This smoked turkey recipe is a whole turkey that’s coated in homemade spice rub then slow smoked to tender and juicy perfection. A super easy and impressive holiday main course that won’t take up any oven space!
Looking for something a little different than your standard roasted turkey? This smoked turkey is a unique and show stopping Thanksgiving meal, but it’s simple enough that even a novice cook can produce a beautiful and delicious end result. Serve your turkey with homemade cranberry sauce and watch the rave reviews come in!
I love to make a turkey for the holidays, but I don’t love how it takes up all my oven space for hours and hours on the big day. Instead of roasting my turkey, I’ve started making a smoked turkey and the end result is nothing short of fabulous.
Smoking a large 20 lb turkey may seem daunting, but with some simple guidelines you can have moist, flavorful meat ready for your holiday table. The key factors are maintaining the right temperature and smoking time.
Estimating Smoking Time Based on Weight
A good rule of thumb is to estimate smoking time at 30-35 minutes per pound at 225-250°F, So for a 20 lb turkey
- At 225°F: 30 min/lb x 20 lbs = 600 minutes or 10 hours
- At 250°F: 35 min/lb x 20 lbs = 700 minutes or 11-12 hours
This ensures the turkey reaches a safe internal temperature throughout while also allowing ample time for smoke to permeate the meat.
Monitoring Temperature
While the time estimate provides a starting point a meat thermometer is essential for determining doneness especially for large cuts like a whole turkey. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and thigh, without touching the bone. The target internal temperatures are
- Breast: 165°F
- Thigh: 175°F
The thigh needs to reach a higher temp than the breast since dark meat takes longer to cook. Once the thighs hit 175°F, the whole turkey is safe to eat.
Maintaining a Steady Smoker Temp
Fluctuations in smoker temperature can extend or decrease cooking time. If the temp drops below 225°F, the turkey will take longer to cook through. Conversely, higher heat above 275°F will shorten the cooking time.
Aim to keep the temperature steady between 225-250°F for best results. Use a quality thermometer to monitor it and make air flow adjustments as needed. Adding more charcoal or wood chunks can help increase heat if needed.
Should You Brine the Turkey?
Brining is highly recommended for a juicy smoked turkey. The salt solution helps season the meat while also retaining moisture. Make a basic brine with 1 cup salt per gallon of water. Submerge the thawed turkey and refrigerate 8-12 hours before smoking. Rinse and pat dry before seasoning.
Trussing for Even Cooking
Trussing brings the legs and wings close to the body so they don’t overcook while the breast and thighs finish. Tie legs together with kitchen string and tuck wing tips under body. This helps ensure even cooking.
Smoking Time Guidelines by Temperature
While 10-12 hours is typical for a 20 lb bird at 225-250°F, cooking time can vary based on smoker temp. Here are some general time estimates:
- 225°F: 40-45 minutes per lb (13-15 hours for a 20 lb turkey)
- 250°F: 35-40 minutes per lb (11-13 hours for a 20 lb turkey)
- 275°F: 30-35 minutes per lb (10-12 hours for a 20 lb turkey)
- 300°F: 25-30 minutes per lb (8-10 hours for a 20 lb turkey)
Lower temperature = longer smoking time. Higher temperature = shorter smoking time.
Should You Wrap or Tent the Turkey?
Wrapping or tenting with foil helps retain moisture if the breast meat is cooking faster than the thighs. Check after about 5 hours; if breast temp is at least 150°F, loosely wrap in foil. Continue smoking until thighs reach 175°F.
Allow Carryover Cooking Time
The internal temperature will continue rising 5-10°F after removing from the smoker as residual heat finishes cooking. So pull the turkey when it’s 5-10° below the target temp. For example, remove at 165°F breast and 170°F thigh so it finishes at ideal safe temps.
Use an Accurate Thermometer
Guessing doneness by appearance is never a good idea with large cuts of meat. The only way to truly ensure the turkey has safely reached the recommended internal temperature throughout is using a good digital meat thermometer.
Food Safety Tips
Smoking a turkey safely requires following some basic food safety guidelines:
- Always thaw in the fridge 1-2 days before smoking
- Don’t let raw turkey sit out more than 2 hours; refrigerate until ready to smoke
- Use separate cutting boards/utensils for raw turkey to avoid cross-contamination
- Wash hands, surfaces, tools that touch raw turkey thoroughly before and after use
- Cook to minimum safe internal temperatures measured with a food thermometer
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking; use within 3-4 days
Additional Smoking Tips
- Injecting the turkey with a salt and sugar brine adds extra moisture and seasoning
- Rubbing butter under the skin gives great flavor
- Season the turkey inside and out for maximum flavor
- Use wood chips like apple, cherry or pecan for mild, fruity smoke flavor
- Let the turkey rest 20-30 minutes before carving for juicy meat
Smoking a turkey requires patience to allow time for proper cooking and smoke absorption. But following these guidelines for temperature, time and food safety will ensure you turn out a mouthwatering smoked turkey worth the wait. Monitor with a thermometer for the juiciest results.
Tips for the best smoked turkey
- I find that clean up is a lot easier if you leave the turkey in the disposable pan while it smokes rather than transferring it directly onto the rack.
- A probe thermometer is a must-have when making smoked turkey. Smokers can sometimes be variable in temperature which affects the cooking time, so always go by the temperature rather than the time.
- I typically use an electric smoker as I find that they regulate heat well, and are easy to use, even for total beginners.
Smoking a turkey can be a long process, so be sure to start early in the day so that the turkey will be done by dinner time. Typically, it takes at least 5 hours to smoke an average sized turkey at 250 degrees F. Plan on having your turkey cook for about 25-30 minutes per pound. This timing can vary somewhat depending on the type of smoker you’re using and how well it holds the temperature steady. It’s imperative to use a thermometer rather than a clock to gauge when the turkey is ready.
I like to use apple wood to smoke poultry, as it imparts a mild and sweet flavor. Apple wood is readily available in most stores. Other great choices are cherry wood or hickory.
A turkey is done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. I use a digital thermometer that I leave in the turkey while it smokes so I can monitor the progress with a temperature remote from the house.
I prefer to baste my smoked turkey because no one wants a dry turkey! I occasionally baste the turkey with a little chicken broth as it cooks to ensure a moist end result. If you’ve brined your turkey before hand, you can skip the basting step.
You can estimate the size of turkey that you need by planning on one pound of turkey per person. If you want a lot of turkey left over, plan on 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person.
This recipe is delicious as-is, but you can also customize the flavors to your tastes if you prefer.
- Spice Rub: Not in a BBQ kind of mood? This recipe also works well with blackened seasoning, Creole seasoning or Cajun seasoning.
- Brine: Feel free to switch up some of the flavors in the brine recipe by using different herbs, honey as a sweetener, or add other types of fruit such as apples or pears.
- Stuffing: Rather than stuffing the bird with onion and lemon, you can try other ingredients such as apples, a halved head of garlic, carrots, orange slices or leeks.
The end result is a beautifully browned turkey that’s tender, juicy and full of flavor. You can never go wrong with a smoked turkey, and I love that it frees up my oven space to bake the sides and desserts for the big meal.
How do you smoke a turkey?
If you’re brining your turkey, place it in the brine solution 24 hours before you plan to cook it. Preheat your smoker with the wood of your choice. Place the turkey in a disposable aluminum pan, and tuck the wings under the bird. Fill the cavity of the turkey with the onion, lemon and herbs, then tie the legs together with twine. Place the BBQ rub all over the outside of the turkey. Transfer the turkey in the pan to the smoker, then cook, basting occasionally, until a thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Let the turkey rest, then carve it and serve.
How long to smoke a 20lb turkey at 250?
FAQ
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