In my family, smoke a whole turkey for Thanksgiving….
…is a long-standing custom! It’s easier and faster than you…
…might think to make perfect smoked turkey. In this…
…smoke a whole turkey recipe, we use higher temperatures.
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without a turkey.
Do you agree?
Cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving is a Thanksgiving tradition…
..in the United States. I was astonished when I married into…
…my husband’s family and discovered that..
…they also made turkey for other occasions!
Football games, or any other cold-weather get-together…
…were reason enough to fire up the smoker and smoke a whole turkey!
It took me several years to learn how to smoke a whole turkey…
…but I married into the perfect family to do so.
The turkey they produce is a tremendous delight because it was cooked…
…on the smoker, which was a prevalent thread here.
The flavor of smoked turkey is incredible, and it’s just fantastic…
Before we continue, let’s hear my friend story…
This is my friend, Camellia’s story…
Nowadays, I like to use my pellet smoker because it keeps the smoke…
…and temperature consistent for me, reducing the amount of babysitting I have to do.
This smoked turkey can be prepared on a gas barbecue, charcoal grill…
…or any other sort of smoker. The most crucial thing is to…
…pick a grill that allows for indirect cooking, constant temperatures…
…and the addition of wood smoke.
Turkey is a very delicate meat that doesn’t have a lot of connective tissue or fat, it will dry out and darken quickly as well as absorb the flavors of smoke much more easily than other meat does.
Smoke a whole turkey
Let’s get it started!
How to Smoke a Whole Turkey
This simple smoked turkey dish has been a family favorite…
…for more than 15 years, and I am confident that you will agree…
…once you try it! Looking for best wood for smoking turkey?
We have a list for you. The steps to smoke a whole turkey…
…for Thanksgiving are shown below.
Go on!
Choosing the Right Turkey
When purchasing a whole turkey, you must first decide…
…whether you want a frozen or fresh turkey. And your option…
…is primarily determined by when you require it!
Preparing the Turkey: Dry Brine vs. Wet Brine
For our smoked turkey recipes, we have tried both dry and wet brines…
When learning how to smoke a complete turkey, we’ve come…
…to the conclusion that dry brining the bird is ideal.
There are a few reasons for this; first, there are certain safety concerns…
…about bathing a large bird in a water bath for an extended period of time.
Second, a wet brine adds a day to what might already be a lengthy…
…defrosting and preparation phase. Finally, by taking a few simple…
….procedures to ensure juiciness (see below), your bird will avoid drying out…
…which is what a moist brine is designed to prevent.
To ensure a juicy and tasty bird, we take two extra steps.
Let’s check it out!
First and foremost, we spread softened butter beneath the skin…
…of the chicken breast before frying it. Butter can also…
…be rubbed into the cavity of the turkey.
Second, for a brief period of time, usually an hour, we apply…
…a dry brine to the turkey. This brine keeps the skin of the turkey…
…beautiful and crispy. If you’re using dry brine, make sure to wipe off the excess…
…salt with a paper towel (or rinse the bird in the sink) before cooking.
We rub softened butter under the skin and apply a dry rub to the skin…
…after the dry brine is removed. You can also inject the bird with…
…melted butter and extra selenium at this time.
Bonus tip: you should save the rest butter in a safe container like this…
Enamel retro nostalgic American enamel pastry tray with cover butter box cheese storage box, this dish is well-made!
$35.27
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Preparing your Smoker for the Turkey
The type of smoker you have will have a big impact on how…
…you set it up for the first time. If you’re using a charcoal smoker…
…you’ll need to fill the water pan with water for this recipe…
…both to add moisture to the air in the smoker (steam)…
…and to help maintain temperatures consistent. I usually start…
…with 5-6 cups of water, knowing that if necessary, I may add more.
You can also (carefully) add hot water to the pan to assist…
…the smoker reaches operating temperature faster.
How to Smoke a Whole Turkey on a Pellet Grill
The finest smoked meat is turkey. For this wonderful pellet smoker turkey…
…learn about the best woods to use, as well as the ideal times to smoke it.
If you’ve invested in a pellet smoker or grill, you’ll have access…
…to a whole new world of meat preparation. This recipe for pellet…
…smoked turkey may be the best out there.
One of the best things about this recipe is that it requires…
…no special equipment. All you have is yourself, your turkey…
…and your trusty pellet barbecue. Please don’t misunderstand me.
Traditional roast turkey is lovely, but it pales in comparison…
…to a bird that has been carefully smoked over wood for hours.
Plus, who wants a whole chicken to take up space in the oven?
Look at this cool thing you should have!
The surface is specially treated, not easy to corrode, hygienic, and easy to clean. With handles, it can be folded, easy to carry, and more convenient. Reinforced bracket, reinforced stable bracket design.
$40.17
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Avoid a Roasting Pan
Contrary to popular belief, you should not smoke your turkey…
…in a roasting pan. Roasting pans are frequently used to keep…
…the meat moist while it cooks. However, because we’re smoking…
…slowly and low the chicken may become wet. Instead, we’ll smoke…
…it directly on the grates of your pellet smoker. We’ll then fill the…
…roasting pan with water and lay it underneath the grill grates, about…
…three inches away from the chicken.
This will act as a water pan, allowing moisture to stay in the grill chamber.
This will keep our turkey moist without drowning it…
…and give it a crispy skin on the outside.
Don’t Truss the Turkey
When smoking turkey, it’s common knowledge that you should truss it.
I’m going to argue against this, even if it means facing a barrage of hate…
There are two types of meat in a whole turkey: dark and light…
…and each has a distinct optimal temperature. Dark flesh…
…should be cooked to 175°F, whereas light breast meat should be cooked…
…to 165°F. Trussing the meat exposes the breast meat and ensures…
…that both the light and dark meats are cooked to the same temperature.
Allowing it to lie normally will allow each part to reach…
…its proper temperature on its own.
More thing to note…
How Long to Smoke a Whole Turkey
The rule of thumb is to smoke the turkey for 15 minutes at 300 degrees…
…for each pound of meat. This is the quickest way to smoke an entire turkey.
For this recipe, we used a 17-pound turkey that we smoked at 275-300 degrees…
…for slightly under 4 hours. When the turkey reaches 165 degrees…
…it’s safe to remove it from the smoker. Remember that this is a speedier…
…smoke than you’ll find in typical turkey-smoking recipes.
I’ve seen up to 8 or 9 hours advised on occasion….
If you want to smoke the turkey all day (the SLOW technique)…
…drop the temperature to 225 degrees and follow the 25- 30…
…minute rule for each pound of turkey.
Get your own Thermometer to get the best result!
That’s it!
Sum Up
The first step in smoking a whole turkey is to prepare it for the smoker…
A fresh turkey or a freezer turkey that has been completely thawed…
…can be used. It’s preferable to use a turkey that’s between 10 and 12 pounds.
When you choose a larger turkey, you run the risk of food safety issues…
A turkey must reach a temperature of 40-140 degrees F within 4 hours…
…after being placed in the smoker, otherwise it…
…will begin to rot before it is fully cooked.
Conclusion
Which method do you prefer to smoke a whole turkey…
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If yes, please let us know!
You also can share your experience when smoke a whole turkey on comment section!
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Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
