This smoked turkey recipe is a whole turkey that’s coated in homemade spice rub then slow smoked to tender and juicy perfection. A super easy and impressive holiday main course that won’t take up any oven space!
Looking for something a little different than your standard roasted turkey? This smoked turkey is a unique and show stopping Thanksgiving meal, but it’s simple enough that even a novice cook can produce a beautiful and delicious end result. Serve your turkey with homemade cranberry sauce and watch the rave reviews come in!
I love to make a turkey for the holidays, but I don’t love how it takes up all my oven space for hours and hours on the big day. Instead of roasting my turkey, I’ve started making a smoked turkey and the end result is nothing short of fabulous.
Smoked Turkey Ingredients
- Turkey Brine: While you don’t have to brine your turkey, I do recommend taking this extra step if you have the time available. Brining adds a lot of flavor and moisture to the turkey, and will help protect it from drying out in the smoker. My homemade turkey brine is super easy to prepare.
- Whole Turkey: It’s best to use a smaller turkey for smoking, around 12-14 pounds. This is because a turkey must pass through the temperature range from 40-140 degrees F within 4 hours of being in the smoker, otherwise it could start to spoil before it cooks through.
- BBQ Rub: You can use my homemade BBQ rub, or choose your favorite seasoning blend from the grocery store.
- Onion: Adding a quartered onion to the cavity of the turkey is a great way to infuse flavor into the bird as it smokes.
- Lemon: The lemon adds a nice citrus flavor to the finished bird.
- Herbs: Turkey and herbs are a perfect flavor combination! I typically use a blend of parsley, rosemary and thyme.
- Chicken Broth: If you choose not to brine your turkey, you’ll want to baste it with chicken broth as it cooks.
How do you smoke a turkey?
If you’re brining your turkey, place it in the brine solution 24 hours before you plan to cook it. Preheat your smoker with the wood of your choice. Place the turkey in a disposable aluminum pan, and tuck the wings under the bird. Fill the cavity of the turkey with the onion, lemon and herbs, then tie the legs together with twine. Place the BBQ rub all over the outside of the turkey. Transfer the turkey in the pan to the smoker, then cook, basting occasionally, until a thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Let the turkey rest, then carve it and serve.
Tips for the best smoked turkey
- I find that clean up is a lot easier if you leave the turkey in the disposable pan while it smokes rather than transferring it directly onto the rack.
- A probe thermometer is a must-have when making smoked turkey. Smokers can sometimes be variable in temperature which affects the cooking time, so always go by the temperature rather than the time.
- I typically use an electric smoker as I find that they regulate heat well, and are easy to use, even for total beginners.
Recipe FAQs
Smoking a turkey can be a long process, so be sure to start early in the day so that the turkey will be done by dinner time. Typically, it takes at least 5 hours to smoke an average sized turkey at 250 degrees F. Plan on having your turkey cook for about 25-30 minutes per pound. This timing can vary somewhat depending on the type of smoker you’re using and how well it holds the temperature steady. It’s imperative to use a thermometer rather than a clock to gauge when the turkey is ready.
I like to use apple wood to smoke poultry, as it imparts a mild and sweet flavor. Apple wood is readily available in most stores. Other great choices are cherry wood or hickory.
A turkey is done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. I use a digital thermometer that I leave in the turkey while it smokes so I can monitor the progress with a temperature remote from the house.
I prefer to baste my smoked turkey because no one wants a dry turkey! I occasionally baste the turkey with a little chicken broth as it cooks to ensure a moist end result. If you’ve brined your turkey before hand, you can skip the basting step.
You can estimate the size of turkey that you need by planning on one pound of turkey per person. If you want a lot of turkey left over, plan on 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person.
Flavor Variations
This recipe is delicious as-is, but you can also customize the flavors to your tastes if you prefer.
- Spice Rub: Not in a BBQ kind of mood? This recipe also works well with blackened seasoning, Creole seasoning or Cajun seasoning.
- Brine: Feel free to switch up some of the flavors in the brine recipe by using different herbs, honey as a sweetener, or add other types of fruit such as apples or pears.
- Stuffing: Rather than stuffing the bird with onion and lemon, you can try other ingredients such as apples, a halved head of garlic, carrots, orange slices or leeks.
The end result is a beautifully browned turkey that’s tender, juicy and full of flavor. You can never go wrong with a smoked turkey, and I love that it frees up my oven space to bake the sides and desserts for the big meal.
More recipes for your holiday meal
Smoked Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 recipe turkey brine optional, if you choose to brine your turkey, you can skip the chicken broth basting
- 12 lb whole turkey giblets and neck removed
- 1/2 cup BBQ rub
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 lemon quartered
- 4 sprigs fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary or parsley
- 3 cups chicken broth use if not brining your turkey
- fresh herbs for garnish
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Prepare the brine according to recipe directions if you decide to brine your turkey. Let the turkey soak in the brine for 18-24 hours before cooking.
- Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F. Load the smoker with apple wood.
- Coat a large disposable aluminum pan with cooking spray. Place the turkey in the pan and tuck the wings under the body.
- Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the onion, lemon and herbs, then use kitchen twine to tie the legs together.
- Sprinkle the BBQ rub all over the surface of the turkey.
- Place the turkey in the smoker. Cook for 5-6 hours, basting with chicken broth every 30-45 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. If you brine your turkey, you don't need to baste it. Refill the wood chips as needed.
- If the turkey starts to get too dark, cover it with foil.
- Let the turkey rest for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with herbs if desired, then serve.
Notes
- This recipe works best with a turkey that is about 12-14 pounds in size. This is because a turkey must pass through the temperature range from 40-140 degrees F within 4 hours of being in the smoker, otherwise it could start to spoil before it cooks through.
- A probe thermometer is a must-have when making smoked turkey. Smokers can sometimes be variable in temperature which affects the cooking time, so always go by the temperature rather than the time.
- I typically use an electric smoker as I find that they regulate heat well, and are easy to use, even for total beginners.
Tried this recipe for the Thanksgiving turkey and it was such a hit that it’s been requested that I smoke the Christmas bird as well. I did use some thinly sliced oranges, honey crisp apples, garlic and onion to stuff the bird with.
What a winner! By far,my best ever turkey. The breast and dark meat were perfect. I didn’t brine. Just basted and followed the instructions. I pulled it when the thigh reached 158F and tented with foil for 15 minutes.
Can I use the lemons, oranges, rosemary from the brine to stuff the turkey?
That should be fine!
Question – If brining the turkey, do you still use the BBQ rub with the kosher salt in it? Worried about it being overly salty. Also curious is there another option for basting if you’ve brined, or does it really stay moist enough without basting if brined. Thank you!
I do use the BBQ rub with the brine without any modifications, I’ve been preparing my turkey this way for years and it’s never been overly salty. Just be sure to limit your brining time to 18-24 hours. It would be fine to baste with chicken broth or turkey broth, that certainly wouldn’t hurt anything!
love your recipe, I’ve baked,deep fryed, now I want to smoke a turkey for Thanksgiving, I can’t wait to try your delicious smoked turkey recipe, Thank You 🌹
I’m smoking a 19.76 pound turkey (first time smoker). My electric smoker only goes to 250 degrees. What would be the estimated cook time(I know to always use a meat thermometer) and am I pushing the “safety zone” for properly and SAFELY cooking the bird?
Unfortunately there’s no way to guarantee the safety of the bird if your smoker only goes to 250 degrees F, as it will very likely take more than 4 hours to get to the safe temperature zone.
First time making a smoked turkey. I didn’t have apple cider but used apple juice. Also my turkey was over 16 pounds. I didn’t have a pot big enough for the full 2 quarts of water. Everything said, it turned out amazing! Everyone commented how juicy it was. Definitely keeping this recipe.