Get ready to impress your guests with a juicy. flavorful smoked turkey this holiday season!
This guide will walk you through the steps of smoking a turkey on a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker, ensuring a delicious and stress-free experience.
Ingredients:
- 1 14-pound turkey, fresh or thawed
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 orange, zested and quartered
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Butcher twine
Instructions:
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Prepare the Turkey:
- Combine softened butter with chopped rosemary and thyme.
- Using poultry shears, remove the wing tips.
- Starting at the bottom cavity, carefully separate the turkey’s skin from the breast meat using your fingers. Work your way up towards the neck, avoiding tears or splits in the skin.
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. For extra crispy skin, leave the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.
- Season the outside of the turkey generously with salt, pepper, and orange zest. Rub olive oil all over the skin.
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Set Up the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker:
- Disassemble the WSM and fill the fire ring halfway with charcoal briquettes. Aim to cover the first layer of circles.
- Fill a charcoal chimney starter halfway with briquettes and light with lighter cubes.
- Since this is a hot cook, there’s no need for water in the water pan. For easier cleanup, line the pan with aluminum foil.
- Once the coals in the chimney have turned grey and ashed over, dump them over the unlit coals in the base of the smoker and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Reassemble the smoker. If you plan on making a pan gravy, place a disposable foil tray on the lower grate.
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Start Smoking:
- Place the turkey on the top grate of the WSM.
- Close the lid.
- Open the front door panel and add 2-3 medium chunks of wood to the hot coals. Opt for a sweet wood like apple or cherry, as aggressive woods can be too harsh. A little goes a long way!
- If the fire burns too hot, close the bottom vents halfway. In cold weather, add 8-10 unlit briquettes every hour to maintain temperature.
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Cook and Monitor:
- Aim for 15-18 minutes of cook time per pound. Cook until the deepest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Use a Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub to monitor the internal temperature for added convenience and accuracy.
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Rest and Carve:
- Once the turkey reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful turkey.
Tips:
- For crispy skin, leave the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator overnight before smoking.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
- Experiment with different wood types to find your favorite flavor profile.
- Don’t be afraid to adjust the cooking time based on the size of your turkey and the temperature of your smoker.
- Share your beautiful smoked turkey creations with us on social media!
With these steps and helpful tips, you’ll be well on your way to smoking a delicious and impressive turkey on your Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. Happy grilling!
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The last turkey I smoked was during one of our Weber product photo shoots earlier this year. It was a big bird that would undoubtedly be the center of attention during the holiday dinner scene if it was anything like the turkey we had smoked a few days earlier. Sadly, I never got a bite, and worse, the turkey never even made it to the set.
It was the last shot of the day, and bad weather was moving in. We were scrambling. The real family, who constituted the scene’s talent, had barely settled in when the storm struck. In fact, it was not just a storm, it was a microburst, or rather a non-rotating tornado.
Our grill camp in the front drive descended into wet chaos as the crew scrambled for cover in the backyard. We dropped our pop-up tents, stashed our supplies into trucks, and got wet, real wet. Branches fell down around us, and the power went out in the neighborhood we were shooting in. To put it professionally, it was nuts.
We decided to end the day as we waited for the weather to clear, which it eventually did. Luckily, it was the final shot of a very productive week as well as the final shot of the day.
Turning around to examine what was left of our grill station, I discovered that our Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker was still upright and, more significantly, still producing smoke. Under the lid, the turkey was to temperature. It looked beautiful, and the owners of the home we were using suddenly had dinner.
There were other things submerged in water than me, so I refrained from taking a picture with my phone to preserve the memory.
So here it is a few months later and what I am craving? Yeah, smoked turkey. Here’s the process, this time with great weather.
Smoked Turkey
By Mike Lang Serves: 7-8
One fourteen-pound fresh or frozen turkey, quartered, ½ cup unsalted butter, one teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, one teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, and one orange with zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper, butcher twineWeber Connect Smart Grilling Hub and
1. Bring the butter to room temperature and mix with the rosemary and thyme.
2. With a pair of poultry shears, remove the wing tips.
3. Starting at the bottom cavity, use your fingers to separate the turkey’s skin from the breast meat. Work slowly up towards the neck being careful not to split or tear the skin.
4. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
Tip: For crispy skin, leave the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.
5. Season the outside of the turkey with salt, pepper, and the orange zest. Rub all over with olive oil.
How To Smoke A Turkey | Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker | Charlie Mckenna
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