Smoked Turkey
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Create the most juicy and tender turkey ever with this Smoked Turkey recipe! It’s easy to make with a 24 hour brine, homemade rub, and trip to the smoker with a butter baste. After you cook a turkey on the smoker, this will be your favorite cooking method for turkey! It’s delicious for Thanksgiving, but so good that you should make it year-round!
Table of contents
For several years, we had a small Thanksgiving at our house, so I just started smoking a turkey breast every year. After I got married and started hosting both sides of our family for Thanksgiving (plus neighbors and friends!) I decided that we needed a whole turkey to feed everyone.
Of course, I had to toss it on the Traeger, because we’ve fallen in love with the flavor of smoked turkey! It’s really not that much different, smoking a whole turkey vs. a turkey breast, except for the fact that you need a much bigger container to brine a whole turkey!
The process is the same. Brine the turkey, rub it, toss it on the smoker, then baste it with butter. Whether it’s a whole turkey, or just the breast, it comes out moist, tender and so flavorful every time! This is my favorite way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey.
If you’re smoking a turkey for the first time, be sure to check out all of my recipe tips in this blog post, so your turkey turns out perfect every time!
Brine the turkey
What you’ll need for a wet brine:
- Water
- Sea salt – or kosher salt
- Granulated sugar
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- Black peppercorns
- Turkey – a whole turkey that’s 15-20 pounds in size is ideal for this recipe. If the turkey is frozen be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator. You should thaw the turkey one day per 4-5 pounds, so if the turkey is 15 pounds, you’ll want to move it from the freezer to the fridge at least 3 days before brining the turkey.
How to brine the turkey:
- Bring 4 cups of water to boil on the stove in a large pot.
- Stir in the salt and sugar until it’s dissolved in the boiling water.
- Remove the water from the stove and let it cool to room temperature before brining the turkey. You can add ice cubes to the water to cool it down quicker.
- Remove any giblets from inside the turkey cavity and place the turkey in a large tub. I used this 26 quart tub for a 20 pound turkey.
- Pour the brine over the turkey in the large brining tub.
- Add more cold water to the tub, until the turkey is completely covered.
- Add thyme springs and black peppercorns to the brine.
- Cover the tub with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours to brine. You will need a whole shelf in the fridge for the turkey. If you can’t fit a tub with the turkey in your fridge, use these brining bags instead and place the turkey in a cooler. Surround the turkey in the brine bag with ice, and store the cooler in the garage, where it’s likely much colder than inside your house.
Season the turkey
- In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, ground cloves, oregano and thyme, to make the smoked turkey rub
- Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter under the skin, over the breasts, of the turkey. I like to use cooking-safe disposable gloves for this.
- Sprinkle the rub over the entire outside of the turkey until it’s fully covered.
- Use butchers twine to truss the legs and tuck the wing tips underneath the bird.
Smoke the turkey
- Preheat a smoker to 275°F. I used a Traeger pellet smoker for this recipe, but any smoker you have in your backyard will work just fine.
- Place the seasoned turkey directly on the grill grates in the smoker. I recommend placing a probe thermometer in the turkey breast, so you can easily check the internal temperature of the turkey as it cooks on the smoker.
- While the turkey is smoking, brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter on the turkey every 60 minutes.
- Plan for 15 minutes per pound of turkey (approximately 5 hours for a 20 lb turkey).
- Remove the turkey from the smoker when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the turkey breast reaches 160°F on a meat thermometer.
- Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving and serving.
Note: if you’d like to use the turkey drippings to make turkey gravy, place a grill-safe drip pan under the turkey in the smoker to catch the drippings as the turkey cooks on the smoker.
Carve the turkey
- Remove any butchers twine from the turkey.
- Remove the legs and thighs. Cut through the skin that connects the breast and the drumstick. Slice with a knife until you reach the joint. Use a paper towel, grab the leg and push down. This will separate the leg and thigh from the bird. Use your knife to slice through the joint, then repeat these steps with the other leg.
- Remove the wings. Slice through each joint connecting the wing to the bird and remove both wings.
- Remove the breasts. Position a long knife on one side of the breastbone and slice downward, as close to the bone as possible. Pull the meat away from the breastbone, removing the breast from the carcass in one piece. Transfer to a cutting board, and repeat to remove the other breast.
- Separate the drumsticks and thighs. Cut through the joint that connects the drumsticks and thighs to separate them. Place them on a serving platter with the wings. Slice the breast meat and place it on the same platter, or a separate plate. (As shown below.)
Cook to temperature, not time
The cooking time for smoked turkey will vary based on a number of things. For this reason, I always recommend using temperature, not time, to determine when to remove the turkey from the smoker. That being said, you can expect about 15 minutes per pound of meat. I recommend checking the internal temperature of the turkey using an instant-read thermometer each time you baste the turkey with butter so that you make sure it does not get overcooked.
My 20 pound turkey cooked in 5 hours on the smoker, but as I mentioned, this time can vary for a number of reasons. I always recommend putting the turkey on earlier for a holiday meal. It can always rest after it’s smoked, but you can’t speed up the cooking time on the smoker. If the turkey is done early, wrap it in butcher paper and place it in a cooler without ice for up to 4 hours. This will keep the meat warm, without overcooking it.
What’s the best wood to use?
Whether you’re using actual wood, pellets, wood chunks or wood chips to smoke the turkey, I recommend using one of the following three flavors to complement the turkey.
- Maple – this wood gives off a sweeter smoke, which pairs perfectly with the sweet and spicy rub on this turkey.
- Hickory – a classic choice that never goes out of style and gives off a robust smoky flavor.
- Apple – the flavor of apple pairs wonderfully with turkey, making this wood flavor a perfect match for smoking a whole turkey.
Storage instructions
Store leftover smoked turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. My favorite way to reheat the turkey is in the oven, wrapped in foil, at 350°F for 15 minutes. This will heat it up, and keep it juicy and tender. You can also eat the leftover turkey cold.
You can also store leftover smoked turkey in the freezer for up to 6 months. Make sure to store it in a freezer-safe container, and always label the container with a date, and eat it within 6 months. To defrost the frozen turkey, place it in the fridge for 2 days to defrost. Wrap it in foil and reheat it in the oven at 350°F for 15-30 minutes. The time will vary based on the type of meat (white or dark), and thickness of the slices of turkey.
What to do with leftovers
If you happen to have any leftover turkey, I recommend adding it to any of these delicious recipes! Leftover smoked turkey will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. It can be eaten cold, reheated in the oven, wrapped in foil, or added to any of these recipes.
What sides to serve with it
Serve this smoked turkey at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a family meal anytime of the year with any of these delicious side dishes!
Smoked Turkey
Ingredients
Turkey brine
- 20 pound turkey, you can use any turkey that's between 15-20 pounds for this recipe
- 2 gallons water
- 1 cup sea salt
- ½ cup sugar
- 12 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
Turkey rub and basting
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 1 cup butter, divided – softened/melted
Instructions
Brine the turkey
- Bring 4 cups of water to boil on the stove in a saucepan.
- Stir in the salt and sugar until it’s dissolved in the boiling water.
- Remove the water from the stove and let it cool to room temperature before brining the turkey. You can add ice cubes to cool it down quicker.
- Remove any giblets from inside the turkey and place the turkey in a large tub. I used this 26 quart tub for a 20 pound turkey.
- Pour the brine over the turkey in the large brining tub.
- Add more cold water to the tub, until the turkey is completely covered.
- Add thyme springs and black peppercorns to the brine.
- Cover the tub with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours to brine.
Rub the turkey
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, ground cloves, oregano and thyme to make the dry rub.
- Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter under the skin, over the breasts, of the turkey. I like to use cooking-safe disposable gloves for this.
- Sprinkle the rub over the entire turkey until it’s fully covered.
- Use butchers twine to truss the legs and tuck the wing tips underneath the bird.
Smoke the turkey
- Preheat a smoker to 275°F. Fill the smoker with maple, hickory or apple wood or pellets.
- Place the turkey directly on the grill grates in the smoker.
- While the turkey is smoking, brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter on the turkey every 60 minutes.
- Plan for 15 minutes per pound of turkey (approximately 5 hours for a 20 lb turkey).
- Remove from the smoker when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the turkey breast reaches 160°F on a meat thermometer.
- Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving and serving.
Notes
- If the turkey is frozen, be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator. You should thaw the turkey one day per 4-5 pounds, so if the turkey is 15 pounds, you’ll want to move it from the freezer to the fridge at least 3 days before brining the turkey.
- You will need a whole shelf in the fridge to brine the turkey. If you can’t fit a tub with the turkey in your fridge, use these brining bags instead and place the turkey in a cooler. Surround the turkey in the brine bag with ice, and store the cooler in the garage, where it’s likely much colder than inside your house.
- The cooking time for smoked turkey will vary based on a number of things. For this reason, I always recommend using temperature, not time, to determine when to remove the turkey from the smoker. I recommend putting the turkey on earlier for a holiday meal. It can always rest after it’s smoked, but you can’t speed up the cooking time on the smoker. If the turkey is done early, wrap it in butcher paper and place it in a cooler without ice for up to 4 hours. This will keep the meat warm, without overcooking it.
- Plan for 1 pound of turkey person. This will allow for removal of the bones and carcass, and will leave you with some leftovers.
- For carving instructions, refer to the blog post above.
Nutrition Facts
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