Smoked Whole Turkey
This smoked turkey is brined, seasoned, butter‑injected and cooked low and slow at 275‑300 °F for a moist bird with a crisp, mahogany‑colored skin. Perfect for a holiday feast or special dinner.
Instructions
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Combine 1 gallon of water, brown sugar, molasses, honey, The BBQ Rub and bay leaves in a large pot. Bring to a boil, dissolve, then remove from heat and cool. Refrigerate the brine overnight.
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Place the thawed 10‑12 lb turkey in a brining bag. Add the cooled brine, thyme bundle, peppercorns and enough additional water to cover the bird (about 1 gallon). Add a bag of ice on top and refrigerate for 24 hours, replacing ice as needed.
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After brining, rinse the turkey under cool water, drain and pat dry. Stuff the cavity with halved apples, onion pieces and celery. Spray the outside with cooking spray.
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Mix 1 cup kosher salt, 1 cup granulated garlic and 1 Tbsp poultry seasoning. Rub the mixture all over the turkey, then lightly dust with The BBQ Rub.
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Prepare the butter injection: melt 1 stick butter, whisk in 1 cup chicken broth, 1 Tbsp hot sauce, 1 tsp granulated garlic and 1 tsp Cajun seasoning. Cool the mixture and inject it into the breast, legs and thighs in several spots.
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Tie the legs and wings with butcher twine. Preheat a smoker to 275‑300 °F, using pecan or fruit wood. Place the turkey breast‑up on the rack, set a timer for 1½ hours, then rotate the bird on the rack and continue smoking until internal temps reach 165 °F in the breast and 175 °F in the thigh, about 3½ hours total.
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If the skin darkens too much, loosely cover with aluminum foil. When done, remove the turkey, tent with foil and let rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.
Tips
Rotate the bird once midway for even cooking; use a meat thermometer to avoid over‑ or under‑cooking; let the turkey rest to retain juices.
Video
“Smoked Turkey Recipe | How To Smoke a Whole Turkey” by HowToBBQRight, watch on YouTube.
About this recipe
The turkey is first brined for 24 hours in a sweet‑savory mixture of brown sugar, molasses, honey, salt and a hint of BBQ rub, which helps keep the meat juicy and adds depth of flavor. After brining, the bird is stuffed with apples, onion and celery, then coated with a salt‑garlic‑poultry seasoning blend and a light layer of BBQ rub before being injected with a buttery hot‑sauce broth.
The bird is smoked at 275‑300 °F on pecan or fruit wood for about 3½ hours, rotating once midway, until the breast reaches 165 °F and the thigh 175 °F. Let it rest 15 minutes before carving for the best texture and flavor.
