Smoked Turkey Recipe (2024)

By Steven Raichlen

Smoked Turkey Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 3 hours, plus brining
Rating
4(246)
Notes
Read community notes

There are countless advantages to smoke-roasting (also known barbecuing) your turkey, as in this recipe from the barbecue expert Steven Raichlen. Smoking produces a bird of incomparable succulence, especially when combined with another traditional American barbecue technique, brining. There is the rich, evocative flavor of wood smoke, and the burnished mahogany sheen it gives the bird. Then there's the simplicity of the method: once you put the bird in the smoker or on the grill, you pretty much leave it there until it is done, while the kitchen and oven are freed up for side dishes and desserts. Last but certainly not least, you get an excuse to spend a fall afternoon outdoors, maybe with beer in hand.

Featured in: The Turkey Has Left The Building

Learn: How to Cook a Turkey

Learn: How to Make Gravy

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

  • 110- to 12-pound turkey, brined (see recipe)
  • 2tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

439 calories; 19 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 0 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 64 grams protein; 331 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Smoked Turkey Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Set up an outdoor grill for indirect grilling, placing a large foil drip pan in center. (If using a smoker, light and set it up according to manufacturer's instructions and heat to 275 degrees. In a smoker, you will need to cook bird longer, 3½ to 4½ hours.)

  2. Step

    2

    Drain bird. Blot dry inside and out and truss if desired. Place in center of grill grate, over drip pan and between mounds of natural lump charcoal. Toss ½ cup of soaked wood chops on each mound of coals. Place lid on grill. Adjust vents to keep temperature between 325 and 350 degrees.

  3. Step

    3

    Grill turkey until darkly browned and cooked through, 2½ to 3 hours. Baste turkey with melted butter after first hour and every hour thereafter. If skin starts to brown too much, loosely tent bird with foil. Use an instant-read thermometer to test for doneness; turkey is ready when internal temperature of the thigh is 180 degrees. Replenish charcoal every hour, adding 8 to 10 lumps of charcoal to each mound of coals and leaving grill uncovered for a few minutes to allow charcoal to light. After 1 hour, add 1½ cups of soaked wood chips.

  4. Step

    4

    Transfer turkey to a platter, loosely tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Reserve any drippings in drip pan for gravy.

Ratings

4

out of 5

246

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Robert

After 20 years, the Weber bird goes a lot faster than the traditional oven roasted bird. A real crowd pleaser, easy and zero clean-up to speak of. I've averaged in varying outdoor temperatures (from bitter cold to mild) about 10m per pound or less unstuffed. Use a fruit wood chip. To control heat, open bottom vents full and control heat with top vents starting with half to 3/4 closed. Add 10 briquettes on either side every hour. Also I don't baste - just cover and forget about it.

harrison

Success! Was freaking out at hour 2 because I could not get the Weber past 275. Maybe the built in thermometer is not working correctly? At hour 3 the bird hit 180. Maybe because it was 35 degrees and raining out? Any way this recipe worked well at 2 beers per hour. I have the middle size kettle and a 10 lb turkey just fit. Brined for 12 hours and then on the grill. Parent said it was the best ever. Try it out. Know your grill and give yourself an extra hour just in case.

CathyG

We do this on our Big Green Egg with applewood. Its the absolute best and leftovers make amazing stock and turkey pie. It is a hit with everyone - even our family members who insist they don't like turkey.

frieswiththat

Agree with Robert. Goes faster and looks spectacular. Used ordinary Weber kettle. I spatchco*cked the turkey (difficult and required a saw). Used dry brine. Indirect heat with coals banked to one side and aluminum pan with some water in it below the bird opposite side. Due to my usual fear of dry breast meat, I started with breast toward coals but after an hour rotated the bird 180 degrees to keep legs closest to coals. Came out delicious and looked amazing! Burnished bronze color and perfectly.

frieswiththat

Agree with Robert. Goes faster and looks spectacular. Used ordinary Weber kettle. I spatchco*cked the turkey (difficult and required a saw). Used dry brine. Indirect heat with coals banked to one side and aluminum pan with some water in it below the bird opposite side. Due to my usual fear of dry breast meat, I started with breast toward coals but after an hour rotated the bird 180 degrees to keep legs closest to coals. Came out delicious and looked amazing! Burnished bronze color and perfectly.

Mark

I’ve smoked a turkey for years now. And I can safely assert that to smoke a great turkey is after your fire is started a Bloody Mary is better than a beer!

margo

My father began cooking our turkey on his weber grill many, many years ago. I continue to do this. It produces a very moist and flavorful roast. Honestly, the best.

Peter

I cook it @ 285F on the Weber Smokey Mountain, and key, spatch co*ck it - that will shorten cook time and keep the bird juicier while maintaining the smokey flavors from the smoker. I use cherry wood. Oh and dry brine it the night before, just sprinkle it with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and put in fridge over night!

CathyG

We do this on our Big Green Egg with applewood. Its the absolute best and leftovers make amazing stock and turkey pie. It is a hit with everyone - even our family members who insist they don't like turkey.

harrison

Success! Was freaking out at hour 2 because I could not get the Weber past 275. Maybe the built in thermometer is not working correctly? At hour 3 the bird hit 180. Maybe because it was 35 degrees and raining out? Any way this recipe worked well at 2 beers per hour. I have the middle size kettle and a 10 lb turkey just fit. Brined for 12 hours and then on the grill. Parent said it was the best ever. Try it out. Know your grill and give yourself an extra hour just in case.

Anne Z

Success on the first try! We followed Robert’s advice and did not baste it. 12.5lb bird took about 2.5 hours. The grill didn’t get up to 350, it coasted along around 300 the whole time, adding 10 coals an hour.

Becky E.

Been doing my turkey on the charcoal Webber grill with hickory chips since the 70's. Just oil the turkey with peanut oil, slap it on the grill, add charcoal every hour and the damp smoking chips during the last 1/2 hour. It is considerably faster than the oven and you get the great smoky flavor. I stuff the turkey with my husband's French Normandy dressing and it's a winner (winner because he beat out my cornbread stuffing in a cookoff). No brining necessary. The only way to cook a turkey.

Jen in Astoria

Can anyone help me out with doing a much smaller turkey on a stovetop smoker? This is one of those that looks like an oversized baking pan with a tight lid that takes special wood powder/chips. Maybe just the breast? Anyone ever tried this? If not, I may bit the bullet and do a trial run on a breast or half-turkey myself and report back.

E

Amazing! We spatchco*cked our 14lb bird and it cooked at 350 on our Big Green Egg for just over an hour and a half. Everyone raved about the smokey flavor and crispy skin. Plus, it freed up the oven for everything else. This is the winning approach!

Elaine Deutsch

We have been bbqing our bird for years. It cooks in half the time and frees up the oven. As an added bonus, the carcass makes an awesome soup with a lucious smokey flavor.

Steve

In a lot of respects, grilling is the best way to cook a turkey because the breast tends to cook faster. With the bird rightside-up, I've always gotten consistently good results in my komado-style grill.

Jenny

Tastiest and prettiest turkey we've ever made! It was slightly dry, but our temp was higher then the recipe and we did not baste. We added some spices to the smoker box for some extra juju. Made gravy from the drippings.

Phil

Has anyone tried this on an 18.5" Jumbo Joe. That's the only grill I have at my fingertips right now.

Robert

After 20 years, the Weber bird goes a lot faster than the traditional oven roasted bird. A real crowd pleaser, easy and zero clean-up to speak of. I've averaged in varying outdoor temperatures (from bitter cold to mild) about 10m per pound or less unstuffed. Use a fruit wood chip. To control heat, open bottom vents full and control heat with top vents starting with half to 3/4 closed. Add 10 briquettes on either side every hour. Also I don't baste - just cover and forget about it.

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Smoked Turkey Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long to smoke 12 lb turkey per pound? ›

To smoke your turkey faster, increase the smoker's temperature to 250°F to 275°F. At 250°F, it can take about 25 minutes to cook one pound of turkey, meaning you will need about five hours to smoke a 12-pound turkey.

Is it better to smoke turkey at 225 or 275? ›

Smoker Temperature

There is no real benefit to cooking at a lower temperature than that. You can cook at a higher temperature, but anything above 275 F/135 C isn't going to give the smoky flavor and tenderness you would want from a smoked turkey.

How do you keep a smoked turkey moist? ›

Turkeys should be brined overnight, coated with fat only initially, and minimally seasoned. Brining keeps the turkey from drying out during the smoking process. Basting the turkey only results in soggy skin. Overly seasoning the skin just makes inedible skin – let the brine and aromatics add flavor.

How to make a fully cooked smoked turkey? ›

Place your smoked turkey on the broiler try rack and tent securely with tin foil. Place the trayed smoked turkey in the middle of a 350° F oven and cook for about 1.5 – 2 hours (or until a meat thermometer reaches about 140° F in the center of the breast). Remove the turkey and carve for serving.

How long to smoke a 12lb turkey at 225? ›

Set the smoker to 225° F. Place the turkey on a cooking rack and cook for 8 to 12 hours or until the inner thigh temperature reaches 180° F. Check the temperature of your turkey after 3½ hours. Your turkey must pass through a critical range of 40° F to 140° F in 4 hours or less.

How long to smoke a 10lb turkey at 225? ›

At 225 degrees F, you can plan on it taking approximately 30 minutes per pound to smoke your turkey. Alternatively, if you are running your smoker at 250 degrees F, it will typically take 25 minutes per pound. For example, my 15-pound turkey took around 7 and 1/2 hours at 225 degrees F to fully cook.

What is the danger zone for smoked turkey? ›

Completely thaw meat or poultry before smoking. Because smoking uses low temperatures to cook food, the meat will take too long to thaw in the smoker, allowing it to linger in the "Danger Zone" (temperatures between 40 and 140 °F) where harmful bacteria can multiply.

Should I rub oil on my turkey before smoking? ›

Don't forget to spray and sprinkle inside the turkey cavity with rub to get that great seasoned flavor on as much meat as possible. Also, the oil is not just to get the rub to stick to the skin, but it aids in crisping the skin and keep the skin from getting too dark during the smoking process.

Can you overcook a turkey in a smoker? ›

One of the benefits of smoking a turkey is that it's almost impossible to overcook anything in a smoker. The temperature remains low and the cooking is slow, resulting in perfectly moist and tender meat with a rich, complex flavor.

Should I wrap my turkey in foil while smoking? ›

If your turkey's wings are baking too quickly, you can cover them with foil, but otherwise, there's no need. While you're letting it rest, you can tent your turkey in foil for about 15 minutes, but smoking it the whole time in foil is unnecessary and could lead to soggy skin.

Why is my smoked turkey tough? ›

The high-convection environment of a smoker is enough to draw out the moisture faster than the skin can crisp. The result is tough, leathery skin. We do a couple things to combat that effect. First off, the dry brine you apply will actually help the turkey skin retain moisture longer as it smokes.

Why is my smoked turkey slimy? ›

Let's address the slimy turkey situation. When lunchmeat starts to feel slimy or sticky, it's usually a sign that it's going bad. Sliminess can be caused by bacteria or mold, which can make you sick if you eat them.

Is store bought smoked turkey already cooked? ›

DO NOT THAW AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. Butterball Smoked Whole Turkeys are fully cooked and ready to eat. They can be used in recipes calling for cooked turkey without prior heating. The pink color of the meat comes from smoking and curing and is not a sign of undercooked meat.

What if smoked turkey is done too early? ›

Your Turkey Is Done Too Early

If it's done around an hour early, let it rest uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then cover your turkey with some foil and a thick towel or blanket to keep it warm. By letting it first rest you release the initial heat. That way it won't overcook once it's covered.

What do you put in the cavity of a smoked turkey? ›

Recipe for Smoked Turkey Preparation

Quarter your apples, oranges, and onions. Make sure to peel the onion. Stuff half of the oranges, apples, and onions into the turkey, followed by all the fresh herbs. Finish by stuffing with the remainder of the apples, oranges, and onions.

How long does it take to smoke a 12 lb turkey on a pellet grill? ›

When smoking a 12 lb turkey on a pellet grill at 225 degrees F… It should take 6 hours to smoke your turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F.

How long to smoke a 12 pound turkey at 325? ›

At 325 degrees, your turkey will get to the necessary temperature without drying out. Regardless of size, you're normally looking at 3 to 4 hours total cook time. From there, all you've got to do is remove from the grill and rest for 15 minutes before carving. It's really that simple.

How long to heat up a 12 lb smoked turkey? ›

We recommend using a rack in your roasting pan. Add a little water to the bottom of the pan and cover the smoked turkey with foil. Bake at 325 degrees for approx. 10 minutes per pound, or until your meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.

How many people does a 12 lb smoked turkey feed? ›

One 12 lb bird will feed about 6 with a few leftovers so if you need more than that, just cook multiple birds of that size rather than opting for a larger one. If you purchase a frozen turkey, allow about 1 day of thawing in the fridge for every 5 lbs.

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