Smoking a turkey on a pellet grill like the Pit Boss is one of the best ways to prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving or any time you want juicy, flavorful meat. With the right technique, you can get a tender, moist turkey with a beautifully browned, crispy skin in about 4 hours.
When smoking a turkey on a Pit Boss, there are a few key things to keep in mind:
Choosing the Right Size Turkey
For the Pit Boss, you’ll want to select a turkey that’s around 12-15 lbs. Larger birds can be difficult to cook evenly on a pellet grill. Smaller turkeys around this size will allow the heat to penetrate fully and cook the meat through without drying out the breast.
Dry Brining for Maximum Juiciness
Dry brining is a must for keeping your smoked turkey incredibly moist and flavorful. Simply coat the turkey inside and out with kosher salt the night before smoking. The salt will partially break down the muscle fibers, allowing the turkey to retain more moisture as it cooks.
Maintaining the Right Temperature
Set your Pit Boss to 300°F for smoking turkey. This higher temperature will ensure the skin gets crispy and browned. If cooking at too low of a temp, you won’t render the fat properly. The turkey will take around 3-4 hours at 300°F to reach the safe internal temperature.
Monitoring Temperature with a Probe
Use a digital meat thermometer with a probe placed in the thickest part of the breast to monitor the internal temperature. Remove the turkey once the breast hits 160°F and the thighs reach 175°F The temperature will rise 5-10 degrees during resting
Adding Smoke Flavor
For amazing smoke flavor, use a smoke tube or box with wood chips or pellets placed next to the turkey. Apple, cherry, pecan, and hickory all work well. The smoke will permeate the meat over the 3-4 hour cook time.
Letting it Rest
Never slice into the turkey right off the grill! Let it rest for 15-20 minutes so the juices redistribute through the meat. Slice into it too soon and you’ll end up with dry meat.
Serving with Simple Sides
A smoked turkey needs little adornment. Play up the wonderful flavor with simple sides like roasted veggies, smoked mac and cheese, green beans, or a fresh salad.
The step-by-step process for smoking a turkey on a Pit Boss looks like this
1. Prep the Turkey
- Select a 12-15 lb turkey and remove giblets
- Rinse turkey inside and out with cool water
- Pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels
- Generously coat the inside cavity and outside of the turkey with kosher salt
- Place on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate overnight
2. Remove from Fridge and Let Stand
- Take turkey out of the fridge and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before smoking
- This helps it cook more evenly
3. Prepare the Pellet Grill
- Start up your Pit Boss grill and set temp to 300°F
- Allow 20-30 minutes for it to preheat fully
4. Season the Turkey
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels
- Rub the skin with a light coat of avocado or olive oil
- Season the outside with favorite dry rub or herbs
5. Set Up the Smoker Box
- Fill a smoker box 3⁄4 full with wood chips/pellets
- Place the smoker box on the grill grate next to where the turkey will sit
- This will give you ample smoke flavor
6. Put Turkey on the Grill
- Place turkey breast side up directly on grill grates
- Insert a digital meat thermometer probe into the thickest part of the breast
- Maintain the grill temp at 300°F
- Close lid and smoke for about 3-4 hours
7. Check Temperatures
- After about 2 hours, start checking breast and thigh temp
- Breast should reach 160°F and thighs 175°F before removing
- If breast or thighs brown too fast, tent with foil
8. Remove Turkey and Let Rest
- Carefully remove turkey when temps are reached
- Tent loosely with foil and let rest 15-20 minutes
9. Carve and Serve
- Slice turkey and serve with your favorite holiday sides
- Enjoy the juicy, tender and smoked turkey!
The key takeaways when smoking a turkey on a Pit Boss pellet grill:
- Stick to a 12-15 lb turkey
- Always dry brine the day before
- Cook at 300°F using a smoker box
- Rely on a probe and instant read thermometer
- Let turkey rest before slicing into it
Follow these guidelines, and your Pit Boss smoked turkey will turn out perfect. Crispy, browned skin wraps around tender, juicy meat infused with delicious smoke flavor.
Smoking the holiday bird on a pellet grill may take a little longer than roasting, but the results are well worth it. Your family and guests will rave about the juicy, smoky goodness you’ve created.
BRINING THE TURKEY
The next step in your Thanksgiving adventure is to brine your turkey. Brining is essential for your turkey to maintain moisture and become juicy and tender during the smoking process. Without getting too deep into the weeds, the brine helps turkey, a traditionally lean meat, retain fat content while it is cooking and prevents it from drying out.
A brining kit makes this process incredibly simple. A good brining kit comes equipped with a bag to put everything in, a brining mixture and seasoning for the turkey. To brine your turkey, add the brining mixture and four cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Carefully add this to one gallon of cold water and place into the bag with the turkey. Close the bag and refrigerate for 1 hour per pound of turkey. We strongly recommend completing this process the night before you plan on preparing your meal.
THAW THE TURKEY
The first and among the most important steps in smoking our turkey will be to make sure your bird isn’t frozen. The general rule of thumb is to allow 24 hours of thaw time in the refrigerator for every five pounds your turkey weighs. For this recipe, which calls for a 12-14 turkey, you should allow for three to four days for it to completely defrost.
Smoked Turkey On A Pit Boss Pellet Smoker
FAQ
Is it better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?
How long does it take to smoke a 15 pound turkey at 225 degrees?
How long to smoke a 20 pound turkey on a pellet smoker?
How do you cook a smoked turkey in a pit boss smoker?
1. Preheat your Pit Boss smoker to 225 degrees F. 2. In a large bowl, combine the apple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. 3. Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry. 4. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan and pour the marinade over it. 5.
Can you smoke a Turkey on a pit boss pellet grill?
Smoking a turkey on a Pit Boss pellet grill is a great way to prepare your holiday meal, or to easily add a second turkey when the oven is already full with your first one! In this article, we’ll show you how we prepare our turkey with a simple overnight dry brine oy get crispy skin and juicy meat.
What temperature do you smoke a Turkey on a pellet grill?
A: The ideal temperature for smoking a turkey on a Pit Boss pellet grill is between 225F and 250F. This will allow the turkey to cook slowly and evenly, resulting in a juicy and flavorful bird. Q: How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a Pit Boss pellet grill? A: The cooking time for a smoked turkey will vary depending on the size of the bird.
How long do you smoke a smoked turkey breast?
Some popular rub ingredients include smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, and black pepper. Once the turkey is seasoned, place it breast-side up on the smoker grate. Smoke the turkey for 3-4 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Serving the Turkey