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Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about the turkey. Gobble gobble! This smoked turkey has all the classic thanksgiving flavors and more. Tender and juicy, this bird will be the show piece everyone will remember but more importantly devour. The ingredients list is small, the steps are easy and the results are delicious! It’s a triple win.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Don’t forget to defrost the turkey.
When it comes to Thanksgiving turkey, there are many options. You can get fresh, frozen, free range, organic, and probably a whole lot of other types. Depending on the size of your crowd, don’t get too big of a turkey. 10 lb turkey can easily feed a group of 8-10 people. The larger the bird, the longer the cook.
If you get a frozen turkey, be sure to put it in your refrigerator 4-5 days before your cook day. You want to give it plenty of time to defrost. The defrost time will of course vary based on the weight of the turkey, so be sure to take that into account.
After the turkey is defrosted, remove all the giblets from the inside cavity and pat it dry. The bird is now ready for prep
Step 2: Prepare the turkey brine (optional)
It’s easy to overcook a turkey and dry it out. But if cooked properly, you could have a winning dish. One of the ways to avoid dry meat is by soaking a turkey in brine. This is an optional step that will ensure tender and juicy meat. If you decide to move forward, make sure to soak the turkey an hour for every pound. The timing will provide enough moisture into the meat without making it too salty.
The brine is simple, pour 1 gallon of water in a deep dish or tub. Add half a cup of kosher salt and another half a cup of brown sugar. Whisk the ingredients together until they dissolve in the water. For this recipe, I also like to add freshly squeezed citrus juice and herbs. It’s just another great way to add additional flavor to the meat ensuring a flavorful and tender dish. Squeeze out the juice of a lemon, lime and orange into the water based brine. Throw in the left over skin peals. Add a sprig of rosemary and thyme and a tbsp of peppercorns. Mix it all together and slowly place the unfrozen turkey into the brine. Close shut and store in the refrigerator.
Turkey Tip
- Brine overnight is very important when smoking a turkey. This process helps the meat stay juicy during long cook times. This protects the meat from drying out if left cooling for a little too long.
Step 3: Season the turkey
On Thanksgiving day, after the turkey has finished brining, remove it from the mixture and rinse it with water. The reason for the rinse is to remove any access salt that is on the outside of the turkey. If you don’t, you run the risk of it being too salty, especially once you season it.
Make sure to pat the turkey dry including under the skin. Any moisture on the outside will cause the skin to be tough instead of crispy.
To get started, spray some cooking oil on the entire turkey, especially on the breast. Coat the entire turkey with Dad’s Steak Seasoning first, which has garlic, herb and buttery notes. Then add Dad’s All Purpose rub for the salty and peppery flavor. Both rubs will create the ultimate thanksgiving blend. Season generously. The turkey is a large piece of meat and can handle a lot of seasoning. The worst thing you can have aside from a dry turkey is a bland turkey. Place the seasoned turkey on a roasting rack breast side up.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
Step 4: Stuffing for flavor.
Next is the stuffing. I like to stuff my turkey with fresh seasonal veggies and more citrus fruits to help give it more flavor as it evaporates into the meat. This is not for eating, just flavor. Cut up a white onion, celery, carrots, lemon, lime and orange. Place them inside the cavity without overstuffing the bird. Also add garlic cloves and more rosemary and thyme. Place any left overs on the wire rack around the turkey.
Step 5: How to smoke a turkey
Preheat the grill to 350 degrees and set it for indirect heat. Cook until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 160 degrees, approximately 2-3 hours depending on size of the turkey. To help monitor the internal temperature, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and set the alarm for 160 degrees. I like using the Thermoworks Smoke temperature alarm. Check on the turkey every 45 minutes or so. If the outside starts to get too dark, cover with aluminum foil. If it looks like the skin isn’t getting as crispy as you want, baste it with some melted butter.
After the turkey is done, pull it from the grill and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest for 20-25 minutes. This is a very important step and will ensure you end up with a delicious turkey. Carve, serve and enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Smoking Turkey Tips
- Grill to an internal temp of 160 degrees. This will ensure tender and juicy meat.
- Grilling at a higher temp ensures a better bite through on the skin.
Frequently Asked Questions:
All my recipes can be replicated in the oven, stove top or gas grill. You do not need a big green egg or weber grill to replicate any of my recipes.
The best way to avoid dry meat or know if any protein is ready is to check the internal temperature. Turkey are no different. Remove the turkey at 160 internal degrees for the perfect tender and juicy meat and avoid a dried out bird.
Similar Recipe Ideas:
Chicken & Turkey
Smoked Turkey Legs
Chicken & Turkey
Cajun Honey Turkey Breast
Chicken & Turkey
Garlic Butter Turkey
Chicken & Turkey
Leftover Turkey Biscuits
Printer friendly recipe is below.
Smoked Turkey
Ingredients
- 10 lbs Turkey
Brine
- 1 gal Water
- 1/2 cup Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar
- 1 Orange
- 1 Lemon
- 1 Lime
- 1 sprig Rosemary
- 1 sprig Thyme
- 1 tbsp Peppercorns
Seasoning & Stuffing
- 4 tbsp Dad's Steak Seasoning
- 4 tbsp Dad's All Purpose Rub
- 4 Garlic cloves
- 1 Orange
- 1 Lemon
- 1 Large carrot
- 1 Lime
- 1/2 White onion
- 2 sticks Celary
- 1 sprig Rosemary
- 1 sprig Thyme
Instructions
Turkey Prep Instructions
- Defrost the turkey in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Brine Instructions
- Pour 1 gallon of water in a deep dish. Add kosher salt and brown sugar. Whisk the ingredients together until they dissolve in the water. Squeeze out the juice of 1 lemon, lime and orange into the water based brine. Throw in the left over skin peals. Add a sprig of rosemary and thyme and a tbsp of peppercorns. Mix it all together and slowly place the defrosted turkey into the brine. Brine for 1 hour for each pound, in the refrigerator.
Season and Stuffing Instructions
- Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it with water to remove any excess salt.
- Make sure to pat the turkey dry including under the skin and inside the cavity.
- Coat the turkey with cooking oil spray. This will help the skin get crispy and will allow the seasoning to stick better.
- Season with Dad’s Steak Seasoning first, then with Dad’s All Purpose rub. Be sure to get all sides and inside the cavity. Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a foil pan.
- Cut up a white onion, celery, carrots, lemon, lime and orange. Place the veggies and fruit inside the cavity without overstuffing the bird. Add garlic cloves and more rosemary and thyme. If you have any left over slices, place them around the turkey.
Smoking Turkey Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 350 degrees and set it for indirect heat.
- Cook until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 160 degrees, approximately 2-3 hours depending on size of the turkey.
- Check on the turkey every 45 minutes or so. If the skin is getting too dark, cover with aluminum foil. If the skin is not getting as crispy as you like, baste it with melted butter.
- Remove the turkey from the grill and allow it to rest for 20-25 minutes at room temperature, loosely tented with aluminum foil.
- Carve, serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Check out the Recipes page for other tasty ideas.
