As with any smoked meat (up to and including meatloaf), its important to know which woods to use to smoke turkey — and which ones you need to avoid. The common thread here is mellow vs. strong flavors. Woods that are great for turkey tend to be on the lighter side, while the ones that dont work are heavier and tend to erase the birds natural flavor.
Turkey gets a bad rap from a culinary perspective. Sure, we eat it on Thanksgiving, but a lot of people complain about it — its dry, its too hard to work with, it makes you sleepy, etc. But while its certainly a trickier cook than something like chicken, turkey can be incredibly rewarding. You just have to take your time with it — and one of the best ways you can do that is to smoke it. That slow cook preserves the birds juiciness while imbuing it with a great pop of smoke flavor.
Smoking a turkey can seem daunting but choosing the right wood is key to getting perfect results. The wood you use impacts the flavor, smoke level and even the appearance of your smoked turkey. With the Thanksgiving season coming up, now is the time to learn about picking the ideal wood for smoking turkey. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the pros and cons of various wood choices to help you identify the best option for your ideal smoked turkey.
Why the Wood Matters
The first step is understanding why wood choice is so important when smoking turkey Here are some key reasons
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Flavor – Different woods impart subtle flavor nuances, from fruity to nutty to sweet. You want a wood that enhances turkey’s mild flavor.
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Smoke Level – Some woods like hickory are quite intense, while fruit woods are milder. With turkey’s delicate meat, too much smoke can overpower.
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Moisture – Fruit woods tend to run hotter and faster, which can dry out lean turkey meat. Woods like maple burn slower and gentler.
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Appearance – Darker woods like mesquite give a rich mahogany color while lighter woods impart a pale golden hue.
Considering these impacts, it’s essential to select a wood that aligns with your preferences. Now let’s explore some top options.
Best Woods for Smoking Turkey
Cherry
Cherry is a prime choice for smoking turkey. It has a pronounced sweet, fruity flavor that complements turkey beautifully. The dark burgundy smoke ring also makes for an attractive smoked turkey. Cherry’s mellow smoke level prevents overwhelming the delicate meat. It strikes the perfect balance for turkey.
Maple
For a more subtle flavor, maple is ideal. Its smoke is ultra mild with a hint of sweetness and floral aroma. Maple also burns slowly at lower temperatures, making it harder to dry out turkey. The pale smoke ring gives turkey a gorgeous golden color. Maple is a safe, foolproof option for beginners.
Apple
Another fruity favorite, apple wood lends turkey a sweet, delicate flavor. Like cherry, apple smoke won’t overpower the meat. Apple also burns slowly, so turkey stays tender and moist. For a classic fruitwood smoked turkey, you can’t go wrong with apple.
Alder
Prefer ultra mild smoke? Alder is your best bet. With barely-there smoke flavor, alder puts the seasonings and marinade front and center. It burns slowly too. Alder allows the natural turkey flavor to shine instead of masking it with smoke.
Oak
While oak is intense for red meat, it can work nicely with turkey in moderation. The savory, robust flavor adds depth and Pairs well with seasonal aromatics. Just use oak sparingly or mix it with a fruitwood so as not to overwhelm the turkey.
Woods to Avoid
On the flip side, some woods are too strong for poultry:
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Hickory – The bold, bacon-like flavor can easily make turkey taste bitter. Use just a little blended with fruitwood.
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Mesquite – The intense smoke totally overpowers turkey. Even wood smoke enthusiasts avoid mesquite with poultry.
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Pine – Resinous pine and cedar impart a turpentine-like flavor. Stick to hardwoods only.
Finally, never use any wood treated with chemicals, which can taint meat. Opt for food-safe woods only.
Tips for Perfectly Smoked Turkey
Once you’ve chosen your wood, keep these tips in mind:
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Brining – Soak turkey in a saltwater brine to retain moisture and season the meat.
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Low and Slow – Keep temperatures between 225-275°F and smoke for 4-6 hours depending on size.
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Maintain Moisture – Baste frequently and add a water pan to prevent drying out.
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Monitor Temperature – Use a meat thermometer to ensure 165°F is reached without overcooking.
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Rest before Carving – Let sit for 15-20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
The right kinds of wood have mellower, lighter flavors
The key here is mildness. You want woods that impart delicate flavors that let the turkey itself shine. Happily, youve got several options here. Cherry wood imparts a slightly sweet flavor that meshes well with turkey (similar to how cranberry sauce makes a great side at Thanksgiving). Pecan does the same thing, except it also has a nutty quality to it.
Maple has similar sweetness, but its also milder than the other two, making it a great option if youre not a fan of pecan or cherry. Apple wood can work well, too. But in this case, you have to be careful. Apple is so mild that it takes longer to impart its flavors, and turkey is especially susceptible to drying out.
There are a few woods you want to avoid at all costs when it comes to smoking turkey, though. Hickory and mesquite are great smoking woods for beef, but the flavors they impart are so heavy that they tend to overwhelm turkey. Oak is also a problem, but its lighter than the other two, so theres a caveat here in that you can use it in a blend with something like cherry.
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