Smoked Turkey
This perfectly smoked turkey delivers incredibly juicy meat with crispy, golden skin infused with rich wood smoke flavor. The overnight brine ensures maximum tenderness while high-heat finishing creates irresistible textu
Ingredients
For the Brine:
- 4 cups boiling water
- 1½ cups kosher salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 8 cups cold water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 lemon sliced
For the Turkey:
- 1 whole turkey 12-14 lbs
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Brine: In a large pot, combine boiling water with salt and sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add remaining brine ingredients and cold water. Cool completely.
- Brine the Turkey: Submerge turkey in cooled brine, ensuring it's completely covered. Refrigerate for 12-16 hours.
- Prepare Turkey: Remove turkey from brine and rinse thoroughly. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Season and Rest: Rub softened butter all over turkey, then season with garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Let come to room temperature (30-45 minutes).
- Prepare Smoker: Preheat pellet smoker to 450°F with cherrywood pellets. Place water-filled drip pan beneath cooking grate.
- Initial High-Heat Smoke: Place turkey on cooking grate and smoke at 450°F for 1 hour to crisp the skin.
- Low and Slow Finish: Reduce temperature to 225°F and continue smoking approximately 13 minutes per pound until thickest part of thigh reaches 175°F.
- Rest and Carve: Remove turkey and rest for 30 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.
Notes
Dry Rub Instead of Brining
While brining creates incredibly juicy turkey, you can achieve excellent results using just a dry rub if you're short on time or prefer a simpler approach. A dry rub seasons the meat while drawing out surface moisture, which actually helps create crispier skin during smoking.
Dry Rub Recipe: Combine 3 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons black pepper, and 1 teaspoon onion powder. This makes enough for a 12-14 pound turkey.
Application Method: Pat the turkey completely dry and apply the rub generously all over, including inside the cavity. Use about ¾ of the mixture on the outside and the remaining inside. Let the seasoned turkey sit uncovered in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours before smoking.
Steps to Skip: If using dry rub instead of brine, skip Steps 1 and 2 entirely. Begin with Step 3, but instead of rinsing, simply pat the turkey dry and apply your rub. Add an extra 30-45 minutes to your total cooking time since dry-rubbed turkey takes slightly longer to reach temperature.