This recipe for smoked turkey consists of coating an entire turkey with a homemade spice rub and slow-smoking it until it is perfectly juicy and tender. A super easy and impressive holiday main course that won’t take up any oven space!.
Looking for something a little different from your typical roasted turkey? This smoked turkey is a one-of-a-kind Thanksgiving dish that looks stunning and is so easy to make even a non-cook can create a beautiful and delectable masterpiece. Serve your turkey with homemade cranberry sauce and watch the rave reviews come in!.
Although I enjoy cooking turkey for the holidays, I dislike how much oven space it takes up on the big day. Now that I’ve started smoking my turkey instead of roasting it, the outcome is simply amazing.
Are you craving a juicy flavorful turkey that’s infused with smoky goodness? Look no further than this comprehensive guide on how to smoke a 16 lb turkey! We’ll walk you through every step from prepping your smoker to achieving perfect doneness, ensuring a mouthwatering masterpiece for your next gathering.
Gearing Up for Smoky Success:
Before we dive into the smoking process, let’s gather the essential tools and ingredients:
Equipment:
- Smoker (electric or charcoal)
- Wood chips (apple, hickory, or mesquite)
- Disposable aluminum pan
- Cooking spray
- Digital thermometer
- Kitchen twine
- Basting brush (optional)
Ingredients:
- 16 lb whole turkey (giblets and neck removed)
- 1/2 cup BBQ rub (or your favorite seasoning blend)
- 1 onion (quartered)
- 1 lemon (quartered)
- Fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, or parsley)
- Chicken broth (optional, for basting)
Prepping Your Smoker:
- Fuel Up: For charcoal smokers, light the coals and let them burn until covered with gray ash. For electric smokers, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for preheating.
- Water Works: Fill the water pan with hot water or another liquid to provide humidity during cooking.
- Wood It Be Delicious: Soak wood chips for about an hour and add them to the smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Preparing the Turkey:
- Brine It On (Optional): If you have the time, brining your turkey will add extra moisture and flavor. Follow your favorite brine recipe, soaking the turkey for 18-24 hours before cooking.
- Flavorful Rub: Pat the turkey dry and coat it generously with your chosen BBQ rub or seasoning blend.
- Stuff It Up (Optional): If desired, stuff the turkey cavity with the quartered onion, lemon, and herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
Smoking Time:
- Place and Position: Place the turkey in a disposable aluminum pan, breast side up, and position it on the smoker’s cooking rack.
- Temperature Control: Maintain a consistent smoker temperature of 225-250 degrees F.
- Basting (Optional): If you choose not to brine your turkey, baste it occasionally with chicken broth during the smoking process to keep it moist.
- Time Check: For a 16 lb turkey, expect a smoking time of approximately 6-8 hours. However, always rely on a digital thermometer to ensure doneness.
- Temperature Check: Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The turkey is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Rest and Serve:
- Let It Rest: Once the turkey is done, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful bird.
- Carving Time: Carve the turkey and serve it with your favorite sides and sauces. Enjoy the smoky goodness!
Tips and Tricks:
- Wood Choice: Apple wood imparts a mild and sweet flavor, while hickory offers a more robust smoky taste. Mesquite provides an intense smoky flavor, so use it sparingly.
- Temperature Matters: Maintaining a consistent smoker temperature is crucial for even cooking. Use a digital thermometer to monitor the temperature throughout the process.
- Basting or Not: Brining typically eliminates the need for basting. However, if you choose not to brine, basting with chicken broth helps keep the turkey moist.
- Resting Time: Don’t skip the resting period! It allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful turkey.
Additional Resources:
- Smoked Turkey Recipe: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/smoked-turkey-recipe/
- How to Smoke a Turkey: https://www.butterball.com/how-to/cook-a-turkey/smoke
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How long does it take to smoke a 16 lb turkey? It typically takes 6-8 hours at 225-250 degrees F. However, always rely on a thermometer to ensure doneness.
- Do I need to brine my turkey? Brining is optional but adds extra moisture and flavor.
- What type of wood should I use? Apple, hickory, and mesquite are popular choices. Choose based on your desired flavor profile.
- Should I baste the turkey? If you don’t brine, basting with chicken broth helps keep it moist.
With this comprehensive guide and a little practice, you’ll be smoking delicious 16 lb turkeys like a pro!
How do you smoke a turkey?
If brining, immerse the turkey in the brine mixture two days prior to cooking. Preheat your smoker with the wood of your choice. Place the turkey in a disposable aluminum pan, and tuck the wings under the bird. After adding the onion, lemon, and herbs to the turkey’s cavity, fasten the legs together with twine. Place the BBQ rub all over the outside of the turkey. After moving the pan of turkey to the smoker, cook it, bashing it periodically, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the turkey rest, then carve it and serve.
Tips for the best smoked turkey
- I find that leaving the turkey in the disposable pan while it smokes makes cleanup much simpler than moving it straight onto the rack.
- A probe thermometer is a must-have when making smoked turkey. Always go by the temperature rather than the cooking time because smokers can occasionally have inconsistent temperatures.
- I usually use an electric smoker because I find they are easy to use, even for complete novices, and they regulate heat well.
Starting early in the day will ensure that the turkey is finished by dinnertime because smoking a turkey can take a while. 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. Depending on the kind of smoker you’re using and how well it maintains a constant temperature, this timing may change. 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.
When a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the turkey is done. I use a digital thermometer that I leave in the turkey while it smokes so that I can use a temperature remote from inside the house to keep an eye on its progress.
Since nobody likes a dry turkey, I prefer to baste my smoked turkey, sometimes adding a little chicken broth while it cooks to keep the turkey moist. If you’ve brined your turkey before hand, you can skip the basting step.
Assuming one pound of turkey per person will help you determine the approximate size of turkey you will need. If you want a lot of turkey left over, plan on 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person.
This recipe is delicious as-is, but you can also customize the flavors to your tastes if you prefer.
- Spice Rub: If you’re not in the mood for barbecue, this recipe also tastes great with blackened, Creole, or Cajun seasoning.
- Brine: You can vary the taste of the brine by adding different fruits, like pears or apples, or utilizing different herbs and honey as a sweetener.
- Stuffing: You can try other ingredients like apples, a halved head of garlic, carrots, orange slices, or leeks instead of stuffing the bird with onion and lemon.
The end result is a beautifully browned turkey that’s tender, juicy and full of flavor. A smoked turkey is always a good choice, and I appreciate that it clears up some oven space so I can bake the sides and desserts for the big feast.