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This Smoked Turkey recipe is exceptionally juicy. It’s brined in a single day and seasoned with a scrumptious turkey seasoning. It could take a little bit of time, however it’s so value it.
Searching for sides to serve with this entire smoked turkey? Strive these mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts with bacon, or these tasty mashed candy potatoes.

The Greatest Smoked Turkey Recipe
If there may be ever a turkey recipe that you just make please make it this smoked turkey recipe. It isn’t misplaced on us that cooking a complete turkey, whether or not you’re roasting, smoking, sous-viding, or no matter, is an endeavor.
Regardless of the way you prepare dinner a complete turkey it’ll take a while so why not do it proper? Smoking a turkey does take 2 days to make, simply an FYI.
That is really the most effective smoked turkey recipe as a result of it comes out so juicy and flavorful all due to a smoked turkey moist brine, turkey seasoning, and basting liquid.
So should you don’t have the time flip round now and go make our baked turkey tenderloin or this straightforward herby turkey breast.
Why it is best to contemplate smoking a turkey
For those who determined that smoking a turkey is for you, listed below are all the explanations it is best to smoke a turkey versus some other technique.
- Smoked turkey is juicy on the within.
- The flavour is unimaginable.
- It’s a enjoyable technique to prepare dinner with the household.
- Smoking a turkey is an extended course of that leaves you with essentially the most flavorful turkey ever.
- Smoked turkey makes nice leftovers that final a very long time.
Greatest Smoker for Smoking Turkey
Let’s speak people who smoke. You probably have a smoker that you just love, you may skip this part. We’ve got smoked many several types of meat on many various people who smoke. Computerized pellet grills or people who smoke, handbook people who smoke, and even common grills.
Our favourite smoker is the Traeger electrical smoker as a result of (like a sluggish cooker) there may be minimal work required when you set the Traeger. This smoker makes use of pellets quite than wooden chips and it mechanically feeds the smoker to regulate the temperature.
That’s proper, no one has so as to add wooden chips or wooden pellets themselves to maintain the temperature up.
What kind of pellets ought to I take advantage of? You need to use no matter pellet you desire to! We used the unique Traeger pellets for this recipe. You need to use hickory, cherry, or some other pellet taste you’d like.
Smoker Necessities
Try all of our favourite smoker merchandise, together with what smoker we use within the Match Foodie kitchen for testing recipes!
Can I Use a Common Grill to Smoke a Turkey?
Sure, you should use a fuel grill or charcoal grill as a smoker. It does take a bit extra work. All it’s a must to do is purchase certainly one of these wooden chip smoker packing containers after which add wooden chips all through the smoking course of to take care of the proper temperature.

All of the Provides You Want
Earlier than you begin smoking the turkey you might have a couple of issues that you will want to collect to make it a straightforward course of.
Smoker Necessities
Try all of our favourite smoker merchandise, together with what smoker we use within the Match Foodie kitchen for testing recipes!
Substances for Smoked Turkey
There are a couple of completely different steps to this smoked turkey recipe however the good half is that most of the substances overlap!
- Turkey– this recipe requires a 12-15 pound entire turkey. Make certain you discover a turkey that’s untreated. Some turkeys come pre-brined and we don’t need that. This turkey ought to feed between 12-15 individuals if you’re serving it with sides.
- Brine Substances- you’ll bine your chook on this smoked turkey brine which consists of water, salt, rosemary, thyme, peppercorns, garlic, and onions.
- Turkey seasoning– don’t skip this seasoning, it provides a lot taste to this recipe. This turkey seasoning is essentially the most flavorful seasoning that compliments turkey and different poultry so properly. It’s a mixture of candy + savory. Please please make it!
- Onion and Garlic– you’ll stuff your turkey with onions and garlic. Don’t skip this, it provides all the most effective flavors to your turkey and the gravy.
- Salted butter– oh butter, how we love you. You’ll stick somewhat butter beneath the pores and skin of your turkey earlier than you smoke it.
- Rooster broth– you’ll make a little bit of a basting liquid with hen broth. For those who don’t have hen broth, any kind will do!
- Recent herbs- we use recent sage, recent rosemary, and recent thyme on this recipe. They’re utilized in a couple of completely different elements of the recipe.

Easy methods to Put together a Turkey for Smoking
To organize your turkey for brining and smoking, we propose sanitizing your kitchen sink and inserting a baking sheet within the sink. Place your turkey on the baking sheet and take away the wrapping from the turkey.
Thaw Turkey
It is rather vital that you just thaw your turkey totally earlier than starting this course of. Thawing a 15 lb. turkey takes longer than you’d assume.
We thawed ours within the fridge for two days till totally thawed.
Be certain to keep watch over your turkey. You possibly can at all times deliver it to the countertop to thaw sooner than within the fridge.
Take away Turkey Innards
Earlier than beginning something, be sure you take away the innards from the cavity of the turkey earlier than getting ready the brine for the turkey.
You possibly can discard the giblets and innarts or save them for a yummy turkey soup in a while.
Smoked Turkey Brine
After your turkey is prepped and able to go it’s time to arrange the ‘moist’ turkey brine. We’ve got a complete put up about our smoked turkey brine, however primarily you’re getting ready a salty water bathtub for the turkey to take a seat in in a single day.
Why brine your turkey earlier than smoking? We swear by moist brining our turkey earlier than smoking as a result of it not solely provides a ton of taste but in addition helps the turkey retain moisture through the smoking course of.
How lengthy to brine a turkey earlier than smoking? We suggest brining your turkey for not less than 12 hours or in a single day. So, you are able to do this the evening earlier than in order that it’s prepared for smoking within the morning!
Smoked Turkey Dry Rub
The second factor it’s a must to do to your turkey earlier than placing it on the smoker is fastidiously rinse the turkey beneath water, pat it dry with a paper towel, after which douse it in our scrumptious turkey dry rub.
Be certain to get that rub in each nook and cranny! We extremely recommend making our dry rub as a result of it’s really what provides wonderful taste to this recipe. You’ll seemingly use round 1/2 to three/4 cup of our turkey seasoning. Right here’s what it’s manufactured from:
- Dried thyme
- Dried rosemary
- Dried oregano
- Brown sugar
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Floor pepper
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
attempt it!
Turkey Seasoning
Ditch the store-bought turkey seasoning and use essentially the most Flavorful Turkey Seasoning made with 9 substances you may really pronounce. This seasoning is made up of garlic powder, brown sugar, kosher salt, and different easy seasonings.

Issues to Do Earlier than You Smoke the Turkey
Within the final hours that your turkey is brining, there are some things you are able to do to get able to smoke the chook.
Prep the Basting Liquid
Each 1.5 to 2 hours while you’re smoking the turkey you’ll baste your chook in a scrumptious basting liquid that can even grow to be a part of the gravy you make on the finish of your recipe.
Put together the basting liquid on the stovetop earlier than you put together the chook after which discover a small aluminum container that you could maintain the basting liquid in within the smoker.
Why do you have to baste your smoked turkey? Basting helps forestall the turkey from drying out on the smoker. Belief us after we say don’t skip this half.
Get your aluminum Pan prepared
After the chook is brined, you’ll place it in an enormous aluminum roasting pan that can finally go in your smoker. Discover an aluminum roasting pan that’s large enough on your chook, however will nonetheless match in your smoker.
Alongside together with your chook, there will likely be onion, garlic, and recent herbs that can make up your gravy together with the basting liquid and drippings from the turkey.
Clear the smoker
All the time clear your smoker so there aren’t any probabilities for taste contamination or fireplace of any type. Which means you additionally wish to clear the drip tray of your smoker as properly!
Preheat the Smoker
Preheat your grill or smoker so it’s all prepared for you and your chook!
What Temperature Do I Smoke a Turkey at?
This smoked turkey is smoked at 225ºF lined with tin foil for six hours (for a 12-15 lb. turkey) — low and sluggish. At 5 hours of smoking, we take away the aluminum cowl and switch the warmth as much as 250ºF for a further 1 hour to crisp up the pores and skin. It’s scrumptious!
Easy methods to Make the gravy
One of many secret heroes of this recipe is the GRAVY. Use the drippings and yummy juices that the turkey makes throughout smoking, the leftover basting liquid (in case you have any), and 1 cup of broth.
Warmth all these substances collectively and slowly whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch till the gravy thickens.

How Lengthy to Smoke a Turkey?
This 12-15 lb turkey is smoked (lined) for six hours. You probably have a bigger turkey you will want to smoke the turkey longer. Simply examine the interior temperature!
Take away the turkey from the smoker and let the turkey relaxation for 15-20 minutes to retain all of the moisture again into the meat. Then use a carving knife to slice your turkey.
Can I smoke an even bigger turkey? We really don’t suggest smoking a turkey bigger than 15 lbs. as a result of it is going to take too lengthy to prepare dinner and the outside of the turkey might get too dry.
Inside Temperature of a Entire Turkey
The interior temperature of turkey needs to be 165ºF. Some individuals observe the rule that the hen thigh temperature needs to be 175ºF and the breast meat ought to come out to 160ºF or 165ºF. Usually, we be sure that the entire chook is about 165ºF.
Our rule of thumb is to maintain the probe of your smoker within the thickest a part of the chook to look at the temperature of the turkey all through smoking.
Strive it!
Thermoworks Thermapen
We swear by utilizing a meat thermometer when cooking any minimize of meat. The Thermapen is our go-to meat thermometer that works each time.

FAQ
Whereas the smoke time for a 13-15 lb. turkey is just round 6 hours, you’ll seemingly be brining the turkey, which makes this a 1 day+ endeavor.
Smoked turkeys are completely scrumptious. They tackle the flavour of the smoking pellets used together with any dry or moist brining that was executed beforehand.
There are a couple of methods to maintain a turkey moist whereas smoking. You possibly can cowl it with tinfoil to entice some moisture and/or use a basting liquid like basic roasted turkey.
We suggest utilizing tin foil for almost all of the turkey smoke time to ensure the turkey comes out good and moist. Solely proper on the finish do you uncover it.
What to Serve with Smoked Turkey
You possibly can’t have turkey with out scrumptious sides! Beneath are a few of our most favourite facet dishes for Thanksgiving or some other time you’re having fun with a turkey dinner.
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon- This scrumptious roasted brussels sprouts recipe is made with just some easy substances together with thick-cup maple bacon and in lower than half-hour!
Roasted Root Greens- These Roasted Root Greens are such a straightforward and scrumptious seasonal facet to serve this fall and winter! Merely minimize the veggies, season, and roast for 45 minutes — that’s it!
Mashed Potatoes- Add these wholesome mashed potatoes to your Thanksgiving dinner. They’re made with russet potatoes, Greek yogurt, somewhat little bit of butter, and tons of recent herbs for essentially the most good mashed potatoes with pores and skin on (simply the way in which I prefer it!).

Smoked Turkey Leftover Concepts
You probably have a smaller group of individuals for this turkey you’ll undoubtedly have leftovers! Beneath are some scrumptious leftover concepts.
Storage
Retailer your turkey leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 7 days.
Can I freeze smoked turkey?
Sure, you may freeze leftover turkey for soups, salads, or some other recipes. Let the turkey cool fully after which place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze it for as much as 3 months.


Juicy Smoked Turkey (Easy methods to Smoke a Turkey)
This smoked turkey recipe features a smoked turkey brine, turkey seasoning, and a scrumptious gravy. Your friends will likely be wowed by this juicy Traeger smoked turkey recipe. Yum!
Prep:12 hours
Prepare dinner:8 hours
Whole:20 hours
Substances
Turkey
- 13-15 lb. turkey thawed with giblets and innards eliminated
- 1/2 giant white onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4 tablespoons chilly salted butter minimize into 8 small items
Smoked Turkey Brine
- 2 gallons water
- 1.5 cups kosher salt
- ½ giant white onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon entire cloves
- 3 sprigs recent thyme
- 3 sprigs of recent rosemary
Basting Liquid
- 4 cups hen broth
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 sprigs recent sage
- 2 sprigs recent rosemary
- 2 sprigs recent thyme
Gravy Substances
- Turkey drippings ~1-2 cups
- Leftover basting liquid in case you have any
- 1 cup hen broth
- 1-2 tablespoons corn starch
Directions
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Put together the Brine: Add 2 cups of water to a saucepan and add 1.5 cups of kosher salt to the pan and warmth it over medium warmth. Whisk the two substances collectively over the warmth till the salt is absorbed.
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Pour the salt water right into a 4 gallon bucket. Add the remainder of the brine substances to the pot and blend till all of the substances are mixed.
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Brine Turkey: Rigorously place the turkey into the brine and place the pot into the fridge and let it sit in a single day.
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If you end up able to smoke the turkey, preheat the smoker to 225ºF.
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As soon as the turkey has sat within the brine, take away it from the pot and discard the brine.
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Place the turkey on a baking sheet within the sink and thoroughly rinse the turkey.
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Pat the turkey attempt with paper towel.
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Place the turkey on a clear aluminum tray and thoroughly place the small items of chilly butter beneath the pores and skin of the turkey.
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Put together turkey seasoning: put together turkey seasoning by cominbing the entire spices in a mediu bowl. Combine to mix.
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Season turkey: Relying on how large your chook is, you will use round 3/4 cup of the turkey seasonoing. Sprinkle the turkey with turkey seasoning. Pat the seasoning into the turkey and be certain the turkey is roofed in seasoning. It is okay if a number of the seasoning falls to the underside of your tin pan becuase these flavors will assist make the gravy style wonderful.
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Stuff turkey: stuff the onion, garlic, and herbs in to the middle of the turkey and canopy the turkey with aluminum foil. put aside.
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Put together basting liquid: Place all of the substances for the basting liquid right into a small bowl (we used a disposible tin container). Make certain the bowl can get soiled within the smoker if that is what you are utilizing.
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Lastly, place the pan with they turkey into the smoker and set the basting liquid subsequent to the turkey pan.
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Smoke turkey: smoke the turkey at 225ºF for five hours, basting the turkey each 1.5 to 2 hours with the basting liquid.
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Uncover the turkey after 5 hours and improve the warmth to 250ºF and smoke for a further 1 hour or till the interior temperature of the thickest a part of the turkey (the breast) reaches 165ºF. Rising the warmth will enable the pores and skin to crisp up.
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Take away the turkey from the smoker and let it relaxation for 15-20 minutes earlier than carving.
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Make the gravy: Discard the onion, garlic, and sprigs of herbs from the roasting pan and add all of the turkey drippings to a saucepan (it is best to have round 1-2 cups of liquid).
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Add any leftover basting liquid (in case you have any) and 1 cup of hen broth to the saucepan and convey to a mild boil over medium/excessive warmth.
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As soon as the liquid is scorching, flip the warmth to medium and create a cornstarch slurry. Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the liquid from the pot till the cornstarch dissolves. Then add the slurry to the pot and whisk to mix.
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Proceed whisking till the gravy thickens. If the gravy doesn’t attain your required thickness, repeat with one other tablespoon of cornstarch.
Ideas & Notes
- Non-Smoker Grill Directions: Deliver your fuel grill or charcoal grill to 225ºF and set a wooden chip field stuffed with soaked wooden chips onto the grill. You’ll have to preserve the temperature 225ºF all through the entire prepare dinner time by ensuring you might have sufficient propane if you’re utilizing a fuel grill or being positive to repeatedly add charcoal to your charcoal grill. Additionally, you will have so as to add extra soaked wooden chips to the smoking field all through the cooking time. As soon as your grill is preheated, observe the identical cooking directions from above.
Diet details
Energy: 684kcal Carbohydrates: 49g Protein: 130g Fats: 15g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 0g
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