When it comes to the holiday season, we all know turkey is the undisputed king. Nothing beats a huge bird surrounded by all the trimmings on Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving is practically meaningless without the nation’s most iconic game bird. Cook your turkey to perfection, and you’re going to have a house full of happy people — and if you want perfection, you’ve got to smoke it.
There are plenty of ways to cook a turkey, and a lot of us grew up with over-roasted birds. There’s nothing wrong with roasting. The best roast turkeys are gorgeous to behold with delicious, crispy skin. But we think it’s about time you broke tradition because smoked turkey is the stuff of holiday feast legend.
Theres no single way to make “smoked turkey.” The overall goal is to get natural smoke flavor, and there are lots of ways to get there.
In this guide, well take you through a few of the different methods so you can choose the one thats right for you.
If you’re ready to join the revolution but are worried Traegering a turkey could be tricky, don’t panic. Not only does smoking produce an incredible bird, it’s also a whole lot easier than roasting. After you do all your prep, smoked turkey is pretty much fool-proof. Just follow our comprehensive guide, and we promise this Thanksgiving will be one for the history books.
Before we get into how long to smoke a turkey or the type of brine you’ll want to use, we have to start with how to choose the right turkey for your big day.
The size of turkey you’ll need to smoke depends on the number of guests. The general rule of thumb for buying turkey is 1 1/2 lbs. per person.
But be warned if youre feeding a big group. Before you go running out to find the biggest turkey you can find we recommend sticking with one that weighs 16 pounds or less. Why? Nearly all the birds you can find that weigh more than 16 pounds are bound to be male turkeys, and male turkeys are not as tender as females. If you cook a large male bird, your meat will be a little bit tougher.
That’s why if you’re cooking for a large holiday crowd, smoking multiple smaller turkeys or adding a bone-in turkey breast to supplement your whole bird is the way forward. It will also take less time to smoke smaller birds.
In addition to turkey size, you should also be wary of bird quality. When you’re in the meat aisle, do yourself a favor and avoid any labels with words like “enhanced” or “basted.” If you buy a turkey that’s already had its flavor tinkered with, you’ll be signing away control of your flavor profile. You’ll also probably be paying extra for water weight and not getting as much meat as you’re expecting.
Finally, always buy fresh. If you’re cooking for Thanksgiving or Christmas, you’ll need to be on your A-game. A lot of stores don’t stock these birds in great numbers until the week before a holiday, although you can typically place an order for a fresh turkey in advance. Ideally, buy your turkey no more than four or five days before you’re planning to smoke it.
Fresh turkey not an option? It’s not a crime to buy frozen. You’re just going to need to commit more time to the cause. It normally takes 24 hours to thaw for every 5 pounds of turkey, so if you have a 16-pound turkey, we could be talking about three days of thaw time.
After choosing the right turkey, you need to get your brine ready. Brine is the foundation of every legendary turkey. It’s what preps your meat to be smoked, and locks all of those zesty, earthy flavors into your turkey meat.
It’s all a matter of salt concentration. The salts in your brine trigger a mouth-watering chemical reaction enabling the liquid to infiltrate the cells of your meat. After your brine liquid has entered the meat cells, the salt prevents it from escaping — which means whatever flavors you’ve used will be slowly intertwined with the meat inside your bird.
We recommend you brine your bird for 24 hours. If you’re low on time, even an hour or two in a brine bath is better than nothing. You can also inject brine directly into your turkey prior to smoking.
First, you need some sort of liquid, and if you’re going for a classic savory flavor, you can’t go wrong with plain water, beer, or stock. If you’re looking for something sweeter, add a few cups of vinegar, juice or wine. Our maple-brined turkey recipe even includes a hearty glug of bourbon. It all depends on your palate.
Next, you need salt. You’ll typically want to add half a cup of salt for every gallon of liquid used.
Finally, you need to add your herbs and spices. A lot of recipes will call for celery, carrots, onions, and other typical bird accompaniments like sage. Add all these ingredients together on medium-high heat until your salt dissolves, and then let cool. Make sure your brine is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit before you add it to the turkey.
If you’d like to skip this step and save time, or just want to take advantage of some tried-and-tested flavor combinations, it’s worth checking out our orange brine and turkey rub kit.
Many store-bought turkeys come with giblets — the liver, heart, gizzard, and neck of the animal. Usually, the giblets are in a paper bag in the turkey cavity. You can use the giblets to add flavor and texture to homemade turkey gravy.
If you arent planning to use the giblets, you still need to remove them. Leaving them in during smoking will increase cooking time and could give an off-smell to the final product.
After your turkey is done resting, most recipes will call for some sort of rub. A good poultry rub enhances the natural flavor of the meat and introduces an appetizing color to the skin.
Trussing a turkey means securing the legs close to the body of the bird. Some store-bought turkeys come with a built-in plastic truss. You can also use kitchen twine to tie the ends of the legs together.
The point of trussing is to make the surface of the bird a more regular shape. Sometimes, this can prevent hotspots on certain parts of the bird, which could dry out the meat.
Should you smoke a turkey with stuffing inside? Traeger BBQ experts say you can, and this is a popular method. Youll put the stuffing into the cavity of the turkey during the preparation process. As the turkey cooks, the stuffing does too.
As your bird cooks, it sheds delicious bits of fat and flavor to the bottom of the cooking surface. You can incorporate turkey drippings into your turkey gravy. Once the turkey is done cooking, remove the bird and strain the remaining liquid into a container. Add the strained drippings into your gravy.
How Long to Smoke a Turkey on a Traeger Pellet Grill
Smoking a turkey on a Traeger pellet grill results in a tender, juicy and flavorful bird that is sure to be the star of your holiday table However, smoking times can vary considerably based on the size of your turkey and whether or not you brine it first This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to smoke a turkey to perfection on your Traeger.
Factors That Affect Smoke Time
There are a few key factors that will determine the total smoke time for your turkey:
- Size of the turkey – Smaller birds cook faster. A 12 lb turkey may only need 3-4 hours while a 20 lb turkey can take 5 hours or more.
- Brined or unbrined – Brining keeps the turkey moist and well-seasoned, but also increases cooking time.
- Stuffed or unstuffed – Stuffing adds mass and insulation, slowing the cook. An unstuffed turkey will cook 30-45 mins faster.
- Pellet grill model – Some Traeger models run hotter than others. Check your manual for temp calibration.
- Outdoor temp – Cold weather increases smoke time. Cooks faster above 50°F ambient temp.
- Altitude – Higher elevations require longer cook times. Add 5% per 1000 feet above 2000 ft.
Recommended Internal Temperatures
- Breast: 160-165°F
- Thigh: 175°F
- Stuffing: 165°F
Use a good digital meat thermometer and check temps in multiple areas. Cook until thighs and stuffing reach target temps. Let rest 15 minutes before carving.
How Long to Smoke an Unbrined Turkey
Here are general smoke times for unbrined whole turkeys:
- 12-14 lbs: 3-4 hours
- 15-18 lbs: 4-5 hours
- 20-24 lbs: 5-6 hours
Double check with a meat thermometer before removing from grill. Cook to minimum 165°F in breast and 175°F in thighs.
For best flavor, use a savory poultry seasoning rub and smoke with a fruit wood like cherry or apple. Hickory and pecan also pair well with poultry.
How Long to Smoke a Brined Turkey
Brining adds moisture, seasoning and up to 30% weight through retained water. This increases overall cook time. Here are smoke times for brined birds:
- 12-14 lb turkey: 4-5 hours
- 15-18 lbs: 5-6 hours
- 20-24 lbs: 6-7 hours
Make sure brined birds reach 165°F minimum in the breast before removing from the grill. Juices should run clear when thighs are pierced.
Apple, cherry, pecan and hickory woods complement brined turkeys. Try adding aromatic herbs like rosemary, sage and thyme to the brine or use a bold poultry seasoning blend.
Key Tips for Smoking Turkey on a Traeger
Here are some top tips to ensure smoked turkey success:
- Thaw frozen turkey in the fridge 1-2 days before smoking. Never thaw at room temp.
- Rinse turkey and pat dry. Apply seasoning rub generously over and under the skin.
- Use a disposable foil pan to catch drippings. Add water or stock for moisture.
- Insert one probe thermometer into breast, a second into the thigh. Monitor temps.
- Smoke at 225-275°F using turkey, apple, pecan or cherry pellets for best flavor.
- Let turkey rest 15-20 minutes before carving for juicier meat. Slice across the grain.
- Use the drippings to make a flavorful gravy or sauce to complement the smoked turkey.
With the right prep and smoke time, you can enjoy incredibly moist, tender and delicious smoked turkey off your Traeger grill. Monitor the temperatures and estimate 4-7 hours for a whole turkey, depending on size and brining. Rest adequately before carving. Smoked turkey also makes amazing sandwiches and casseroles with the leftovers!
Turkey Times and Temperatures
The biggest mistake people make when smoking a turkey? Our experts say it’s not planning enough time to cook. You should plan for an hour a pound but always gauge doneness by internal temperature. For poultry, 165 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended. Internal temp is how you’ll ultimately be able to be sure your turkey is smoking evenly. The best way to keep track of your internal temperature is with a MEATER wireless meat thermometer
Pellet grills are ideal for an even cook because they’re built to circulate hot air throughout. That means all you have to do is check the thickest part of the breast with a temperature probe and ensure the meat is up to 165. When your breast reaches this temperature, the thighs should be around 180 degrees.
How you get there is up to you. Here are four popular methods of cooking Thanksgiving turkey.
How to Smoke a Turkey on a Pellet Grill
Now that we’ve walked you through turkey selection and brining, it’s time to get smoking. Ideally, you’re going to want to smoke your turkey on a wood pellet grill. That’s because a pellet grill offers both fool-proof temperature control and also infuses your meats with those mouth-watering hardwood flavors that people are going to drool over.
How To Smoke A Turkey On A Traeger Pellet Grill – FULL STEP-BY-STEP
FAQ
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