“Captain Ron,” also known as “Eggspert” Ron Dimpflmaier, is a contributing writer for Kamado and Big Green Egg cookers. In the same amount of time as cooking it in your oven, he shows you how to cook an entire turkey in these appliances for perfectly cooked, smoked turkey flavor.
This time of year, every home cook in the country gets to impress their friends and family with their Thanksgiving turkey-cooking prowess. Thankfully, the Pilgrims started this long tradition which only seems to grow more and more each year!.
It’s okay even though it’s been proven that after their famous landing on Plymouth Rock, the Pilgrims did not eat turkey. Thanksgiving always makes me think of turkey, and I don’t believe that 46 million turkeys would be consumed in the US on the final Thursday of November if they hadn’t made that historic journey across the ocean.
Are you looking to impress your family and friends with a delicious and juicy smoked turkey this Thanksgiving? Look no further than your Big Green Egg! With its versatility and ability to impart incredible flavor, the Big Green Egg is the perfect tool for smoking a turkey that will be the star of your holiday feast.
This guide will walk you through every step of the process, from brining and seasoning the turkey to achieving the perfect smoky flavor and ensuring it cooks evenly. Whether you’re a seasoned pitmaster or a grilling newbie, this guide will help you achieve mouthwatering results.
Brining the Turkey: The Secret to Juicy Perfection
Brining is a crucial step for ensuring a moist and flavorful turkey. The brine’s salt aids in the breakdown of the muscle fibers, making the bird more succulent and juicy. We’ll use a basic brine solution for this recipe that includes water, brown sugar, salt, and aromatics like garlic, rosemary, and orange rind.
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon water
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- Rind of 1 navel orange
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 3 yellow onions, quartered
- 1 garlic head, halved
- 1 turkey, approximately 12 lbs
Instructions:
- Pour the water into a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, orange rind, rosemary, salt, two-thirds of the quartered lemons and onions, and 1 halved garlic head. Mix until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Remove the giblets from inside the turkey and reserve for another use. Rinse the turkey well. Place the turkey in a 2 1/2 gallon resealable plastic bag or any container that is large enough to hold the turkey and the liquid. Pour the brine over the turkey, making sure it’s completely covered. Refrigerate for 12 hours, turning occasionally.
Smoking the Turkey: Achieving the Perfect Flavor
After brining your turkey, it’s time to cook it on the Big Green Egg until it’s really crispy. To create a delightfully smoky flavor, we’ll combine smoking wood chips from pecans and hickory.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups hickory or pecan chips
- Soaked in water for 1 hour
Instructions:
- Set the EGG for indirect cooking at 325°F/163°C. Sprinkle smoking chips over charcoal and add the convEGGtor.
- Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse well to remove the brining liquid, and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the brining liquid and solids. Stuff the turkey with the remaining lemon and onion quarters, the remaining halved garlic head, thyme, sage, and 1 cup potatoes. Brush the turkey with olive oil and season with pepper and garlic powder.
- Place the turkey on the Roasting Rack in a Drip Pan; scatter the remaining potatoes in the pan and place the pan in the EGG. Cook for 12 minutes per pound until the turkey has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F/74°C throughout the product. If the turkey starts to brown too quickly, carefully tent the turkey with aluminum foil. Reserve the drippings from the drip pan to make gravy.
- Remove the turkey from the EGG and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Carve and serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks for Smoking a Turkey on a Green Egg
- Use a meat thermometer: This is the best way to ensure that your turkey is cooked through to a safe internal temperature of 165°F/74°C.
- Tent with foil if needed: If the turkey starts to brown too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning.
- Let the turkey rest: This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful bird.
- Experiment with different woods: Hickory, pecan, and applewood are all popular choices for smoking turkey.
- Get creative with your seasonings: There are endless possibilities when it comes to seasoning your turkey. Try different combinations of herbs, spices, and rubs to find your favorite flavor profile.
It is a satisfying experience to smoke a turkey on a Big Green Egg, and the result will be a tasty and unforgettable dinner. By following this guide’s instructions, you can produce flawless results and wow your guests with your culinary prowess. Set your Big Green Egg on fire, grab a turkey, and prepare to savor the flavor of smoked turkey!
How do I cook a turkey on the grill?
One popular way to do it is to deep fry the turkey. This is one of the greatest ways to cook turkey because it produces a juicy bird with the crispiest skin imaginable. The best way to cook a turkey is to smoke it on the Big Green Egg. If you have a little extra time on your hands and don’t want hot oil all over your place, this is the best option—it’s much easier than you might think.
The method that I will teach you here is not really smoking your turkey, although it will have just a beautiful hint of smoky goodness. We will be cooking this at 350° to 375° using the indirect method of grilling, which will give smoke flavor from the charcoal while roasting the bird at 350 degrees. If you are unaware of what that is, it simply means that we will be using the Big Green Egg deflector, known as the plate setter or its actual name, the convEGGtor. This is the ceramic disk that fits in the Egg in between the fire and the cooking grid. It makes it so that no flames will be in direct contact with your bird; it is more like cooking in the worlds best convEGGtion oven.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON COOKING TURKEY
Since most store-bought turkeys arrive frozen, allow yourself plenty of time—two to three days—to defrost in the refrigerator before the big day!
Smoked Turkey on Big Green Egg | How To Smoke A Turkey BGE with Malcom Reed HowToBBQRight
FAQ
Is it better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 250?
What is the best wood for smoking turkey on Big Green Egg?
How big of a turkey will fit on a large Big Green Egg?