If youre looking for a new way to cook your Thanksgiving turkey this year, give this Traeger Smoked Turkey Recipe a try! Its tender, smokey, and easy to prepare! But if you have a smaller gathering, try my Traeger smoked turkey breast recipe instead!
When you smoke a turkey on a pellet grill, low and slow, then finish it at a higher temperature you get a turkey with juicy breast meat, crispy skin, and an amazing smokey flavor![feast_advanced_jump_to]
Smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving or other holidays is a great way to infuse delicious smoky flavor into the bird But should you brine the turkey first before popping it into the smoker? There’s some debate on whether brining is necessary or impacts the final smoked turkey Here’s what you need to know about brining and smoking turkey.
What is Brining and Why Do It?
Brining involves soaking meat or poultry in a saltwater solution for hours before cooking The saltwater mixture often contains salt, sugar, herbs and spices
The purpose of brining is to help keep the turkey moist and tender. The salt in the brine seasons the meat and draws moisture into the cells through osmosis. This ensures the cells stay plump and juicy even after exposed to heat during smoking. The sugars and flavors from aromatics also get drawn into the meat.
So brining aims to:
- Keep the turkey moist and juicy
- Make the meat tender
- Infuse flavor
These effects can be especially helpful when smoking turkey, as the prolonged exposure to heat can lead to drying out.
Does Brining Change the Skin Crispiness?
One downside of brining is it can make the turkey skin less crispy. This is because the skin soaks up some of the saltwater, keeping it moist rather than dry and crispy.
To get around this, do a dry brine instead of a wet brine. A dry brine involves rubbing salt, sugars and spices directly onto the turkey. This seasons the meat and draws out moisture just like a wet brine. But it doesn’t hydrate the skin, so the skin will get crispy when smoked.
You can also do a short brine of just a few hours rather than overnight. This minimizes moisture absorption while still seasoning the meat.
Does Brining Impact the Smoked Flavor?
Since brining infuses salt and spices into the meat, it can dampen the intensity of the smoked flavor. The flavors from the brine mask some of the subtle smoky notes.
If you want pronounced smoked flavor, it may be best to skip the brine. The drier surface of an unbrined turkey will also absorb smoke better.
However, a light brine with minimal ingredients other than salt won’t drastically change the end smoked flavor. You’ll still taste the lovely smokiness along with added juiciness.
Brining Tips for Smoked Turkey
If you do decide to brine your turkey before smoking, keep these tips in mind:
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Opt for a shorter brine time of 4-6 hours rather than overnight to limit moisture absorption.
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Use a basic brine of just water, salt, brown sugar or honey for flavor without overwhelming the smoke.
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Rinse and thoroughly dry the turkey after brining to help crisp the skin.
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Apply a dry rub under and on top of the skin to season without added moisture.
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Injecting the turkey with a salt and herb solution rather than full brining also minimizes excess moisture.
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Stuff aromatics inside the cavity rather than in the brine to limit dampening of the smoked flavor.
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Let the turkey air dry in the fridge uncovered for 8-12 hours before smoking. This helps form a dry “pellicle” on the surface that readily absorbs smoke.
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Smoke the turkey at a higher temperature (275-300̊F) to help render fat and crisp the skin.
To Brine or Not to Brine?
Whether you should brine a turkey before smoking comes down to personal preference. If your top priority is a super moist and tender turkey, brining is likely worthwhile. The brined turkey will be juicy even if you accidentally oversmoke it.
However, if you want pronounced smoky flavor and crispy skin, you may be better off skipping the brine. You can rely on properly smoking the turkey low and slow to keep it moist.
There’s no clear consensus from smoking experts on whether brining is necessary. It’s an individual choice based on your priorities. Don’t be afraid to test out smoked turkey both ways to see which method you prefer!
Overall, while brining isn’t strictly required, it can provide a little insurance against overcooking. For first-time smokers, brining helps counteract any potential drying from rookie mistakes. Once you become a smoked turkey pro, you can experiment with unbrined for maximum smoke flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions about brining and smoking turkey? Here are some common FAQs:
Does brining make the turkey salty?
It can if you brine for extended periods or use very salty brine solutions. To avoid over-salting, limit brine time to 6 hours or less and use a moderate amount of salt. Thoroughly rinse turkey after brining.
Can I brine a frozen turkey?
Yes, but you’ll need to account for the extra time needed to thaw the turkey while in the brine. Figure 1-2 days thawing time in brine for a 15 lb turkey depending on temperature.
What about injecting vs brining?
Injecting turkey with a salt, herb and butter solution adds flavor while minimizing excess moisture like a brine does. It’s a good compromise if you still want some seasoning.
Should I brine turkey parts instead of whole?
Brining time can be reduced since turkey parts like breasts and legs brine faster. Brine bone-in parts for 4-6 hrs and boneless 2-4 hrs.
How long can a brined turkey be refrigerated?
Brined turkey should be smoked within 1-2 days. The salt in the brine will start to break down the meat if held too long.
Can I grill instead of smoke a brined turkey?
Yes, brining works great for grilled turkey too! It will help keep the lean breast meat juicy and tender on the hot grill.
What To Do With Turkey Leftovers
Here are some great to use up your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. The very first thing I do after Thanksgiving is make a broth with the turkey bones and carcass, which I then use to make my famous Creamy Turkey Soup recipe. If you havent tried it, its a must! I look forward to it all year long.
I also like to use the turkey dinner leftovers to make these adorable Turkey Pot Pies. Of course, there are always turkey sandwiches, but I like to go a step further and make these Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
Finally, you have to try this Healthy Turkey Tetrazzini recipe from Corinne at Wonder Mom Wanna Be. Its a lightened up version of a classic and well-loved dish!
How To Make A Traeger Smoked Turkey
Youll want to start with a completely defrosted turkey. To learn how to safely defrost a frozen turkey, head over to this USDA article with detailed information on how to defrost a turkey. Spoiler alert, dont use the dishwasher! I didnt know people actually did that.
Step 1 | Prep Turkey
Begin by removing the turkey gizzards and heart from the neck cavity. Next, pull the neck and gravy bag (if included) from the body cavity. Rinse turkey in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Truss the legs with twine, if the legs are not secured by the extra flap of skin.
Pro Tip: Dont toss the giblets, use them to make giblet gravy.
Step 2 | Prepare Marinade & Inject Turkey
Reserve 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil for the wet rub. Add the rest of the butter to a small bowl, cover it with a paper towel, and microwave for 30 seconds. Pour oil, and the remaining marinade injection ingredients into the bowl and whisk until combined. Using a Marinade Injecting Syringe, inject the marinade into the turkey breast and thighs.
Pro Tip: When injecting the turkey, stick the injector into the breast then move it around to distribute the melted butter throughout the muscle fibers (see recipe video). If theres any injection marinade left, stir it into the wet rub.
Step 3 | Prepare Wet Rub & Season Turkey
In another bowl, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter then add the reserved 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir the turkey-rub spices into the marinade to make a paste. Work the paste into the turkey skin and cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey then loosely stuff the cavity with the aromatics.
Step 4 | Smoke Turkey (Preheat your Traeger Grill to 225°F.)
To allow the smoke to circulate around the turkey, place a small rack into a disposable aluminum pan. Carefully transfer the prepped turkey into the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan onto the grill grate and stick the temperature probe into the thickest part of the turkey breast. Set the probe temperature to 150°F and use Super Smoke, if you have that option.
Pro Tip: If the wet rub is clumpy, use a silicone brush to gently distribute it all over the turkey.
Step 5 | Adjust the Temperature
When two hours have elapsed, turn the grill temperature up to 250°F. Continue smoking the turkey until the breast temp comes to 150°F (my 10 lb turkey took 4 hours). Turn the smokers temperature up to 350°F and the probe temperature to 165°F.
Pro Tip: When smoking a turkey, always rely on the probe temperature to know when the turkey is ready rather than a specific amount of time.
Step 5 | Continue to Smoke & Baste Turkey
When enough turkey drippings have accumulated in the bottom of the pan, use them to baste the turkey. Continue to smoke the turkey until the breast temperature reaches 165°F and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the innermost part of the thigh reaches 180°F.
Pro Tip: If there arent enough turkey drippings to use a turkey baster, brush the juices on instead.
Step 6 | Rest Smoked Turkey
Remove the turkey from the smoker and begin the shutdown process. Tent the turkey with foil and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes before carving it.
Pro Tip: The resting period will allow the juices to redistribute through the muscle fibers. This will keep the turkey juices from seeping out when you slice into the turkey.
Pro Tip: Notice how moving the needle around while injecting the turkey breast distributes the marinade throughout the breast meat.