What’s not to love about smoked turkey? You get tasty and tender meat, and the smoky flavor is just irresistible. Even better, smoked turkey is healthier and has less calories than most other smoked meats, meaning you can indulge without feeling guilty.
Is good smoked turkey hard to find in your area? If so, you should consider making your own smoked turkey. It’s not as hard as you might think, and to prove it, we are about to show you how to smoke a turkey on a grill or smoker at home.
Smoking a turkey is a great way to add delicious smoky flavor to your holiday meal. When smoking a turkey at 250°F, the general rule of thumb is to allow 30-45 minutes per pound. For a 15 pound turkey, you can expect it to take between 7.5 – 11 hours to fully smoke at this temperature.
Let’s break down the timeline and details for smoking a turkey this size at 250°F
Size Matters
When smoking a turkey the size of the bird is the biggest factor in determining cook time. Larger turkeys take longer than smaller ones. A 15 pound turkey is a fairly large bird. While you can smoke a turkey this big, it’s often easier to cook two smaller 10-12 lb birds if cooking for a very large group.
The reason is that a massive turkey can take a dangerously long time to finish at low smoking temperatures. The meat sits in the “danger zone” between 40-140°F for many hours, raising the risk of bacteria growth. Stick to turkeys 15 lbs or under for food safety.
Estimated Timeline
Here is a rough timeline for smoking a 15 lb turkey at 250°F:
- 7.5 hours if allowing 30 minutes per pound
- 11 hours if allowing 45 minutes per pound
- 10 hours if allowing 40 minutes per pound (a good middle ground)
I recommend planning for 10 hours for a bird this size just to be safe. It’s always better for it to finish early rather than not be done on time!
Why 250°F?
Low and slow smoking around 225-250°F produces the most tender, juicy turkey meat. Higher temperatures can cause the turkey to dry out quickly.
Aim for a smoker temp between 225-275°F. 250°F gives you a nice balance between moist meat and moderately crisp skin.
Brining is Key
Make sure to brine your turkey before smoking! Brining helps the meat stay incredibly moist and adds tons of flavor.
My favorite is a simple brown sugar and salt brine. For a 15 lb bird, mix 1 cup salt + 1 cup brown sugar with 2 gallons of water. Submerge the thawed turkey and brine overnight.
A good brine transforms an average turkey into an unbelievably juicy masterpiece.
Use a Meat Thermometer
Investing in a good digital meat thermometer is a must for smoking turkey or any meat. This allows you to accurately monitor the temperature of the breast, thighs, and legs as it smokes.
Target an internal temp of 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thighs/legs before removing from the smoker. This ensures the turkey reaches safe temperatures.
Mesquite, Apple, or Cherry Wood
The choice of wood impacts the flavor quality. Mesquite imparts a strong, earthy smoke. Sweeter fruit woods like apple and cherry bring a milder, more delicate smoke flavor.
For turkey, I prefer apple wood. The gentle fruit-based smoke complements the turkey beautifully without overpowering it.
Mop and Spritz
Throughout the 10 hour smoke, mop or spritz the turkey every 1-2 hours with broth, vinegar, wine or juice. This bastes the skin to prevent drying out and adds extra moisture and flavor.
Apple juice or chicken broth work very well for spritzing turkey. Avoid using oils, as this can cause flare-ups.
Rest and Carve
Once the turkey reaches the target internal temp, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 30-60 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute for the most moist, tender meat.
Use a sharp carving knife to carefully slice the breast and legs/thighs. Serve while hot!
The Payoff
While smoking a 15 lb turkey requires patience, the 10 hour wait is well worth it. Few preparation methods can match the ridiculously juicy meat, crispy skin and incredible flavor produced by a long, low and slow smoke. Enjoy your perfectly smoked turkey!
Frequency of Entities:
how long to smoke a 15 pound turkey at 250: 16
turkey: 21
smoke: 10
250: 11
pound: 6
15: 7
brine: 3
meat thermometer: 2
temperature: 5
breast: 2
thighs: 2
legs: 2
wood: 2
apple: 2
mesquite: 1
cherry: 1
mop: 1
spritz: 1
juicy: 2
crispy: 1
skin: 2
flavor: 2
hours: 5
minutes per pound: 1
What’s So Good about Smoked Turkey?
Our fresh whole turkey is rich in protein, vitamin A, iron, and calcium. Even better, turkey meat is lean, making it a healthier choice for individuals trying to lose weight.
Smoking your turkey will lend it an enticing smoky flavor and further reduce its fat content, making it leaner and tastier. Also, smoking with pecan, maple, hickory, or cherry wood can elevate the flavor of your smoked turkey.
Instructions for Smoking a Turkey
Now that you have everything you need to make smoked turkey, here’s how to smoke a turkey in a grill or smoker:
You can make a smoked turkey with a gas or electric smoker, but a charcoal grill or wood smoker is your best choice for maximum smoky flavor. You can also use a pellet grill. If you plan on using a charcoal smoker or grill, soak your wood in water to help it burn slower. The best woods for smoking turkey include apple, hickory, cherry, or pecan wood.
While soaking your wood, clean the grates of your smoker or grill, then season the grates with oil or a non-stick cooking spray. You can then load in your wood and fire up the smoker or grill to preheat it.
Take your thawed turkey and pat the inside and outside dry with paper towels. If the turkey skin isn’t dry, your seasonings may not adhere to it, and you may not get crispy skin. You can season your turkey with a store-bought dry rub or make your own. In addition to kosher salt and black pepper, your homemade dry rub can include brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and onion powder.
If you dry brined the turkey, it may not need extra seasonings. You only need to coat it with oil before placing it on your smoker or grill. However, if you wet brined the turkey, coat its dried body with oil before applying your dry rub. After covering the turkey with your seasonings, insert your oven-safe wireless thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey thigh. Do not stuff a turkey before smoking.
Place your seasoned turkey breast side up on your preheated grill or smoker. Put a pan under the turkey to collect drippings, or flames could flare up and char it. Close your smoker or grill to smoke the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
The exact amount of time it will take the turkey to reach an internal temperature of 165°F will depend on the size of the turkey and grill temperature.
When smoking at 225°F, it can take about 30 to 45 minutes to cook one pound of turkey. That means a 12-pound turkey should take at least six hours to cook in a smoker.
To smoke your turkey faster, increase the smoker’s temperature to 250°F to 275°F. At 250°F, it can take about 25 minutes to cook one pound of turkey, meaning you will need about five hours to smoke a 12-pound turkey. A 275°F smoker will cook one pound of turkey in about 20 minutes – a four-hour cook time for a 12-pound turkey. Any of these temperatures will work great for smoking your turkey, as long as it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
After smoking your turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F, take it out of the smoker or grill, but don’t cut it. Instead, place the turkey on a wire rack to rest for at least 20 minutes.
Resting your turkey before carving allows its juices to redistribute and settle. If you cut the meat without resting it, the juices will escape, resulting in a loss of juiciness and flavor.
How long to smoke a 15 pound turkey at 250?
How long do you smoke a 14 pound turkey?
It will take approximately 30-35 minutes per pound at 225°F; 25 minutes per pound to smoke a turkey at 275° F; and about 13 minutes per pound when you smoke it at 325° F. A 14-pound turkey will take around 7 hours to cook at 250° F. Turkey breast finished internal target temp: 165° F (73° C).
Can you smoke a turkey overnight?
Yes, you can smoke turkey overnight. Six hours is a long time. Moreover, if you’ve got a big turkey, you will smoke the bird for at least 8-10 hours. That’s a whole night of sleep. This method will give you more time to focus on side dishes or setting the table. But most importantly, your turkey will be finished by dinner time.
Can you smoke a 20 pound turkey?
If you are worried that a smoked 20-pound turkey is safe to eat, you can cook a smaller turkey. Nevertheless, as long the temperature is high enough, you can cook a 20-pound bird. Alternatively, you can also partially smoke the turkey in your smoker. You can finish cooking the turkey in the oven to finish cooking.
What is the best temperature to smoke a Turkey?
Turkey can be smoked at a smoker temperature as low as 225 degrees, but it’s much quicker if smoked at 275-300 degrees, or even higher. When smoking at a lower temperature you’re looking at more time in the smoker, but that means the turkey could potentially have a richer smoke flavor.