Despite owning several smokers, when it comes time to cook the turkey, I find I almost always end up firing up my pellet grill.
Smoking a turkey on the pellet grill is the easiest way to get a perfectly cooked bird with crispy skin and a subtle smoky flavor.
I’ll show you step-by-step how to brine, season, and smoke roast a turkey on your pellet grill to perfection. This no-fail pellet grill turkey recipe will wow your guests this Thanksgiving.
Smoking a turkey is a fantastic way to add delicious flavor and make your holiday bird extra moist and juicy. While there are many factors that go into perfect smoked turkey choosing the right wood pellets is key. The pellets impart a lovely smoky aroma and flavor that complements the turkey beautifully.
But with so many pellet flavors available, how do you know which ones to use? Here’s a detailed guide to picking the ideal pellets for smoking turkey.
How Pellet Flavor Impacts Turkey
The first thing to understand is that turkey has a delicate flavor that can be easily overpowered Poultry takes on smoke readily, so you want a subtle, complementary wood that enhances rather than masks the turkey taste
Bolder woods like hickory and mesquite that are great with beef tend to be too strong for turkey. The bird’s lean white meat especially can become bitter and acrid from heavy smoke.
Fruit and nut woods in the mild to medium range are better choices. Apple, cherry, pecan, alder, and maple all impart mellow, sweet smokiness that pairs wonderfully with turkey.
You can use a single type of pellet or create custom blends to achieve your ideal flavor profile Just keep the intensity on the lower end of the spectrum
The Best Pellets for Smoking Turkey
Here are some top pellet recommendations for turkey:
Cherry
Cherry wood is a popular choice for poultry. It has a delightfully fruity, subtly sweet flavor that complements turkey magnificently.
The mild smokiness infuses the meat with aroma while allowing the delicate turkey flavor to shine. Cherry smoke also gives the bird an appetizing mahogany color.
Maple
Maple pellets are another excellent option. This wood imparts a sweeter, more pronounced smoky taste along with lovely golden brown color.
Maple marries beautifully with traditional Thanksgiving flavors like roasted garlic, sage, and other savory herbs. It provides a lovely balance of sweet and savory.
Apple
You can never go wrong with apple pellets for smoking turkey or other poultry. Apple wood gives a quintessential smoke flavor that is mild, mellow, and slightly fruity.
It has just enough smokiness to complement turkey without overwhelming it. The classic apple smoked taste will be a crowd pleaser.
Pecan
For a nuttier flavor profile, try pecan pellets. Pecan provides a richness and complexity similar to hickory but more restrained.
It has a medium smoke level with nutty, buttery notes. Pecan wood gives turkey a gorgeous caramelized exterior too.
Alder
Alder is an underrated choice that deserves more attention. It has a delicate, clean smoke taste that subtly seasons the turkey rather than dominating it.
Alder allows the bird’s natural flavors and any rubs or marinades to take center stage while contributing just enough smoky essence.
Oak
You can always count on oak for its versatility. Oak pellets produce a medium smoke that adds flavor without overwhelming the delicacy of turkey.
The oak taste is robust but not bitter or acrid. It gives turkey a lovely burnished look as well.
Best Pellet Blends for Turkey
Blending two or more pellet varieties allows you to create custom smoke flavors. Here are some recommended combinations:
- Cherry and Maple: Balances fruitiness with sweetness
- Cherry and Oak: Adds smoky depth to cherry’s mildness
- Apple and Pecan: Marries fruity and nutty flavors
- Apple and Alder: Allows apple’s mellow smoke to shine
- Maple and Oak: Provides sweetness and smoky intensity
- Maple and Pecan: Delivers a touch of nuttiness to the sweet maple
Experiment to discover your favorite pellet mixes. Just keep the proportions milder woods dominant over medium or bold ones.
Woods to Avoid for Smoking Turkey
Some wood pellets are too overpowering for poultry:
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Hickory – This classic barbecue wood has an intense, bacon-like flavor. It easily overwhelms turkey.
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Mesquite – The bold, earthy smoke of mesquite is best reserved for red meats. It makes turkey bitter.
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Walnut – While delicious with some red meats, walnut wood has an acrid bitterness unsuitable for turkey.
Save these bolder woods for beef and pork to allow their intense flavors to shine.
Tips for Smoking Turkey with Pellets
Here are some tips to ensure pellet-smoked turkey success:
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Store pellets in a sealed container in a cool, dry area to prevent moisture absorption.
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Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness. Cook turkey to 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
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Let the turkey rest 15-30 minutes before carving to allow juices to reabsorb.
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For crispy skin, rub turkey with oil or butter and smoke at 325-350°F. Avoid too much smoke exposure if cooking at lower temps.
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Try injecting turkey with broth or marinade for extra moisture and flavor.
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Use a drip pan under the turkey to prevent flare-ups from drippings.
The right wood pellets can make your smoked turkey absolutely sensational. For best results, choose milder fruit and nut woods like cherry, maple, apple, pecan, and alder or create custom blends. Avoid heavy smoke flavors like hickory and mesquite. With the perfect pellets lending a delicate smoky essence, your holiday turkey will be a mouthwatering hit.
How to smoke a turkey on a pellet grill
Prepare your turkey for brining by removing the giblets and neck from the inside of your thawed turkey. You can save the neck and giblets to make homemade turkey stock by simmering them in a pot of water for 12 hours.
I slightly modified our turkey brine recipe. It’s really easy to make, the most important thing is that you have a large enough container to fit the turkey and brine solution.
Prepare the brine by bringing water to a boil on the stovetop and adding the Kosher salt, brown sugar, black pepper, orange or lemon wedges, rosemary, and or thyme. Cut the heat and let cool.
You’ll notice we don’t add all the water to the boiling stage. This allows us to cool the brine down by adding the remaining water at the end along with the turkey. If you’re not refrigerating the brine container, then add 5 lbs of ice as well.
I don’t recommend brining your turkey for more than 24 hours, as it will be too salty, and the muscle fibers will break down too much.
You can also make the turkey rub (step 4) at this stage if you want to save some time the next day.
Stuffing the turkey and inserting the thermometer
Stuff the turkey with celery, carrots, onion, rosemary, orange wedges, and garlic. You can use any vegetables or herbs you have on hand.
The goal is for the turkey’s inside cavity to be full of fresh vegetables and herbs to enhance the flavor yet also block the airflow, which will keep the turkey hydrated from the inside.
Place the turkey on the wire rack on the baking sheet and sprinkle about a tablespoon of the turkey rub over it. Insert your probe thermometer into the lower part of the breast. I recommend a probe thermometer for this recipe to accurately track the temperature of the turkey.
I used my new Meater Pro, which allows me to track the temperature from the Meater App on my phone. The app also connects to my Traeger app, which allows me to control and monitor the grill.
The BEST Smoked Turkey on a Pellet Grill | with Smokin’ Pecan Pellets
FAQ
What pellets are best for smoking turkey?
What Wood Pellets Should I use to Smoke a Turkey? We recommend using a apple, cherry or hickory hardwood pellet. Apple will lend a soft and sweet smoke flavor while the cherry with add a subtle, tart taste and the hickory ads a smokier flavoring. For this recipe we used the hickory option and it was wonderful!
What is the best wood to smoke a turkey with?
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Fruit woods are preferred:Apple, cherry, and other fruit woods are often recommended due to their subtle sweetness that pairs well with turkey.
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Hickory for a classic smoke flavor:If you like a more pronounced smoke taste, hickory is a classic choice for turkey.
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Avoid strong woods:Mesquite is considered too strong for most turkey recipes and can easily overpower the flavor.
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Mixing woods can be good:Some people choose to mix a milder wood like apple with a slightly stronger wood like hickory to achieve a balanced flavor.
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.
What smoke flavor is best with turkey?
I recommend using hickory. It has a milder flavor than, say, mesquite or applewood, which I find can overpower the flavor of the turkey.