Smoking a turkey on a pellet grill is a fantastic way to prepare a juicy, flavorful bird for your holiday feast. With the right technique, your Pit Boss can produce a moist, tender turkey with a deliciously smoky flavor. However, cooking times can vary depending on the size of your turkey and temperature settings Here’s a complete guide to determining how long to smoke a turkey on your Pit Boss pellet grill
Choosing the Right Size Turkey
When smoking a turkey on a pellet grill you’ll get the best results by selecting a smaller bird around 12 to 15 pounds. Larger turkeys take much longer to fully cook, increasing the chances of drying out the breast meat. The denser, darker leg meat also benefits from the shorter cook time of a smaller turkey.
I recommend fresh, not frozen turkeys for smoking. Thaw frozen birds in the fridge 2-3 days before smoking. Brining is highly recommended and works best with fresh never-frozen birds.
Smoking Temp for Turkey on a Pit Boss
While low and slow 225°F temperatures work great for tough cuts of pork and beef that need tenderizing, poultry does not benefit from extended low heat. For moist, juicy smoked turkey, cook at 275-325°F.
The Pit Boss grills do an excellent job maintaining steady temperatures. Always double check the grill temp with an oven thermometer placed on the grates.
At 325°F, calculate 30 minutes per pound of total cook time as a general guideline. For a 15 lb turkey, plan on about 7.5 hours.
For a more leisurely smoke at 275°F, extend cook times to 40 minutes per pound. That 15 pounder will need about 10 hours.
Monitoring Internal Temperature
The best way to know precisely when your smoked turkey is finished is to monitor the internal temperature in multiple places.
Insert a digital meat thermometer probe into the thickest part of the breast, taking care not to hit bone. Additionally, verify doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into both breasts and thighs.
The target internal temperature for safe, properly cooked poultry is 165°F. Once the breast hits 160°F, start checking thighs and other areas.
I recommend pulling the turkey off the grill when the breast is 160°F and thighs are at least 170°F. As carryover cooking continues during the rest time, the temperatures will reach 165°F for juicy, perfectly smoked meat.
Resting is Critical
Allowing the smoked turkey to rest before carving is absolutely essential to keeping the juices locked into the meat. I recommend resting for a minimum of 30 minutes. Tent loosely with foil to retain heat.
The internal temperature will continue rising to 165°F during this time as carryover cooking equalizes the temp throughout the turkey.
Skipping or rushing this resting period causes juices to spill out when you slice the meat, resulting in dry turkey. Be patient and allow ample resting!
Additional Smoking Tips
Here are some additional tips for maximizing moisture and flavor when smoking turkey on your Pit Boss:
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Brine the bird – Soaking in a saltwater brine hydrates the meat and seasons it throughout. Brine 12-24 hours in the fridge. Rinse and pat dry before smoking.
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Leave unstuffed – Cooking stuffing inside the cavity causes overcooking. Smoke stuffing in a casserole dish instead.
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Try a dry brine – Rubbing kosher salt inside and out a day ahead also boosts moisture and flavor. Rinse before smoking.
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Spatchcock for even cooking – Removing backbone and flattening the bird aids heat penetration and reduces time.
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Maintain a water pan – Adding a disposable foil pan filled with water or broth helps keep the turkey moist. Top off as needed.
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Wrap wings/legs if needed – Foil prevents overcooking extremities while breast finishes. Unwrap for crisping at the end.
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Use a meat probe – Monitor the breast temp constantly to prevent overcooking. Remove probe before resting.
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Let grill reheat – If checking temp often, close grill quickly to allow it to recover lost heat and maintain target temp.
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Avoid opening the grill – Limit peeking by monitoring the meat probe and using grill window.
Step-by-Step Smoked Turkey
Follow these steps for tender, juicy smoked turkey on your Pit Boss pellet grill:
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Select a fresh 12-15 lb turkey and thaw completely if frozen. Rinse cavity and pat dry.
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Trim excess neck skin, leaving flap to fold under. Remove giblets from cavity.
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Brine 12-24 hours in refrigerator. Rinse and pat dry before smoking.
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Prepare pellet grill for smoking by igniting, establishing steady temp of 275-325°F and filling water pan.
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Insert meat probe into thickest part of breast, avoiding bone. Verify grill temp.
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Smoke turkey for 30-40 minutes per pound, until breast reaches 160°F and thighs 170°F.
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Monitor temp periodically with an instant read thermometer in breast and thighs.
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Wrap extremities in foil if browning too quickly while breast finishes cooking.
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Remove turkey when breast hits 160°F and let rest 30 minutes tented in foil.
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Verify breast and thigh reach final minimum 165°F internal temperature before carving.
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Carve turkey and serve immediately for incredibly tender, juicy smoked turkey. Enjoy!
Smoking a turkey on your Pit Boss pellet grill produces amazing results when you follow the right process. A smaller bird around 15 pounds, smoking between 275-325°F and monitoring temperature probes will prevent overcooking. Resting before slicing locks in moisture for deliciously juicy meat with a wonderful smoky flavor.
Follow this guide for foolproof smoked turkey on your Pit Boss pellet grill this holiday season. Your family will love the juicy tenderness and incredible flavor. Enjoy the smoky centerpiece of your holiday feast!
Frequency of entities:
pit boss: 18
turkey: 24
smoked: 12
smoke: 7
pellet grill: 7
temperature: 9
breast: 7
juicy: 5
rest: 5
thigh: 5
cook: 4
pound: 4
internal: 4
foil: 3
probe: 3
butterball: 1
traeger: 0
camp chef: 0
brine: 2
dry brine: 1
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.
HOW DO I SMOKE MY TURKEY?
Now that we know what we need and why we’re doing it, let’s get to work on becoming Thanksgiving legends and make our delicious smoked turkey. Follow these easy steps:
Smoked Turkey On A Pit Boss Pellet Smoker
FAQ
Is it better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?
How long do you smoke a 14 lb turkey in a pellet smoker?
How long to smoke a 14 lb turkey in a pit barrel cooker?