Smoked Turkey

Smoking Turkey For a Stress-Free Thanksgiving

A pellet grill makes smoking anything a whole lot easier. Set it and forget it. Of course, you’ll need to get up pretty early to get it started, so it’s ready by the time the family starts arriving.

Brining, wet or dry, the day before, then sticking it in the preheated smoker first thing is probably the most hands-off way for a deliciously tender turkey, even the breast is super juicy. Then you can concentrate on the more important things the rest of the day, like dessert.

How to Smoke a Turkey

1. Brine a clean turkey (saving the giblets for gravy). I use a wet brine with salt, sugar, apple cider, and citrus. Brine it for 12-24 hours; an hour per pound is a good average. (Photo 1)
2. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels, brush it with oil, and rub it with the seasonings. Place the onions and apples in the cavity. (Photos 2-3)
3. Tie the legs of the turkey together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Turn the wings back to keep the neck skin in place and stabilize the turkey when carving. (Photo 4)

1. Preheat the smoker to 250-275℉ (120-135℃). The higher the temperature, the faster the turkey will cook.
2. Smoke the turkey and brush it every 1-2 hours with the drippings or your favorite basting sauce. When the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165℉ (75℃), pull it out of the smoker. (Photos 5-6)
3. Rotate the turkey halfway through for even browning.
4. Serve: Remove the turkey from the smoker and let it rest, covered with foil, for 10-15 minutes before carving.

Which Smoker to Use

I usually use my Traeger Pellet Smoker, but your charcoal grill will work, too, if it’s large enough. Here’s the rundown:

My Choice: Pellet Smoker

Pros

• Although pellet smokers take longer, the smoke penetrates the meat much better.
• Pellets use compressed and flavored wood chips to smoke meat in a closed chamber. So you can choose your preferred flavor of wood chips.
• The meat is farther from the heat, and the indirect heat cooks it more evenly.

Cons

• This bulkier option isn’t ideal for apartment living.

How to Use a Pellet Smoker

1. Place the meat on a rack inside the smoker. Your meat cooks evenly without burning on one side because the heat source is in a separate chamber.
2. Add a pan with half a cup of water in the smoking chamber to prevent the meat from drying out.
3. Close the lid to trap the flavorful smoke and heat.

Note: According to Traeger, you want a milder pellet flavor that doesn’t overpower the more delicate flavor of turkey. They recommend maple, cherry, and any fruit wood. I agree with the cherry, but feel free to mix and match for more complexity.

Verdict: This is the absolute easiest way to smoke. The smoker automatically feeds the heater with pellets and fans the chamber. Just set it and forget it.

Charcoal Grill

Pros

• It’s small and convenient, so you can take it to the park if you live in an apartment.
• You don’t need electricity, so you can smoke your turkey in the great outdoors.
• This option is the most economical of the three we discuss here.

Cons

• Although technically indirect, the heat source and meat are in the same chamber, leading to slow-roasting rather than smoking. It also means you’ll need to turn the turkey occasionally to avoid burning.
• It is a little messier than the other two ways to smoke.

How to Use Your Charcoal Grill as a Smoker

1. Light the charcoal, then place it on the far side of your grill. Put wood chunks (not chips) next to the fire for extra smokiness.
2. Add a pan with water on the grate next to the turkey, or occasionally mist it with water.
3. Place the turkey on the side of the grill furthest from the coals.
4. Close the lid to start the smoking process. Maintain the internal temperature at around 225-250℉ (107-120℃).

Verdict: This method is convenient. You don’t need a bulky unit in your backyard. All you have to do is add your favorite wood along with the charcoal.

Electric Smoker

Pros

• No open fire with this smoker, just woodchips and heating rods.
• The built-in thermometer tells you the smoker’s internal temperature.

Cons

• The lower maximum temperature takes longer to cook meat.
• You’ll need an electrical outlet to hook it up.

Electric smokers use wood chips to produce smoke via heating rods to produce the smoke. The parts resemble a bullet smoker, with the wood tray substituting the fire chamber.

How to Use an Electric Smoker

1. Preheat the smoker, add the woodchips you like to the unit, and pre-smoke it.
2. As soon as it reaches the right temperature, put the water pan inside the lowest part of the unit for a moister turkey.
3. Place the turkey on the rack and close the lid or door.

NOTE: If you’re using your smoker for the first time, season it with cooking oil and heat it to remove manufacturing residue.

Verdict: Electric grills tend to cook at a lower temperature, which takes longer. However, it’s easy to navigate!

FAQs

What to Serve With Smoked Turkey

The classic sides include potatoes or dressing, a vegetable side or two, cornbread or biscuits, cranberry sauce, and homemade gravy. That should give you everything you need for a successful Thanksgiving dinner.

Other Smoked Holiday Recipes You’ll Love

• Double Smoked Ham
• Smoked Turkey Breast
• Spatchcock Turkey
• Smoked Pork Loin

By Imma

This blog post was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated with additional tips and beautiful photos.