Best Smoked Whole Turkey Recipes

SMOKED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove the turkey from the fridge and allow to sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking.
• Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal grill or smoker for indirect heat, at approximately 275 degrees F. Sprinkle in wood chips (such as hickory, apple or pecan wood) that have soaked in cold water for at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours, and allow them to char before cooking.
• Place the turkey in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Brush the entire turkey with the oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
• Place the turkey in the grill or smoker and cook for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together the chicken stock, honey and vinegar. Baste the turkey after cooking for 45 minutes. Repeat the basting every 45 minutes until the internal temperature of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the breast registers 155 degrees F, about 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the bird.
• Remove the turkey to a large cutting board and let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

SMOKED WHOLE TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat a smoker to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Drain wood chips and place in smoker chip pan. Add water according to manufacturer recommendations.
• Unwrap turkey breast and pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine butter, salt, steak seasoning, smoked paprika, onion powder, and black pepper in a bowl to create a seasoned butter.
• Gently separate skin from muscle of the turkey breast and rub seasoned butter between the skin and the muscle, keeping the skin intact. Use about 1/4 of the seasoned butter on each side, and rub the remaining seasoned butter all over the outside of the turkey breast.
• Place prepared turkey breast directly on a smoker rack, and place the disposable drip pan on the rack below, if recommended by the manufacturer. The drip pan should not rest on the chip pan or the water pan.
• Close and secure the smoker, lower thermostat to 225 degrees F (105 degrees C), and smoke 3 1/2 to 4 hours, adding wood chips and water as needed.
• Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature. Smoke until turkey registers 155 to 161 degrees F (68 degrees C to 71 degrees C). Wrap turkey breast in heavy-duty aluminum foil, then wrap in several layers of thick towels, and allow to rest for about 45 minutes. The residual heat will finish cooking the turkey breast to a safe temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees F).
• Slice and serve warm.

COLLARD GREENS WITH SMOKED TURKEY AND WHOLE GRAIN BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD

Steps:

• For the whole grain buttermilk cornbread: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the fat in a 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet or ovenproof baking dish and heat in the oven until sizzling, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking soda and salt. In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and egg. Add the buttermilk combination to the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine.
• Remove the heated skillet from the oven and carefully pour the hot fat into the batter. Stir to combine, and then pour the batter back into the hot skillet. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Cut with a serrated knife just before serving.
• For the collard greens: While the cornbread is baking, stack several collard leaves at a time and cut into 1/4-inch strips; repeat until all the leaves are shredded.
• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until clear and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the greens, stock, vinegar, red pepper flakes, bay leaf and turkey; season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook until the greens are just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. If desired, shred the meat off the turkey drumstick to serve with the collards.
• Serve immediately with hot buttered cornbread.

MESQUITE SMOKED CAJUN WHOLE TURKEY COOKED ON GAS GRILL

Steps:

• Preheat grill on high. Turn down to maintain (medium) 350 degrees.
• Place smoker box of wet mesquite chips on grill.
• Remove neck and giblets from cavity, rinse turkey, and pat dry.
• Mix spices in a small bowl, set aside 1 TBSP of mixture, and put some of the mixture in the cavity and some under the skin.
• Spray turkey with butter spray and pat reserved spice mixture on the skin of the turkey.
• Place turkey breast side down, turning back wing tips, on the grill over a dip pan.
• Cook turkey for 11 to 13 minutes per pound (internal temperature 180 degrees in thigh and 170 degrees in breast.
• Note: At halfway point, turn turkey if needed for even cooking. 10- 18 pound turkey takes 2 to 3 hours. We turned our turkey at 1 1/2 hours. To reach internal temperature of 170 in breast we cooked it for 1 1/2 more.
• Let stand 15 minutes before carving.

WHOLE SMOKED TURKEY (TEXAS STYLE) (SOUTHWEST)

Steps:

• Combine first 12 ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Let cool.
• Rinse turkey, pat dry and brine over night, completely submerged in the brine.
• Rinse turkey and pat dry.
• Using a syringe, inject your favorite marinade. I use a store-bought Cajun sauce, made for injectors, but you could certainly make your own.
• Coat with oil, and season liberally with Cajun seasoning.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge overnight.
• Remove and bring to room temperature while you're getting the smoker ready, following the manufacture's directions. Bring smoker up to 240 degrees. I like pecan or hickory. You could use almost any hard wood, but I do not recommend mesquite. It's too oily, and will be bitter after that long of a cooking period.
• Smoke bird for 6-8 hours, keeping the temperature between 220--240 degrees, until internal temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees.
• Mop, rotate, and turn bird every 40-50 minutes. Add pieces of wood to keep temp up and smoke going.
• For the mop: Combine cider vinegar, water, celery salt, salt, pepper, and butter in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove and set aside.
• Remove, wrap in foil and let rest for 30 min before carving.

SMOKED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat the turkey dry. Put 2 tablespoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, the sugar, paprika, rosemary and orange zest in a food processor and pulse until combined. Carefully loosen the skin from the breast and legs with your fingers; rub the salt mixture under the skin, inside the cavity and all over the turkey. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare the grill, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Soak 2 to 3 cups apple, cherry and/or pecan wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes; drain. Heat a grill to 325˚ F to 350˚ F and prepare for indirect cooking: On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to the sides of the grill; on a gas grill, turn off half the burners. Place a large drip pan under the grates on the cooler side of the grill.
• Gently drizzle and pat the vegetable oil all over the turkey. If using a charcoal grill, scatter about half of the wood chips over the coals; for a gas grill, fill a smoker box with the wood chips and use according to the manufacturer's directions. When the wood chips start to smoke, place the turkey, breast-side up, over indirect heat so that the legs are closest to direct heat.
• Cover the grill and smoke the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165˚ F, 3 to 4 hours, adding the remaining wood chips to the grill about halfway through; add more charcoal or adjust the vents as needed to maintain the temperature.
• Carefully move the turkey to direct heat and grill, uncovered, until the bottom of the turkey crisps up a bit, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 to 45 minutes before carving.

SMOKED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Step 1-Brining: To the gallon jug add 1 cup of salt, ½ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon each of sage, rosemary and thyme, and fill with water. Mix well. Pour into container. Repeat twice more to make 3 gallons of brine. Set aside for 4-5 hours at room temperature to allow time for the flavors to infuse the brine. Rinse turkey thoroughly, and submerge in the brine. Place container in the refrigerator. Brine the turkey overnight for about 12 hours (or about 1 hour per pound). Step 2 -Smoking: Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly in the sink with cold water. Pad dry. Rub olive oil on the outer surface. Be careful to not damage or tear the skin more than necessary since the skin will protect the meat from drying out while cooking. Toothpicks can help hold the skin in place. Heat your smoker to 225 - 235 degrees F. Use an oven thermometer in the smoker since most thermometers that come with the smokers are usually of poor quality. Place the turkey in the smoker with the breast side up. Smoking takes about 30 - 40 minutes per pound. Use about 3 to 4 fist-sized handfuls of wood chips throughout the smoking process. You don't want the turkey to be overpowered with smoky flavor. You can baste the turkey with a little melted butter a few times as it smokes. As you near the end of the cook time, begin checking the temperature of the turkey. Always check in several locations and use the lowest temperature. Watch the wings and breast, and if they start to get too brown you can cover them with some foil. When the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170 degrees, and the breast about 160, it's time to remove the turkey. Allow 15 - 30 minutes to cool before carving. This allows the juices and smoke flavor to evenly disperse throughout the meat as it cools.

SMOKED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Add 2 gallons water, the fine salt, molasses, sugar, Worcestershire, garlic, bay leaves and 1 tablespoon pepper to a large pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar, and then remove from the heat. Cool the brine completely.
• Pour the brine into a large bucket and add the turkey, making sure it is completely submerged. Brine for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Pour the bourbon and 4 cups water over the wood chips and soak overnight.
• The next day, remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
• Rub the turkey with the oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Load an electric smoker with the soaked wood chips and place the turkey inside. Set the smoker to 225 degrees F and smoke until the internal temperature is 160 to 165 degrees F, 5 to 6 hours.
• Rest the turkey for 20 minutes before carving.