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Every year at Thanksgiving, it’s the same: People who normally cook for two to four find themselves preparing a feast for a crowd. It’s not as easy as it sounds, especially for new cooks taking on the turkey cooking challenge for the first time. It’s a little unfair, actually; you’re not only expected to cook a massive 16-pound main dish, but there are all those side dishes and desserts, too. Talk about pressure!
I started thinking there had to be a better way to get it all done and still produce a tasty meal that would (hopefully) impress my family. After spending all summer working with the Big Green Egg, the wheels in my head started turning: What about a smoked turkey? Everything I’d cooked on my new favorite kamado grill tasted fantastic, and it sounded like a real hands-off way to cook a turkey. Plus, it would free up the oven to make roasted vegetables and all my favorite Thanksgiving casseroles, seriously reducing my stress levels on the big day.
To make sure I could pull off this alternative way to cook a turkey, I put the Big Green Egg to the test. I picked up a couple of cups of hickory wood chips, took a few days to thaw the turkey in the refrigerator, and whipped up my favorite dry brine. How did it turn out? Good enough that I might smoke two next time so I end up with leftovers.
Smoking a turkey on a Big Green Egg is one of the best ways to cook a moist flavorful bird for your next holiday feast. With the Egg’s versatile indirect cooking and precise temperature control you can infuse your turkey with delicious smoky flavor while ensuring it cooks evenly and turns out juicy.
Follow these simple steps for smoking turkey success on your Big Green Egg
Choose the Right Size Turkey
When selecting a turkey to smoke on the Egg, smaller is better. Larger birds can be difficult to fit on the grill and may take too long to fully cook through. Stick to turkeys under 16 pounds for the best results. A 12-14 pound turkey is ideal.
For reference, here are the recommended maximum turkey sizes for each EGG model:
- Small – 10 pounds
- Medium – 14 pounds
- Large – 16 pounds
- XL & XXL – 20 pounds
This helps ensure proper air flow and even cooking.
Prep the Turkey
Start prepping the turkey a day ahead. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavities. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Let the turkey air dry uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours.
This allows the skin to dry out which helps it get crispy when smoked. Rubbing a little kosher salt under and on the skin further dries it and seasons the meat.
Set Up the EGG
Assemble the EGG with the convEGGtor for indirect smoking. Add your favorite smoking wood chunks, like apple, cherry, hickory or mesquite. Aim for 3-4 chunks on a fire about the size of a half chimney starter of charcoal.
Set the temperature for 250°F using the built-in thermometer. Once preheated, add a drip pan with a little water or apple juice under the cooking grate to catch drippings.
Prep the Turkey for Smoking
Coat the turkey in olive oil and generously season all over with a dry rub of salt, pepper and herbs. Get the rub under the skin too.
Some tasty options are Big Green Egg Sweet & Smoky or Poultry Perfection rubs. Insert herb butter under the skin and place halves of onion, apple and lemon in the cavities along with sprigs of fresh thyme and sage.
Smoke the Turkey
Carefully place the turkey breast-side up on the cooking grate, over the drip pan. Close the dome and smoke until the breast meat reaches 165°F and the thighs reach 175°F, about 3-4 hours.
Maintaining an even temperature of 250°F ensures the turkey cooks slowly while absorbing maximum smoke flavor.
Spritz the turkey with apple juice or cider every 45-60 minutes to keep the skin moist. Add a few more wood chunks if needed to generate more smoke.
Rotate the turkey halfway through for even cooking but there’s no need to flip it over. The indirect heat circulates around the turkey to cook it evenly.
Let It Rest
When the turkey reaches the target temperatures, remove it from the EGG. Tent loosely with foil and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.
This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat for better moisture. The internal temperature will rise about 10 degrees during resting time.
Crisp Up the Skin
For extra crisp skin, put the turkey back on the EGG over direct high heat for a few minutes after resting. Watch closely to avoid burning.
You can also crisp the skin under the broiler for 5-10 minutes. The drippings in the pan can be used to make a flavorful gravy or sauce.
Carve and Serve
To carve the turkey, start by removing the legs and thighs. Then slice the breast meat, being careful to slice against the grain.
Arrange the smoked turkey on a platter with your favorite side dishes. Smoked turkey is fantastic in sandwiches and soups too.
Turkey Smoking Tips
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Injecting the turkey with a salt brine solution adds moisture and seasoned flavor throughout the meat.
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Cook to the minimum safe temperature of 165°F. Overcooking leads to dry turkey.
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Use a leave-in meat probe thermometer for best temperature monitoring.
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The flat side of the turkey breast browns better so position that side up.
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Add a water pan under the turkey to boost moisture and catch drippings.
Get Creative with Flavor
The versatility of the Big Green Egg allows you to vary the smoke flavors and preparation methods. Here are some ideas:
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Brine the turkey in apple cider and spices overnight before smoking.
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Rub the turkey with barbecue sauce or paste before applying the dry seasoning rub.
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Stuff the cavity with smoked sausage and sage dressing.
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Use unique wood chunks like pecan, grapevines or maple.
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Inject Cajun butter marinade into the turkey breast and thighs.
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Coat the turkey with dry ranch dressing mix, black pepper and thyme.
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Serve with a variety of barbecue sauces like apricot-jalapeno or molasses for dipping.
With the Big Green Egg’s precise temperature control, you can masterfully smoke a turkey with juicy meat and crispy skin. Experiment with different wood smoke flavors, rubs and techniques until you create your family’s favorite.
Step 3: Fire up the smoker
Get your smoker to the desired temperature before adding your turkey.
When your wood chips are ready, it’s time to fire up the smoker. No matter what type of smoker you’re using, make sure you have enough propane, wood pellets, or charcoal to last three to five hours. Or, if you’re working with an electric smoker, an extension cord long enough to make it happen!
In our case, we added lump charcoal to the Big Green Egg and layered the soaked wood chips throughout the coal bed. After using a few starter cubes to get the coals started, we waited until they were hot with a layer of ash over the top. Then, we added the ConvEGGtor to turn the Egg into an indirect-heat smoker, closed the lid, and adjusted the bottom vent to allow just enough air into the grill to maintain a 325°F temperature.
How to smoke a turkey step-by-step
I prefer dry brines to wet brines—theyre much less messy and just as effective.
The best way to keep your turkey juicy and moist as it cooks is to brine it. Most recipes use a wet brine (you know, the kind that involves submerging a whole turkey in a salt-and-water solution). This type of brining is such a hassle, so I switched to a dry brine technique a few years ago, and life has never been easier.
Start by placing the turkey in a roasting pan and rub it down with the baking powder and salt mixture. While the baking powder might seem like a weird ingredient, it helps to break down the proteins in the turkey skin so it crisps up and browns while it cooks. Keep in mind that you may not need all the salt mixture, either; just use however much adheres to the outside of the turkey.
Put the salted turkey in the refrigerator, uncovered, and let it marinate for 12 to 24 hours. You can go longer than that if you like, too, but you’ll want to cover it lightly with plastic wrap if you’re brining for longer than 48 hours to prevent the skin from drying out. When you’re ready to cook the bird, there’s no need to rinse off the brine. You can rub the skin with oil and herbs, if you like, but I usually just toss it straight into the smoker, and it tastes great.
Smoked Turkey on Big Green Egg | How To Smoke A Turkey BGE with Malcom Reed HowToBBQRight
FAQ
How long does it take to smoke a turkey in the green egg?
How long does it take to smoke a turkey at 225 degrees?
What is the best wood for smoking a turkey Big Green Egg?
Is it better to smoke a turkey breast at 225 or 250?
How do you smoke a Turkey on a big green egg?
When ready to smoke, soak your wood chips and preheat the EGG to 325°F. Remove the turkey from the brine, pat dry, stuff the cavity with lemon and herbs, and smoke the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Did you make this recipe? How Long Does it Take to Smoke Turkey on a Big Green Egg?
Can you smoke a Turkey on an egg?
The key to smoking turkey on the Egg is to use your Conveggtor also known as the place setter. You don’t have to technically keep it at 250 for smoking as you will still get smoked flavor if you crank the turkey up to 325 which means you will be smoke roasting the turkey which will still give you all the glorious smoke flavor in your turkey.
Can you roast a Turkey on a big green egg?
If you don’t feel like dealing with hot oil splattering everywhere and have a bit more time on your hands, though, smoke – roasting your turkey on the Big Green Egg is the best way to do a turkey and it is much easier than you may think.
How do you cook a big green egg?
Generously coat the turkey breast with the dry rub, ensuring all sides are well-seasoned. Let the turkey sit at room temperature while you prepare the smoker. Prepare your Big Green Egg for indirect cooking at 250°F (121°C). Add fruitwood chunks to the charcoal for that irresistible smoky flavor.