown skin is one of the hallmarks of a perfectly smoked turkey.
How do you cook a Turkey in foil?
The turkey is placed in a ‘tent’ of foil, which essentially means it cooks in an oven within an oven. If you wrap the foil too closely to the turkey, though, it ends up steaming instead of roasting. Give it plenty of space between the flesh and the foil and it will roast in its own buttery juices without becoming dry.
Can you cook a smoked turkey with aluminum foil?
Crisp, golden-brown skin is one of the hallmarks of a perfectly smoked turkey. If you were to tent the bird with aluminum foil for the duration of the cook, the skin might have a rubbery texture instead. Granted, most recipes recommend removing the foil for the last 30 minutes or so to encourage the skin to crisp up.
Should you wrap a Turkey in a crock pot?
Messy unwrapping – Juices and moisture can spill out when unwrapping turkey, making the process messier. Because of these drawbacks, many barbecue experts recommend wrapping selectively to balance moisture retention with crispy skin and pronounced smoke.