One of the most common Thanksgiving puzzles is how to fit everything on the table at the same time while still having enough room in the oven. The answer: dont roast your turkey—smoke it instead. If you cook the turkey outside, you’ll free up valuable space for all the dressings, casseroles, and rolls you’ll be putting in and taking out of the oven.
And you dont need a fancy smoker to do it. (But if you want one, here are our tried-and-tested picks. Any ordinary grill—gas or charcoal—that has a cover, enough space for the bird, and the ability to create a two-zone fire will be suitable for smoking a turkey. Heres how to do it on each kind of grill:
A great way to give a turkey smoky flavor and juicy, tender meat is to smoke it in a propane smoker. This tutorial will take you step-by-step through the entire process, from brining to the very last, delicious bite.
Preparing Your Turkey for Smokin’ Success
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Brining: Brining your turkey is crucial for keeping it moist and flavorful. Choose a brine recipe that suits your taste, whether it’s a simple salt-water brine or one with additional herbs and spices Submerge your turkey in the brine for 12-24 hours, depending on the recipe and the size of your bird
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Drying: After brining, thoroughly dry the turkey with paper towels. This ensures the skin crisps up nicely during smoking.
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Seasoning: Rub your favorite dry rub all over the turkey, getting under the skin as well. Popular options include a blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and brown sugar.
Gearing Up Your Propane Smoker for Turkey Time
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Preheat: Light your propane smoker and preheat it to 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit, Aim for a consistent temperature throughout the smoking process
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Wood Choice: Select the right wood chips for your smoker. Hickory apple, or pecan wood are excellent choices for turkey adding a subtle smoky flavor that complements the bird’s natural taste.
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Water Pan: Fill a water pan with water and place it in the smoker to maintain humidity and prevent the turkey from drying out.
Smoking Your Turkey: Low and Slow for Maximum Flavor
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Placement: Place the seasoned turkey directly on the smoker’s grate, breast-side up. Ensure the turkey is not touching any other surfaces to promote even cooking.
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Smoking Time: Smoking time depends on the turkey’s weight and smoker temperature. As a general rule, allow 30 minutes per pound at 225 degrees Fahrenheit or 25 minutes per pound at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. For example, a 15-pound turkey would take around 7.5 hours at 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Monitoring Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of the turkey. The breast should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and the thigh should reach 175 degrees Fahrenheit for safe consumption.
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Optional: Baste the turkey during the final hour of smoking with melted butter or your preferred sauce to preserve the moisture and add additional flavor.
The Grand Finale: Resting and Carving Your Smoked Turkey
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Resting: Take the turkey out of the smoker when the internal temperature reaches the desired level and allow it to rest for at least half an hour before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in tender, flavorful meat.
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Carving: Slice the turkey into separate breast, thighs, and wings, just like you would with a roasted bird. Slice the meat thinly and serve with your favorite sides and sauces.
Bonus Tips for Smoking Turkey Perfection:
- Use a wireless meat thermometer for convenient temperature monitoring.
- Consider using a drip pan under the turkey to catch drippings and prevent flare-ups.
- Experiment with different wood chips and rubs to personalize the flavor profile.
- Don’t be afraid to adjust the smoking time based on your smoker’s performance and the turkey’s size.
Smoking a turkey in a propane smoker is a rewarding culinary adventure. You can create a masterpiece that will entice your taste buds and wow your guests by adhering to these steps and tips. Now light up your smoker, grab a refreshing drink, and prepare to go on a delectable turkey-smoking adventure!
How to Smoke a Turkey on a Charcoal Grill: Soak wood chips.
Before assembling your grill, soak two cups of wood chips for approximately thirty minutes to maximize smoke production. For added flavor, try smoking the chips in apple juice or white wine in addition to soaking them in water. Do not soak them in combustible liquids or alcohol, such as bourbon, as this may accelerate the rate at which the chips burn. 2. Light charcoal briquettes.
Using a chimney, light 24 charcoal briquettes, and then wait 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are entirely covered in ash. 3. Set up grill.
A disposable aluminum pan should be placed on the bottom grate of your grill and should be partially filled with water (you can also use juice, beer, or any other liquid). You can add robust herbs like bay leaves and rosemary to the liquid if you’d like. Open the top and bottom vent halfway. Once the coals have been ashed over, place a handful of drained wood chips over each pile of coals along the two long sides of the pan. Then, place the grill grate on top, with its open sides over the charcoal piles. 4. Place seasoned turkey directly on grill.
Try to maintain a heat level around 300°F to 325°F. The same results can be obtained without a grill thermometer by incorporating about 12 unlit briquettes and an extra handful of wood chips into each coal pile once an hour. Just be careful not to add more wood chips than the recipe asks for, as this could oversmoke your turkey and give the meat an odd flavor. The vents can also be used to adjust the temperature; by opening them wider, more oxygen will reach the coals, increasing heat, and by closing them, less heat will be produced. Never close the vents entirely since the movement of air helps to draw the smoke through the meat. A 15-pound turkey will take about 3 hours total (at 12 minutes per pound), depending on heat level. The thickest part of the breast should measure about 155°F on a thermometer, and the temperature of the thigh should be roughly 165°F.
How to Smoke a Turkey on a Gas Grill: Soak wood chips.
To produce the most smoke, soak 2 cups wood chips (we like apple wood, but cherry, hickory, maple, or whatever you like works too) for about 30 minutes before setting up your grill. You could soak the chips in water—that will get the job done—but try soaking them in apple juice or white wine for more flavor. Dont soak them in spirits, like bourbon, or other flammable liquids which would cause the chips to burn up too quickly.2. Place seasoned turkey in aluminum pan.
Season the turkey to your taste using a dry brine, a wet brine, or no brine at all. Just make sure the bird is well seasoned and cooked before setting it breast-side up on a rack inside of a disposable pan. The pan will prevent the bird from browning too quickly and grease from dripping all over your flames, though it’s not strictly necessary. 3. Place wood chips under grill grates.
After filling a smaller, disposable aluminum pan with wood chips, place that pan precisely where the burners meet, which is typically in the grill’s upper left corner. Replace the grill grate once you have the wood chips in position. 4. Light the grill.
Turn all burners to high and close the lid. Wait until you see smoke. 5. Set up grill for indirect cooking.
Once smoke starts rising, turn off the burners under the area you plan to place the turkey on and turn down the heat to medium-low on the burners that are still burning. If you have a three-zone grill, the best turkey spot is the center zone. If you have two zones, the side opposite the wood chips is the best place to smoke food; otherwise, the food will taste more like ash than smoke. 6. Smoke the turkey.
Once your grill is assembled and the burners are adjusted, cover the off-highway portion of the grill with the turkey (in the pan). If your grill has a temperature gauge, set it to about 325°F. About 90 minutes into smoking your turkey, turn the bird 180° to ensure even cooking. Smoke the turkey for about 12 minutes per pound—for a 15-pound turkey that means about 3 hours total. The thickest part of the breast should measure about 155°F on a thermometer, and the temperature of the thigh should be roughly 165°F.
How to Smoke Turkey on the Masterbuilt Propane Smoker!
FAQ
How do you smoke a turkey and keep it moist?
Is it better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?
Should you smoke turkey in foil when smoking?