Smoked Turkey Recipe

Most of us eat turkey only once or twice a year—at Thanksgiving and possibly at Christmas. However, once you taste smoked turkey prepared in your own smoker, you may find yourself wanting it a little more often.

Adapted from Jeff Phillips | Smoking Meat | Whitecap, 2012

Most of us eat turkey only once or twice a year—at Thanksgiving and possibly at Christmas. However, once you taste smoked turkey prepared in your own smoker, you may find yourself wanting it a little more often.

There’s just one potential downside. Ever notice that smoking turkey tends to produce rubbery skin that is pretty much inedible? Poultry skin needs high heat to get crispy, but low and slow is where the flavor happens, so you have to find a balance between those two worlds. To crisp the skin on your turkey, see the variation that follows the recipe.–Jeff Phillips

Why our testers loved this

Our testers loved that this smoked turkey was easy to make and impressive to behold. It also results in a juicy bird with a lightly smoky flavor. As tester Eydie Desser suggests, it’s “not your normal dry turkey. Try it — you’ll like it!”

Notes on ingredients

• Turkey brine–Although this is listed as optional, we highly recommend you brine your turkey. It helps the bird to stay juicy and moist throughout the smoking process.
• Turkey–If you purchased a frozen turkey, be sure that it is thawed before proceeding. In the refrigerator, turkeys take about 1 day per 4 to 5 pounds of weight. If you’ve got a 12-pound turkey, start thawing at least 3 days before; longer if you plan to brine it. If you need to thaw your turkey pronto, submerge it in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes.
• Kosher salt–Crystal sizes in kosher salt can vary dramatically. So if you’re using Diamond Crystal kosher salt, use 2 tablespoons, and if you’re using Morton kosher salt, use 1 1/2 tablespoons. If you’re uncertain of the brand, weigh your salt. You should have 2/3-ounce (18 grams).

How to make this recipe

1. Brine the turkey. Soak the turkey in brine for 8 to 12 hours. This step is optional but highly recommended.
2. Season the turkey. Pat the turkey dry, then season it inside and out with salt and pepper.
3. Prepare the heat source. Prepare your smoker, gas grill, or charcoal grill for low heat with smoke.
4. Smoke the turkey. Cook the turkey until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), replenishing coal, pellets, or wood chips as needed.
5. Rest and carve the bird. Let it rest for 30 minutes before carving the turkey.

FAQs

Helpful tips

• To make a crispy-skinned turkey, smoke the turkey it until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 145°F. Transfer the bird to a hot grill preheated to 350° to 375°F and finish it off until the temperature bumps up to 165°F.
• If you’re not feeding a crowd but still want to try your hand at smoking turkey, try these smoked turkey legs.
• If you’re preparing your turkey in a smoker or charcoal grill, don’t add too much charcoal or hardwood at once. The key to even cooking is maintaining a low, steady temperature, and large additions of coal or wood can cause the smoker or grill to become too hot.

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