Why not spice up your everyday dishes…
…by adding some delicious smoke flavors to them…
…when you are sick of the same old thing?
Turkeys with delicious and tender meat especially enjoy the smoky taste.
Smoking a turkey on a grill is actually easier than you might think.
Learn how to smoke a turkey on a pellet grill in this article from Milkwood Restaurant!
Listen to Jane’s story before we get started…
The pandemic caused me to miss Thanksgiving last year.
I could not see my parents or smoke turkey with them.
Unfortunately, I was unable to celebrate one of the happiest moments of the year.
For almost a year, I did not see my parents.
My mom’s nagging and dad’s playing jazz every morning make me miss them both.
My wish is that I will be able to spend this Thanksgiving with my family.
Now, it’s time to get started…
What Do You Need to Prepare to Smoke A Turkey on A Pellet Grill?
We cannot ignore the necessary ingredients and tools …
…if we want to have a delicious, authentic smoked chicken dish.
Turkey is the most important and the main ingredient.
Without turkey, nothing is smoked.
Make sure you buy a turkey that weighs at least 15 pounds…
…to ensure the dish’s quality and deliciousness.
- A pellet grill: Without an exhaust grill, your turkey will not smoke. You should prepare yourself for a well-functioning pellet grill.
- Wood pellets: If you want smoke, wood pellets are the best choice. A variety of wood pellets can be prepared and used to get a variety of flavors. Make sure you have plenty of wood pellets to smoke the turkey for a long period of time, regardless of the flavor you choose. I recommend apple wood pellets, cherry wood pellets or Hickory wood pellets as suitable wood pellets for turkeys.
- Meat thermometer probe: Make sure that your smoked turkey is at the right temperature, so check it often. Your meat thermometer needs to work quickly and accurately.
- Seasonings: To make your smoked turkey more delicious and satisfying, season it with your family’s favorite seasonings.
- Drain pan: It may or may not be necessary to use this item. You can use this pan to catch your juicy turkey gravy during the smoking process if you like it.
Prepare to spend quite a bit of time on this dish.
Typically, smoking a turkey will take you around 6-7 hours.
Check out these things before you smoke a turkey!
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Produces smoke for up to 4-7 hours on 15oz. Prefilled with 1 lb. of Pitmasters Choice Wood Pellets made from 100% Hardwood. Contains No Fillers and No Additives. Produces very little ash.
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Here’s the main part…
How to Smoke a Turkey on a Pellet Grill
The following steps will show you how to make delicious smoked turkey:
Get the Turkey Ready for Smoking
As mentioned above, you should choose a turkey…
…between 12-15 pounds that is suitable for smoking.
As the turkey grows, it will take longer…
…and the smoked chicken flavor will not be as good.
Smoking a frozen turkey requires it to be completely thawed.
It is best to prepare in advance if you plan on using frozen turkey.
To defrost chicken in the refrigerator, it will take 1-2 days.
If chicken is defrosted outside, harmful bacteria will grow very quickly.
Make sure you cut the turkey’s head and neck off.
If the neck and head are removed from the turkey…
…it will be easier to smoke it, which can be used for other dishes.
Keep reading…
Brining the Turkey
Brining will make your turkey bacon richer and more moist.
Half a cup of salt and half a cup of sugar dissolved…
…in one gallon of water is the best brine recipe.
Add some flavoring to the brine before soaking the turkey.
Leave the turkey in the brine for 12-14 hours.
It will absorb the salt and flavor of the seasoning.
To soak up the salt, the turkey should be completely submerged in the brine.
However, you should be aware that you have to determine…
…if the turkey you buy is pre-salted?
There are some places that sell turkey soaked in mosquitoes…
…or injected with saline solution.
Turkeys that have been pre-soaked with salt water should not be re-soaked…
…but should be smoked directly.
For this reason, I don’t like to buy pre-salted turkey.
Since I like my own flavors, I make it myself.
“Soaking your turkey in brine overnight will help the meat lock in moisture as it smokes. A lot of people only baste, but this only really works at skin level whereas brining helps to keep the flesh of the meat moist at a much deeper level. Leave your turkey in brine overnight in the refrigerator for the best results.”
The Online Grill
Start Smoking
Take the turkey out of the water after it has soaked and rinse it with cold water.
Using plenty of paper towels, dry the turkey thoroughly.
Use your favorite seasoning sauce over the entire outer skin of the turkey…
…followed by canola oil to ensure a flawless smoking result.
You can substitute olive oil for canola oil if you don’t have it.
Set the recipe on your pellet grill to start smoking turkey.
Approximately 18 minutes is required to preheat your grill to 225°F.
Place the turkey on the grill directly without a pan.
Place the turkey breast directly on the grill.
Place a cover over it and let it smoke for between 2.5 and 3 hours.
You can cook the turkey for another 3 to 5 hours…
…by raising the temperature to 300°F after 3 hours.
Every pound of turkey takes about 30 minutes to smoke.
It may take you 7 to 8 hours to smoke a 15-pound turkey.
Take your turkey’s size into account when deciding how long to smoke it.
Check the turkey’s temperature regularly with a meat thermometer.
The turkey should be cooked to a moderate level and not overdone.
After the turkey has finished smoking, remove it from the pellet grill…
…and let it sit outside for about 30 minutes. It is then ready to serve.
You can serve it at home with side dishes of your choice.
It takes a lot of time to make smoked turkey on a pellet grill, but it’s really delicious.
You can make your turkey more delicious…
…by making the skin tastier and the inside moist with smoked turkey.
Spray apple cider vinegar and apple juice on your turkey every 30 minutes.
It will also help the turkey smoke better.
You might also find this interesting…
Turkey Smoking Tips
Avoid a Roasting Pan
Do not use a roasting pan when smoking your turkey…
…despite what you may have read.
It is common to use roasting pans to hold liquid while the meat cooks.
Smoking low and slow, however, could result in a soggy bird.
We will instead smoke it directly on your pellet smoker’s grates.
The roasting pan will then be placed beneath the grill grates…
…about three inches from the bird, and filled with water.
Basically, it will act like a water pan and keep moisture in the grill chamber.
Using this method, we will keep our turkey moist without soaking it…
…while also developing a crispy skin on the outside.
Go on…
Do Not Truss That Turkey!
Popular wisdom is that you should truss turkey when smoking it.
I will argue against this even if I receive a barrage of abuse.
A whole turkey consists of both dark and light meat…
…which have different ideal temperatures.
Dark meat should be cooked to 175°F and light breast meat to 165°F.
By trussing the meat, you will expose the breast meat…
…and cook both the light and dark meats at the same temperature.
If we let it lie naturally, then each part will reach its ideal temperature independently.
Don’t Stuff the Turkey
A pellet smoked turkey should not be stuffed like an oven roasted turkey.
Although herbs and rubs are fine, we want to allow…
…as much smoke and air flow as possible.
Choose the Best Wood Pellets
With turkey, mild woods with sweeter notes work best.
Apple, cherry, pecan, or maple all work well.
The wood you select can be blended with oak…
…or hickory to give it a smoky flavor…
…but be careful not to overpower the turkey’s natural flavors.
Avoid Carving
It is best to deconstruct the turkey first…
…then carve each piece individually, contrary to popular belief.
The whole turkey carcass is usually used when cooking turkey…
…which prevents you from getting to all parts of the bird…
…and results in a lot of food waste.
Use A Meat Thermometer
Although all recipes specify a cooking time…
…the truth with meat is that it is only done…
…when it reaches its internal temperature, which is the most important indicator.
In the case of turkey, we want the breast meat to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you plan to pellet smoke meat…
…you should purchase a meat thermometer…
…so that you can gauge the progress safely and accurately.
Our Articles About Smoking A Turkey
Smoking Turkey – 6 Helpful Basic Things You Must Know Before Doing It
Smoking turkey is one of the most delicious methods to prepare it…
…and a smoked turkey is the greatest kind of turkey to offer on Thanksgiving.
Poorly smoked turkeys, on the other hand, are a Thanksgiving nightmare…
…that can put a damper on the festivities.
If you have a barbecue on your deck, you can smoke a turkey at home.
Read the article to find out more about this topic!
How to Smoke a Whole Turkey – 4 Helpful Guide To Make Delicious Turkey!
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without a turkey.
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!
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.
I’m confident you’ll enjoy this recipe whether it’s for Thanksgiving or “just because.”
Read the article to find out more about this topic!
Smoked Turkey Leg – Make This Disney Style Food with 4 Easy Steps
That’s right, we’re preparing…
…a Disney-style smoked turkey leg knockoff today.
When you’re going through the park and you pass that car…
… filled to the brim with delicious turkey aromas…
…you know what I’m talking about.
You can now enjoy them at home!
Before we go any further, keep in mind that these turkey legs…
…are not the same as if you smoked turkey leg.
No, they must first be cured using a curing salt…
This is what gives them their distinctive pink color, which resembles ham…
Some people even claim that the turkey legs taste like ham…
This is most likely due to the leg’s lovely, consistent saltiness…
And if you’ve never been to Disneyland or tasted the glory…
…that is a Disney smoked turkey leg, you should try this dish right away.
Sum Up!
We summarized the basics of preparing your turkey, brining it…
…and adding seasoning before smoking it…
…on a pellet grill in this guide on how to smoke a turkey.
It depends on the size of your turkey as to how long it takes to smoke…
…and you need to carefully monitor the temperature…
…to ensure the turkey is fully smoked.
Conclusion
The pellet grill is also a great way to prepare tasty smoked turkey at home.
Share the great flavor of turkey and smoke with your family.
We hope you will learn how to smoke a turkey on a pellet grill after reading our article!
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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.
