Smoked Turkey Without Smoker Food

SMOKED TURKEY RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat Traeger grill to 250 degrees.
• Rinse turkey inside and out in cool water, pat dry.
• Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Melt 1 stick of butter in a bowl, then add in all of the spices/seasonings, whisk together.
• Rub the turkey all over with the butter mix, inside and out, and get it under the skin, too.
• Place the turkey in the roaster, UNCOVERED on the grill and close the lid. Set a timer for 2 hours. Do NOT open the lid during this time.
• When the timer goes off, add the second stick of butter to the bottom of the roaster, and cover the turkey.
• Turn the temperature up to 325 degrees, and roast for another 90 minutes. Check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast, it will reach 165 degrees when it's done. If it hasn't reached that after 90 minutes, cover and continue roasting, checking every 20-30 minutes until it does.

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 TURKEY BREAST RECIPE | SIP BITE GO

Steps:

• Preheat the Traeger grill or whatever smoked you're using to 225 degrees F. Make sure there are enough pellet wood chips in the smoker to last a few hours and you have a drip pan in place. In this demo, the Traeger wood pellet blend was used, but Maple, Hickory, and Cherry pellet wood chunks are good options, too.
• Make the smoked turkey breast poultry seasoning. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the poultry seasoning (onion powder, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper). Set aside.
• Place turkey breast on a work surface and pat turkey breast dry with paper towels. Coat all over with melted butter by using your hands to massage the butter into the turkey breast.
• Season the turkey with the poultry seasoning (use as much as desired - in this Traeger demo, all of the seasoning was used). Use your hands to massage the seasonings into the turkey breast.
• Place your turkey breast on the smoker grill grate and cook for 40 - 45 minutes per pound, until the internal temp reaches 160°F. You may find that some recipes say 30 minutes a pound will work, but I have found that is not enough time at 225°F.
• The exact smoked turkey breast time will vary based on how large of a turkey you're smoking. Use an instant read thermometer to verify when your turkey does reach an internal temperature of 160-165°F (note: 165°F is the official safe temperature, removing it at 160°F in theory allows time for the turkey to keep cooking up to temperature). Remove from heat.
• Wait at least 20-30 minutes before slicing so the juices can settle. You can cover the turkey breast with tin foil to keep it warm and leave it out at room temperature.

TURKEY IN A SMOKER

Steps:

• Preheat smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F (110 to 120 degrees C).
• Rinse turkey under cold water, and pat dry. Rub the crushed garlic over the outside of the bird, and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Place in a disposable roasting pan. Fill turkey cavity with butter, cola, apple, onion, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper. Cover loosely with foil.
• Smoke at 225 to 250 degrees F (110 to 120 degrees C) for 10 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) when measured in the thickest part of the thigh. Baste the bird every 1 to 2 hours with the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan.