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 becoming an increasingly popular alternative to roasting. The smoking process infuses the meat with delicious smoky flavor while keeping it tender and juicy But do you need to brine a turkey before smoking it? The short answer is no, brining is not required
What is Brining and Why Do It?
Brining involves soaking meat in a saltwater solution before cooking. The salt helpsseason and tenderize the meat, while the water keeps it moist and juicy. Brining is commonly used for large cuts of meat like turkey and pork roasts.
When you brine poultry, the saltwater solution gets absorbed into the meat. This allows it to retain more moisture and prevents the meat from drying out during extended cooking times. The salt also breaks down some of the muscle fibers, making the meat more tender.
So brining is useful for ensuring a juicy,flavorful turkey when roasting or grilling using high dry heat But what about smoking, which uses low moist heat?
Do You Need to Brine Before Smoking a Turkey?
The moist, gentle heat of smoking means you don’t really need to brine a turkey before smoking it. The low temperature allows the meat to cook slowly while retaining its natural juices. Smoking uses indirect heat and keeps the turkey moist with constant exposure to smoke and water vapor.
So while brining does make the meat more seasoned and tender, it’s not required for keeping a smoked turkey juicy. The smoking process itself provides enough moisture.
Brining would also make the skin soggy and prevent it from getting crispy in the smoker. Since crispy smoked turkey skin is one of the best parts, you’re better off skipping the brine.
How to Prepare a Turkey for Smoking
Here are some tips for preparing turkey for the smoker without brining:
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Dry brine – Rubbing the turkey with salt, sugar, and spices provides flavor without soggy skin. Let it sit overnight before smoking.
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Inject flavor – Injecting the turkey breast and thighs with a flavorful marinade adds moisture.
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Stuff aromatics – Placing lemons, onions, garlic, and herbs in the cavity imparts flavor.
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Coat with oil – Brush oil on the skin to help crisping. Try adding aromatics to the oil.
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Season generously – Coat the turkey inside and out with your favorite seasoning rub or herb blend.
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Cook slow and low – Maintain a temperature between 225°F and 250°F for best results.
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Use a water pan – Having a pan of water in the smoker provides extra moisture.
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Let it rest – Allow the smoked turkey to rest 20-30 minutes before carving for juicy meat.
Tips for Delicious Smoked Turkey
Follow these tips for smoking a flavorful, moist turkey without brining:
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Choose a smaller 12-15 lb turkey – Larger birds are harder to cook evenly.
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Smoke with fruit wood like apple, cherry, or pecan for mild sweetness.
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Maintain an even temperature – Don’t let it spike or drop too much.
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Use a digital thermometer with a probe – Monitor the breast and thigh meat.
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Allow 11⁄2 to 2 hours per pound at 225-250°F. A 15 lb turkey takes about 18-24 hours.
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Wet brine is not required, but you can dry brine up to 24 hours for more flavor.
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Injecting the breast and thighs adds moisture and flavor to the lean white meat.
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Let the turkey rest before carving – The juices redistribute as it rests.
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Carve across the grain for tender slices. Serve any collected juices.
Why Smoke a Turkey?
There are several advantages to smoking a turkey rather than roasting:
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Infuses incredible smoky flavor throughout the meat.
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Skin gets beautifully crispy from the smoke.
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Meat stays very moist and tender.
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Requires minimal preparation compared to brining.
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Frees up oven space if cooking multiple dishes.
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Impressive, unique alternative to roasted turkey.
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Leftovers make amazing sandwiches and snacks.
So go ahead and throw a turkey in your smoker this holiday season. With the right techniques, you don’t need to brine before smoking a turkey to get incredible results. The low, slow smoking method ensures a juicy bird full of wood-fired flavor. Ditch the brine and enjoy the smoky goodness!
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.
How to Plate A Thanksgiving Turkey
Here is an easy way to plate a Thanksgiving turkey. Line the edges of a large platter with a mixture of fresh or dried herbs. I used two varieties of sage, thyme, and rosemary, the same herbs I used to stuff the turkey.
Next, I placed a smaller plate in the center. Make sure its large enough to accommodate the size of your turkey. Finally, add a pop of color. I added dehydrated oranges and dried lemon slices. If serving this Traeger smoked Turkey for Christmas, you can add pine fronds, dried bay leaves, and cranberries.
Not sure how to carve your turkey, heres a How to Carve A Turkey Guide with video and step-by-step instructions.
If youre looking for side dish ideas to serve with your Traeger turkey, Ive got your back! This beautiful Thanksgiving fruit salad is a real show-stopper! If youre feeling a little naughty, this Chipotle Smoked Mac and Cheese is creamy, smoky and oh so comforting! Another great option is these Easy Scalloped Potatoes start off in an Instant pot and finish off in the oven. Or try this easy and delicious sausage stuffing for a more classic Thanksgiving side!
The size of the turkey will depend on the number of guests. You should plan for 1 to 1-½ lbs of turkey per guest. Remember that some of that weight accounts for the bones, neck, and giblets (gizzards, liver, and heart). If you have more than 10 guests, consider smoking another turkey or a turkey breast.
Apple, maple, cherry, pecan, oak, and hickory are all great options for smoking a turkey on a pellet grill.
Although there are many brined turkey recipes out there, I prefer to skip this step. Instead, I inject the turkey with butter, which makes it really tender. Smoking the turkey at a lower temperature and basting it further ensures that the turkey remains tender and juicy.
In order for the smoke to penetrate the turkey, it should not be covered with aluminum foil. However, the turkey can be loosely tented with foil as it rests.
Ensure the skin is coated with ample oil, butter, or pan juices then smoke the turkey until the internal breast temperature reaches 150°F. Turn the grills temperature up to 400°F and continue to smoke the turkey until the breast temperature registers at 165°F.
Plan on smoking your turkey for approximately 30 to 40 minutes per pound.
It will take approximately 7-8 hours to smoke a 15-pound turkey. Keep in mind this number can fluctuate based on the outside temperature and how many times the lid is lifted.
Meat Church : How to Brine and Smoke a Turkey
FAQ
Should you brine turkey before smoking it?
What happens if you don’t brine a turkey?
Is it absolutely necessary to brine turkey?
Is it better to smoke a turkey wet brine or dry brine?
Should you brine a Turkey before smoking?
Typically, you would let the turkey sit for around 12 hours prior to smoking. However, some experts advise against brining turkey, arguing that it ruins the bird’s natural flavor. Instead of brining your turkey, you may want to consider injecting it, especially if you’re smoking it.
Is it dangerous to quit vaping nicotine cold turkey?
Quitting vaping nicotine ‘cold turkey’ is not dangerous, but it can be very unpleasant. This is because nicotine alters the way your brain functions such that your body feels dependent on it. Some of the unpleasant side effects of quitting abruptly are tremors, headaches, and nausea. These side effects can make it very hard to quit and often cause people to relapse. Fortunately, these unpleasant side effects can be partially or completely avoided by gradually cutting down your use instead of quitting abruptly. Your primary care physician can help you design a plan to quit vaping nicotine.
How do you brine a smoked turkey?
Wet brine. For my smoked turkey, I like to use a wet brine, in which the turkey is marinated in the chilled brine before cooking, with the salt mixture suspended in liquid. You can add extra flavor to your meat in a wet brine by adding herbs, spices, and other flavorful liquids.
Can You brine a Turkey?
Carefully submerge your turkey in the brine, ensuring it’s fully covered. Cover the container and refrigerate for two days before smoking or roasting. Editor’s Notes: Use canning or kosher salt, not table salt, to avoid making the brine too salty.