Have you always wanted to make your own Smoked Turkey? This “How to Smoke a Turkey” tutorial will show you how easy it is to make the best turkey you’ve ever had!
Not only will this be the best smoked turkey you’ve ever had, it’ll be the best Thanksgiving Turkey you’ve ever tasted. Get ready for a Thanksgiving dinner that will wow!
Smoked Turkeys have something of a mystique surrounding them. We have a store nearby where people flock eight weeks before Thanksgiving to order smoked turkeys for their Thanksgiving feast.
Everyone in these parts agrees that smoked turkeys are where it’s at flavour and texture-wise. I’m not sure why very few people take on the process of smoking it themselves because it’s such an easy and forgiving cooking method.
The truth is that you’re far, FAR more likely to render a turkey inedibly dry when roasting it. Think of Clark Griswold’s sister-in-law on ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’. Remember how that thing was turkey jerky?
Smoking a turkey is a supremely flavorful way to prepare this large, celebratory bird. As the savory smoke permeates the meat, it becomes tender and takes on that irresistible smoky essence. But a debate rages among pitmasters – should you wrap the turkey in foil while smoking or leave it bare? Here, we settle the great foil versus no foil dispute.
The Benefits of Wrapping Turkey in Foil While Smoking
Wrapping the turkey in foil while it smokes does offer some advantages:
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Foil traps moisture, steam, and smoke inside, keeping the turkey incredibly juicy and flavorful Without foil, it can dry out.
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It cooks the bird more evenly since the foil regulates the temperature and distributes heat consistently,
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The foil tent prevents the skin from drying out or burning if exposed to direct heat for too long.
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It reduces overall smoking time since the turkey cooks faster in the foil tent. This saves precious time and charcoal.
For these reasons, many pitmasters endorse wrapping the turkey at some point during smoking to aid the cooking process.
Why You Should Avoid Foil When Smoking Turkey
However, foil isn’t ideal for the entire smoking duration. Here’s why:
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Foil prevents the smoke from properly penetrating the turkey skin, which won’t get as smoky.
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It stops the skin from crisping up into that delicious, textured bark that smoke-lovers crave.
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The turkey won’t have as deep or pronounced of a smoke ring when encased in foil.
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Poultry needs a period of uncovered smoking to fully develop flavor from the wood smoke.
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Moisture can’t evaporate properly, which may cause soggy skin.
Many smoking connoisseurs caution against fully wrapping in foil for these drawbacks.
The Best Approach: Smoke Unwrapped, Finish Wrapped
Given the benefits and drawbacks of foil, the best technique is a compromise:
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Smoke the turkey uncovered for the first 2/3 of the estimated cooking time. This allows the smoke to deeply penetrate and the skin to crisp.
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Once the turkey reaches within 25°F of the target temp, wrap it in foil and continue cooking until done. This locks in moisture and helps it cook evenly.
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Always rest the turkey in foil after smoking – never uncovered. The foil wrap seals in juices.
This ensures you get the delicious crispy skin from uncovered smoking time while still benefiting from foil moisture retention later on.
Other Turkey Smoking Tips and Tricks
Beyond the foil debate, here are some other turkey smoking tips for the juiciest, most flavorful bird:
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Brine the turkey before smoking to infuse it with extra moisture and seasonings.
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Apply a dry rub under and on top of the skin to add seasoning that adheres during smoking.
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Use fruit smoking wood like apple, cherry, or pecan which pair wonderfully with poultry.
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Smoke the turkey at a low temperature between 225°F and 275°F to allow ample time for smoke absorption.
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Make sure the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the breast and thigh before removing.
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Let the turkey rest wrapped in foil for at least 30 minutes before carving to redistribute juices.
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Save any juices from the rested turkey to make an incredible gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smoking Turkey in Foil
Still have some questions about the great foil debate? Here are answers to some common queries:
Should you wrap a whole turkey in foil when smoking?
For a whole turkey, it’s best to smoke uncovered for about 5/6 of the total cooking time, then wrap in foil to finish. This gives ample uncovered smoke time.
How long can you leave turkey in foil while smoking?
Don’t wrap the turkey for the entire smoke. 2-3 hours of wrapped time at the end is sufficient to finish cooking while keeping it moist.
Should you wrap just the breast or legs when smoking a turkey?
To ensure even cooking, wrap the entire turkey together once placing it back after unwrapped smoking time.
Can you wrap in butcher paper instead of foil?
Yes, butcher paper is a good alternative to foil. It allows more breathing than foil but still retains moisture and heat.
Should you wrap after smoking?
Absolutely wrap the rested turkey in foil after smoking. Never leave it uncovered or it will lose all its juices.
Get Smoky, Juicy Turkey Without Drying It Out
Settling the foil dispute ultimately comes down to balancing smoky flavor with moisture retention. Smoke the turkey uncovered first to develop that prized flavor and crispy skin. Then wrap it in foil to cook evenly while sealing in succulent juices. Follow this method, and you’ll master smoking turkey with an ideal marriage of smoky essence and tender, mouthwatering meat.
How to smoke a turkey?
Smoked Turkey, on the other hand, cooks at such a low temperature for such a long time -basting itself continuously- that it doesn’t have a chance to get dry and boring. The smoke delivers incredible flavour making any seasoning beyond salt, pepper, and a touch of granulated garlic and onion or garlic powder and onion powder superfluous.
Like I do in my Five-Spice Roasted Turkey, I stuff the cavity of the bird with aromatics like onions, apples, and fresh herbs that provide the added help of being full of moisture. When you use these, you baste the turkey from the inside out as it absorbs all that gorgeous smoke.
While I know perfectly well that it’s not convenient to leave a big old turkey in a bigger old pan in the refrigerator overnight, it’s kind of crucial. You can blot a turkey’s skin with paper towels all. day. long, but it isn’t going to get it as dry as it would get all by itself sitting on a roasting rack in a refrigerator with air circulating around it.
Why do you want a dry turkey skin? It just behaves better in the smoke. It gets marginally crispier, although I wouldn’t say that smoked turkey skin is ever going to be as crisp and lovely as roasted turkey skin. It also helps the meat absorb the smoke flavour better, so it’s worth it!
On that note, let’s grab a list of the ingredients you’ll need to make the best smoked turkey. The good news is it is all easy to find!
- One whole turkey, fewer than 15 pounds
- Neutral oil like sunflower, canola, or vegetable
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Granulated garlic or garlic powder
- Granulated onion or onion powder
- Fresh sage
- Two yellow onions
- Three fresh apples
- Optional but tasty: McCormick’s Montreal Chicken Seasoning
I meant it when I said you don’t have to do anything more than salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and granulated onion. If you want to boost the colour, you can add a bit of paprika.
You do not need a special dry rub for this smoked turkey, but if you want to guarantee a tasty turkey skin, feel free to use some McCormick’s Montreal Chicken Seasoning. It’s great to have on hand.
Don’t skip the apples and onions and sage inside the turkey cavity! They lend serious flavour to the party.
I recommend using smaller turkeys rather than a larger bird for the smoking process. This is partly a matter of personal preference, and partly a matter of food safety.
Experts agree that it is safest to smoke a turkey that is no larger than 15 lbs. A larger turkey will spend longer in what is known as “the danger zone” of temperatures, making it possible for bacteria that can cause food borne illness to grow to dangerous levels.
If I need more turkey than a smaller bird can provide, I smoke two smaller turkeys at once. My electric smoker and Traeger smoker both have plenty of space to accommodate two whole birds.
You can absolutely, positively use my drumstick removal method before smoking the turkey. I’ve done it both with the drumsticks attached and detached and had good results both ways.
The drumsticks cook a little more quickly when detached meaning that if left in for the same amount of time as the larger part of the bird, they’ll be more ‘done’ when the breast meat is just finished. This is exactly how I prefer my turkey. Choose accordingly.
How to Smoke a Turkey Breast
Is a whole bird too much for your crew? If you want smoked turkey but don’t want an entire turkey, you have options!
You can also use a bone-in turkey breast o make smoked turkey breast. You still have the cavity to stuff with all the goodies, so feel free to go that route if you really prefer just the white meat.