Smoking is an excellent way to impart some serious flavor into the meat and an excellent cooking technique to cook a large bird like a turkey without drying it out.
Of course, the first choice you need to make when smoking a turkey is the kind of turkey you plan to use. However, coming in a close second is the kind of wood you’ll be using and what flavor you want it to impart.
Now personally, we prefer cherry wood with a touch of hickory for that mixture of sweet-smokiness and rich color.
However, what wood you use will depend on your personal taste, so we’ll be laying out all the options for you to choose from, rather than insisting on one right choice.
Smoking a turkey is a fantastic way to add delicious flavor and moisture to this lean meat. However, choosing the right wood is crucial for achieving the perfect smoked turkey. The wood you use impacts the flavor, smoke level, and even the appearance of the turkey.
After smoking many turkeys over the years, I’ve found that fruit and nut woods like cherry apple pecan, and alder produce the best results. Woods like hickory, oak, and mesquite are too strong and can make the turkey taste bitter. Let’s take a closer look at the best woods for smoking turkey
Cherry Wood
Cherry is my number one choice for smoking turkey. It adds a subtle sweet and fruity flavor that beautifully complements the turkey. Cherry wood also gives the turkey a gorgeous mahogany color that just screams “Thanksgiving!”
I like to use a blend of cherry and apple or pecan wood. This provides a nice balance of sweetness and nuttiness. You can also mix in a small amount of oak for deeper flavor. But avoid too much oak, or it will overwhelm the turkey.
Apple Wood
Apple wood is another fantastic choice for smoking poultry. It has a very mild, sweet and fruity smoke flavor that won’t overpower the turkey. Apple also gives a nice golden brown color to the skin.
I recommend apple wood for beginner smokers. It’s harder to mess up turkey with the delicate apple smoke. Mixing apple and cherry is a legendary combo that’s sure to please any crowd.
Pecan Wood
Pecan imparts a delicious nutty flavor that goes great with turkey. Since pecan is in the hickory family, it does have a bolder smoke taste than fruit woods. A little pecan wood can add richness but too much will make the turkey bitter.
I suggest mixing pecan with cherry or apple wood to balance the nuttiness. This gives a wonderful blend of sweet and savory flavors.
Alder Wood
Alder isn’t a traditional turkey smoking wood, but it can produce amazing results. The smoke is much lighter than fruit or nut woods, making alder a great choice if you want the turkey flavor to shine. Alder also burns slowly at a lower temperature, which is perfect for delicately smoking turkey.
Maple Wood
Maple smoke has a light, sweet, almost saccharine flavor. If you want a gorgeous golden turkey with a hint of sweetness, maple is a stellar choice. The only downside is that maple is very mild, so if you want more flavor, blend it with cherry, apple, or pecan.
Woods to Avoid
Stay away from pungent woods like hickory, oak, and mesquite for smoking turkey. Their strong bold flavors will completely overwhelm the delicate white meat. A little oak can work if mixed with fruit woods, but I’d avoid hickory and mesquite altogether.
Best Blends for Smoking Turkey
Here are some of my favorite wood blends for the perfect smoked turkey:
- Cherry + Apple: Classic sweet fruit wood combo
- Cherry + Pecan: Fruity and nutty goodness
- Apple + Maple: Mild and sweet
- Cherry + Oak: Sweet with deeper smoke flavor
- Apple + Alder: Let the turkey flavor shine
Experiment with different wood combinations to find your ideal blend. The key is balance – you want just enough smoke flavor without overpowering the turkey.
Wood Prep and Usage Tips
- For charcoal smokers, use wood chunks around 2-3 inches for long, steady smoke.
- For electric or gas smokers, opt for wood chips to generate smoke. Soak chips in water for 30 minutes before using.
- If using a pellet grill or smoker, you can buy blended turkey-friendly wood pellets.
- Avoid direct contact between wood and turkey. This can create an unpleasant sooty flavor.
- For whole turkeys, smoke with indirect heat at 225-250°F for about 1 hour per 4 lbs.
- For breasts, smoke at 225-250°F until the internal temperature reaches 160-165°F.
- For the best results, brine or dry brine the turkey before smoking. This locks in moisture and seasoning.
Smoking Turkey on Different Grill Types
You can smoke a turkey on most types of grills and smokers:
Charcoal Grill: Set up for indirect cooking and use wood chunks for smoke flavor. Add lit coals to maintain temperature.
Kettle Grill: Arrange coals on one side and use wood chunks. Place turkey on the opposite side. Add fresh coals and wood as needed.
Electric Smoker: Use wood chips and an external smoke box if needed. Set to225-250°F.
Propane Smoker: Same as electric, use wood chips for smoke and keep temps low.
Pellet Grill: Ideal for smoking turkey! Select a turkey-friendly pellet blend and set to 225-250°F.
Ceramic Grill: Use indirect heat and wood chunks. Maintain steady low temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Should you brine a smoked turkey?
Yes, brining is highly recommended as it makes the turkey extra moist and seasoned. Soak in saltwater brine for 12-24 hours before smoking.
2. How long does it take to smoke a turkey?
Allow about 1 hour of smoking time per 4 lbs of turkey at 225-250°F. So a 16 lb turkey will take around 4 hours.
3. What temperature do you smoke a turkey at?
Aim for 225-250°F when smoking turkey. This low and slow method lets the smoke fully penetrate without drying out the lean meat.
4. Is it safe to smoke a turkey?
Yes, smoking turkey is safe when you follow proper food safety guidelines. Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F as measured in the thickest part of the thigh.
5. How do you keep turkey moist when smoking?
Brining is the best method. You can also frequently baste the turkey, smoke at a low temperature, and tent with foil to help retain moisture. Avoid overcooking.
The Perfect Wood for Unforgettable Smoked Turkey
Skip the stuffing
If you don’t plan on spatchcocking your turkey, don’t stuff your bird. The stuffing will insulate the center of the bird, making it cook unevenly. This will result in your breasts drying out.
You’ll get better results from making your stuffing in the oven and serving it alongside your evenly smoked turkey.
Are wood chips or wood pellets better for smoking turkey?
Choosing wood chips or pellets, or even logs or chunks, comes down to what smoker you have.
As you might expect, pellets work best in a pellet smoker, although they do work perfectly well in an electric smoker as long as they don’t fall through the holes in the wood tray.
Generally, electric smokers use wood chips, as do charcoal smokers, while the larger wood chunks or logs are used in offset smokers which have a far larger firebox.
While there isn’t much to choose between wood chips or wood pellets, getting the right wood size for your smoker will normally give you the best results.