How to Smoke the Best Whole Turkey

Jessie Thompson

Today, I want to share a recipe that most people think is too difficult to attempt at home. But I will prove that isn't true. This is my brother's best smoked turkey recipe. It's now become a tradition that my brother, Colby, makes the Thanksgiving turkey, and I'm not complaining! This delicious smoked turkey is super moist, flavorful, and easy to make. Don't believe me? Well, don't just take my word for it. Let me show you how to smoke the best whole turkey, and you can try it for yourself!

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Prep Time 1 10

Cook Time 3 10

Total Time 1 3 20

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 36

Calories 411 kcal

Equipment

1 Pellet Grill/Smoker
1 Clean 5 Gallon Bucket with a lid
1 Large boiling pot

Ingredients

16 lb. frozen turkey Let it thaw before you start the brining process.

Turkey Brine Recipe:

1 white onion
1 red apple
4 stalks celery
1 lime
1 lemon
1 large orange
3 garlic cloves
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons thyme leaves
2 tablespoons ground black pepper

Marinade, injection, and wet rub:

3 bulbs garlic roasted with olive oil
3 sticks salted butter
2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

Seasoning Outside of turkey:

1 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Cavity of turkey:

1 red apple
1 lemon

Instructions

Making the wet brine:

First, pour 1 gallon of cold water into a large pot and heat it on the stove over high heat.
Second, chop the onion, apple, oranges, celery, lemon, lime, garlic and fresh ginger.
Third, add the chopped vegetables to the large pot of water.
Next, add brown sugar, black pepper, thyme leaves, and salt to the vegetables and water.
Then, bring the mixture to a boil to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Finally, turn the heat off once the salt and sugar are dissolved.

Brining the turkey:

First, add a lot of ice straight to the hot brine to decrease the temperature quickly. You don't want to place the raw turkey in a hot brine. (If you have time to let the brine cool to room temperature, that would work great, too, but we are moving quickly.)
Second, place the turkey into a clean 5-gallon bucket and pour the cooled brine over the raw turkey.
Third, cover the entire turkey with an extra layer of ice, place the lid on the bucket, and store it in a cool area. We sat our bucket outside because the temperature was cool enough.
Finally, Let the turkey brine for 24 hours.

Making the roasted garlic:

First, take three bulbs of garlic and chop the heads off them.
Second, rub a generous amount of olive oil over the exposed garlic.
Third, wrap the garlic bulbs in aluminum foil.
Next, roast the garlic in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes.
Then, remove the roasted garlic from the oven and squeeze the bottom of the bulbs to remove the roasted garlic cloves.
Finally, mash the roasted garlic cloves with a fork and set aside.

Making the marinade/injection:

First, melt three sticks of salted butter and add to a mixing bowl.
Second, add the roasted garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt to the butter.
Finally, use an immersion blender to incorporate roasted garlic into the melted butter and spices fully.

Prepping/Injecting the turkey:

First, remove the turkey from the brine and place it onto a baking sheet.
Second, dry the turkey with paper towels. This will help eliminate all liquid and give the finished turkey crispy skin.
Third, take an injection needle and fill it up with the butter marinade mixture.
Next, put the injection needle underneath the skin, straight into the breast meat, and inject the butter marinade.
Continue injecting the different areas of the turkey with the butter marinade until 1/4 of the marinade has been used. Ensure you inject the butter marinade into the legs, wings, breasts, and thighs.
Then, slide your hand between the skin and meat of the turkey on the breasts to separate the two, and using your hands, rub 1/4 of the butter marinade.
Rub another 1/4 of the butter marinade all over the outside of the turkey.
Finally, sprinkle a final seasoning of Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper all over both sides of the turkey.

Stuffing/tying the turkey:

First, chop the apple and lemon into large pieces and stuff them inside the seasoned and injected turkey cavity. This step isn't so much about flavor as it is about giving the cavity support so that it doesn't collapse during cooking.
Next, take some kitchen twine and tie up the legs of the turkey.
Finally, tuck the wings of the turkey underneath the body. The turkey should be sitting breast side up.

Prepping the pellet smoker and smoking the turkey:

First, let the pellet grill do one complete white smoke cycle.
Second, let the grill come up to 300 degrees F.
Third, place the brined, injected, and seasoned turkey onto the grill grates inside of the grill and close the lid.
Smoke the turkey for 3 - 4 hours or until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 160 degrees F. (Use a meat thermometer to check this. We always check the thickest part of the breast and use an instant-read thermometer.)
At the halfway mark, take the remaining 1/4 of the butter marinade, and using a pastry brush, baste the turkey all over.
Take the turkey off the grill and rest for at least 20 minutes. This will allow the turkey to finish the cooking process and reach 165 degrees F. and also let the juices redistribute for a super flavorful and moist bird.
Finally, carve your turkey and serve with your favorite sides!

Video

Notes

Makes 36 servings (Nutritional information below is for 1 serving = 8 oz.)

Calories – 411

Protein – 42 grams

Carbs – .75 grams (net)

Fat – 23.6 grams

Keyword Grilled, Holidays, Smoked, Thanksgiving