With flavorful and tender meat and an enticing smoky flavor, smoked turkey is hard to resist. Even better, smoked turkey has fewer calories and is healthier than most other smoked meats, so you can indulge guilt-free.
Try making your own smoked turkey if you can’t find any good ones where you live. To prove to you that smoking a turkey at home on a grill or smoker is not as hard as you might think, we’ll walk you through the process.
Smoking turkey tenderloin is a fantastic way to achieve juicy, flavorful results At a temperature of 250°F, the ideal smoking time for turkey tenderloin is 2-3 hours. However, the exact duration can vary depending on several factors, including:
- Size of the tenderloin: Larger tenderloins will naturally require a longer smoking time.
- Thickness of the tenderloin: Thicker tenderloins will take longer to cook through.
- Smoking temperature: Higher temperatures will result in faster cooking times.
- Desired level of doneness: For a juicy and tender result, aim for an internal temperature of 165°F.
Here’s a general guideline for smoking turkey tenderloin at 250°F:
- Small tenderloin (1-1.5 lbs): 2-2.5 hours
- Medium tenderloin (1.5-2 lbs): 2.5-3 hours
- Large tenderloin (2+ lbs): 3-3.5 hours
Tips for achieving perfectly smoked turkey tenderloin:
- Brine the tenderloin: Brining helps to retain moisture and enhance flavor. Use a simple brine solution of water, salt, and your favorite spices.
- Season the tenderloin: Apply a generous amount of your favorite rub or seasoning blend.
- Use indirect heat: This ensures even cooking and prevents the tenderloin from drying out.
- Monitor the internal temperature: Use a reliable meat thermometer to ensure the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Rest the tenderloin: Allow the tenderloin to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful result.
Additional resources:
- Smoked Turkey Tenderloin Recipe: https://digiornodad.com/2019/01/13/smoked-turkey-tenderloin/
- Bacon Wrapped Smoked Turkey Tenderloins: https://www.smoking-meat.com/november-3-2016-bacon-wrapped-smoked-turkey-tenderloins
Remember, these are just guidelines Adjust the smoking time as needed based on the specific characteristics of your turkey tenderloin and your desired level of doneness
Enjoy your delicious and perfectly smoked turkey tenderloin!
Instructions for Smoking a Turkey
Now that you have everything you need, smoke a turkey on a grill or smoker by following these instructions:
To achieve the most smoky flavor in smoked turkey, use a charcoal grill or wood smoker, though you can also use an electric or gas smoker. You can also use a pellet grill. If you plan to use a charcoal smoker or grill, soak your wood in water to make it burn more slowly. The best woods for smoking turkey include apple, hickory, cherry, or pecan wood.
While the wood is soaking, clean the grill or smoker’s grates and oil or cook spray them. You can then load in your wood and fire up the smoker or grill to preheat it.
Take your thawed turkey and pat the inside and outside dry with paper towels. If the turkey isn’t dry enough for the seasonings to adhere to it, the skin won’t become crispy. You can season your turkey with a store-bought dry rub or make your own. Add kosher salt, black pepper, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and onion powder to create your own dry rub.
If you dry brined the turkey, it may not need extra seasonings. You only need to coat it with oil before placing it on your smoker or grill. However, if you wet brined the turkey, coat its dried body with oil before applying your dry rub. Once you have seasoned the turkey, place your oven-safe wireless thermometer in the thickest area of the thigh. Do not stuff a turkey before smoking.
Place your seasoned turkey breast side up on your preheated grill or smoker. Put a pan under the turkey to collect drippings, or flames could flare up and char it. Close your smoker or grill to smoke the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
The time it takes for the turkey to reach an internal temperature of 165°F depends on its size and the grill’s temperature.
When smoking at 225°F, it can take about 30 to 45 minutes to cook one pound of turkey. That means a 12-pound turkey should take at least six hours to cook in a smoker.
To smoke your turkey faster, increase the smoker’s temperature to 250°F to 275°F. A 12-pound turkey will require approximately five hours to smoke since one pound of turkey can be cooked at 250°F in about 25 minutes. A smoker set to 275°F can cook a pound of turkey in about twenty minutes; a 12-pound turkey will take four hours to cook. Any of these settings will be ideal for smoking a turkey as long as the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
When the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, take it off the grill or smoker, but don’t cut it into slices. Instead, place the turkey on a wire rack to rest for at least 20 minutes.
Resting your turkey before carving allows its juices to redistribute and settle. If you cut the meat before allowing it to rest so that the juices can escape, the meat will become less juicy and lose flavor.
What’s So Good about Smoked Turkey?
Our fresh whole turkey is rich in protein, vitamin A, iron, and calcium. Even better, turkey meat is lean, making it a healthier choice for individuals trying to lose weight.
Smoking your turkey will make it taste better and make it leaner. It will also give it a delicious smoky flavor and reduce its fat content. Also, smoking with pecan, maple, hickory, or cherry wood can elevate the flavor of your smoked turkey.
Smoked Turkey Tenderloin | Turkey Breast | Big W BBQ
FAQ
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