Smoke Turkey in Green Egg: A Delicious Thanksgiving Feast Awaits!

Our devoted “Eggspert” Ron Dimpflmaier, aka “Captain Ron,” is a contributing writer for Big Green Egg and Kamado cookers. He demonstrates how to cook an entire turkey in these appliances for perfectly cooked, smoked turkey flavor in the same amount of time as cooking it in your oven.

Every home cook in the nation gets to showcase their Thanksgiving turkey-cooking prowess to their friends and family this time of year. Thankfully, the Pilgrims started this long tradition which only seems to grow more and more each year!.

It’s okay even though it has been established that the Pilgrims did not consume turkey following their well-known landing on Plymouth Rock. Turkey comes to mind when I think of Thanksgiving, and for some reason, I don’t think that 46 million turkeys would be eaten in the US on the last Thursday of November if they hadn’t made that epic ocean voyage.

Are you ready to impress your family and friends this Thanksgiving with a perfectly smoked turkey? Look no further than your Big Green Egg! This versatile cooker can transform a simple bird into a juicy, flavorful masterpiece that will leave everyone wanting more.

Why Smoke Turkey in a Green Egg?

The Big Green Egg’s ceramic construction and precise airflow create an ideal environment for smoking. The heat is evenly distributed, preventing hot spots and ensuring that your turkey cooks evenly throughout. Additionally, the EGG’s tight seal locks in moisture, resulting in a succulent bird that’s bursting with flavor

Getting Started with Smoked Turkey

Ingredients:

12-15 pound turkey
1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Chopped fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, oregano, or your choice)
1-2 teaspoons Sunshine State of Mind All-Purpose BBQ Rub
Instant-read digital thermometer (we recommend the Thermapen)

Instructions:

Prepare your Big Green Egg for indirect cooking at 350°F to 375°F. Place a drip pan with 6 cups of water, giblets, and neck between the convEGGtor and the cooking grate.
Remove the turkey from the wrapper and remove all giblets, neck, and anything else in the cavity. Remove the plastic pop-up temperature gauge and plastic piece holding the legs in place.
Pat the entire turkey dry, both inside and outside. The drier the turkey, the crispier the skin will be.
Combine the butter, orange zest, chopped herbs, and BBQ rub in a bowl. Add the orange juice a little at a time until the butter has a slightly thinner consistency.
Spread the butter mixture all over the breast side of the turkey, both inside and outside the skin. The more thoroughly you cover the breast side, the better the turkey will turn out.
Place the turkey in the center of the cooking grate and close the dome. Allow the turkey to cook for 45 minutes, then check on it to ensure it’s cooking evenly. If one side appears to be cooking faster than the other, rotate the turkey for even cooking.
Cook for another 30 minutes. Your skin should have a nice golden brown color, and the herbs should be looking dark. If the skin starts to overcook, place aluminum foil over any areas that are browning too quickly. You can start checking the internal temperature. Remember, it’s fully cooked at 165°F, but you’re probably not there yet.
Be sure to monitor the water level in your drip pan and keep a good amount of water in there. This will catch all of the turkey drippings and will eventually become your gravy.
Continue monitoring the temperature and checking for even cooking. Remember, we eat with our eyes first, so it has to be pretty!
When the bird reaches 150°F, add the sliced onions to the water pan.
Once the turkey reaches 165°F in the deepest part of the breast and the thickest part of the thigh, remove the turkey to a platter and loosely tent with foil. Rest the turkey for a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Tips for the Perfect Smoked Turkey

Use a good quality turkey. A fresh, free-range turkey will have the best flavor and texture.
Don’t overcook the turkey. The internal temperature should be 165°F in the breast and 185°F in the thigh.
Let the turkey rest before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender bird.
Serve with your favorite Thanksgiving sides. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce are all classic choices.

Additional Resources

Big Green Egg Smoked Turkey Recipe: https://biggreenegg.com/thanksgiving-turkey/
Grill Girl Smoked Turkey Recipe: https://grillgirl.com/2021/10/smoke-roasted-turkey-on-the-big-green-egg/
Tips for Smoking Turkey: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/turkey-smoking-101.13624/

Smoking a turkey in a Big Green Egg is a simple yet rewarding process that will yield a delicious and impressive Thanksgiving feast. By following these tips and using quality ingredients, you’re sure to create a memorable meal that your family and friends will love. Happy smoking!

ADDITIONAL NOTES ON COOKING TURKEY

Give yourself plenty of time—two to three days—to defrost in the refrigerator before the big day, as most store-bought turkeys arrive frozen!

smoke turkey in green egg

Should you brine your turkey?

We could argue about this all day, but brining your turkey will undoubtedly contribute to it being the juiciest and most moist it can be. We at GrillGirl recommend brining. Check out our Pickle Juice Brined Turkey Recipe or All-Purpose Brine Recipe.

smoke turkey in green egg

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?

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.

What is the best wood for smoking turkey on Big Green Egg?

Once you try brined turkey on the EGG, you’ll agree that nothing does a better job of roasting meats. The turkey has a subtle smoky flavor and is moist and succulent, but if you prefer a bolder smoky flavor, add more hickory or pecan smoking wood chips in increments during cooking.

What temperature do you smoke on the Big Green Egg?

Step 2: Fill the Big Green EGG with charcoal and starters and ignite the starters. Step 3: Heat the EGG to a temperature between 100 and 150 °C. Hot smoking is usually done at low temperatures between 60 and 110 °C, but the temperature in the EGG will drop another 40 °C when you put in the convEGGtor.

How long to smoke a 20 pound turkey at 300?

When I Googled how long to smoke a 20lb turkey at 300 degrees, it says approximately 20 minutes per pound. For a 20 lb turkey that would be 6.6 hours. That is a big difference from 3-4 hours.

How do you smoke a Turkey on a big green egg?

When ready to smoke, soak your wood chips and preheat the EGG to 325°F. Remove the turkey from the brine, pat dry, stuff the cavity with lemon and herbs, and smoke the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Did you make this recipe? How Long Does it Take to Smoke Turkey on a Big Green Egg?

How do you cook a Turkey in a big green egg?

For the turkey: Prepare your Big Green Egg for indirect cooking at 350° to 375°. Place a drip pan with the 6 cups of water, giblets and neck in between the convEGGtor and the cooking grate. Remove the turkey from the wrapper. Remove all giblets, the neck and anything else in the cavity of the bird.

How do you smoke a Turkey?

The turkey should be brushed with olive oil and seasoned with pepper and garlic powder before it is smoked. Put the turkey on a roasting rack with a drip pan underneath and place the pan in the EGG. For every pound the turkey weighs, you should allow it to smoke for 12 minutes.

How do you cook a big green egg on a grill?

Fire up your Big Green Egg and let it come up to 300 degrees. If you are looking to add smoking wood we would suggest something more subtle for turkey like pecan, apple or cherry. One thing we would advise before putting the turkey on the grill is to tuck the turkey wings behind the neck before putting on the grill.