My Favorite Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

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.

MY FAVORITE SMOKED THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Steps:

• 1. For the brine, combine all ingredients stir until all is dissolved. Might have to heat, if so cool to room temperature.
• 2. Pour brine into a large container. Remove insides from turkey, rinse, and place in brine. Store in a cool place. Depending on outside temps I have stored it outside, a cooler with ice also works if you cant make room in the fridge.
• 3. Brine for at least 24 hours. Remove turkey from brine, rinse very well. Pat dry inside and out, leave no moisture.
• 4. Start grill or smoker, you want it medium to hot. Soak wood chunks or chips
• 5. Rough chop the onion, garlic, celery, and apple. Fill the neck and cavity with the veggies.
• 6. Make the baste: In a small saucepan melt butter add remaining ingredients, till well mixed. Brush over outside of turkey. You might have to make a second batch of baste.
• 7. Add wood to smoker, I use varying mixes of Hickory, pecan, cherry, apple, and oak woods. Place turkey on grill/smoker away from the coals.
• 8. Baste several times with the baste about every 30-60 minutes. Keep wood on the coals. If turkey starts to get to dark place aluminum foil over it.
• 9. Smoke time depends on the type of smoker and size of the turkey, anywhere from 4-8 hours. Check temp remove from grill at 165 degrees. Remove veggies from inside and discard. let sit for 10 minutes. Carve and enjoy.

SMOKED TURKEY WITH BRINE RECIPE

Steps:

• Skin the garlic cloves and use a knife to crush each clove.
• In the clean 5-gallon pail, add all the brine ingredients together and mix well with a large wooden spoon.
• Clean your turkey and make sure the giblets are removed.
• Submerge the turkey in the pail of brine. Do your best to make sure the turkey is completely submerged.
• Store in your refrigerator for 48 hours, turning the turkey 180 degrees after the first 24 hours.
• After the 48 hour brine is complete. Remove your turkey from the brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towel and store in the fridge for 1 hour. The brine process is complete.
• Mix all the rub ingredients together and set aside for later.
• Fire up your smoker to 300F.
• Take your brined turkey out of the fridge and prep it for the smoker. Move the wings behind the body of the Turkey as shown.
• Tie the legs together with butcher twine.
• Apply the turkey rub liberally to the entire turkey. Then lightly brush some of the peanut oil over the entire turkey.
• Once the smoker hits 300F, place your turkey in the smoker and attach your meat probe into the breast of the turkey.
• After the first 1.5hrs, I'll check in on the turkey and see how it looks. I'll baste it with melted butter now and then. I'll sometimes spritz the turkey with a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar as well. It helps attract the smoke to the skin.
• Once the Turkey reaches about 160F, I will remove it and quickly wrap in foil. The Turkey will keep climbing in temperature and reach the 165F while it is covered in foil. Let the turkey rest a minimum of 20 minutes under the foil. The longer it rests, the better.
• You are done and ready to carve the turkey. Enjoy.