Smoked Turkey

Name: Smoked Turkey
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1 10- to 12-pound turkey, brined (see recipe); 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

By Steven Raichlen

Updated Oct. 13, 2020

Smoked Turkey — Joe Fornabaio for The New York Times

Total Time: About 3 hours, plus brining
Rating: 4(267)
Comments: Read comments

There are countless advantages to smoke-roasting (also known barbecuing) your turkey, as in this recipe from the barbecue expert Steven Raichlen. Smoking produces a bird of incomparable succulence, especially when combined with another traditional American barbecue technique, brining. There is the rich, evocative flavor of wood smoke, and the burnished mahogany sheen it gives the bird. Then there's the simplicity of the method: once you put the bird in the smoker or on the grill, you pretty much leave it there until it is done, while the kitchen and oven are freed up for side dishes and desserts. Last but certainly not least, you get an excuse to spend a fall afternoon outdoors, maybe with beer in hand.

Featured in: The Turkey Has Left The Building

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

110- to 12-pound turkey, brined (see recipe)
2tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Set up an outdoor grill for indirect grilling, placing a large foil drip pan in center. (If using a smoker, light and set it up according to manufacturer's instructions and heat to 275 degrees. In a smoker, you will need to cook bird longer, 3½ to 4½ hours.)
Step 2
Drain bird. Blot dry inside and out and truss if desired. Place in center of grill grate, over drip pan and between mounds of natural lump charcoal. Toss ½ cup of soaked wood chops on each mound of coals. Place lid on grill. Adjust vents to keep temperature between 325 and 350 degrees.
Step 3
Grill turkey until darkly browned and cooked through, 2½ to 3 hours. Baste turkey with melted butter after first hour and every hour thereafter. If skin starts to brown too much, loosely tent bird with foil. Use an instant-read thermometer to test for doneness; turkey is ready when internal temperature of the thigh is 180 degrees. Replenish charcoal every hour, adding 8 to 10 lumps of charcoal to each mound of coals and leaving grill uncovered for a few minutes to allow charcoal to light. After 1 hour, add 1½ cups of soaked wood chips.
Step 4
Transfer turkey to a platter, loosely tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Reserve any drippings in drip pan for gravy.

Ratings

4 out of 5

267 user ratings

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Comments

Robert7 years ago

After 20 years, the Weber bird goes a lot faster than the traditional oven roasted bird. A real crowd pleaser, easy and zero clean-up to speak of. I've averaged in varying outdoor temperatures (from bitter cold to mild) about 10m per pound or less unstuffed. Use a fruit wood chip. To control heat, open bottom vents full and control heat with top vents starting with half to 3/4 closed. Add 10 briquettes on either side every hour. Also I don't baste - just cover and forget about it.

harrison5 years ago

Success! Was freaking out at hour 2 because I could not get the Weber past 275. Maybe the built in thermometer is not working correctly? At hour 3 the bird hit 180. Maybe because it was 35 degrees and raining out? Any way this recipe worked well at 2 beers per hour. I have the middle size kettle and a 10 lb turkey just fit. Brined for 12 hours and then on the grill. Parent said it was the best ever. Try it out. Know your grill and give yourself an extra hour just in case.

CathyG4 years ago

We do this on our Big Green Egg with applewood. Its the absolute best and leftovers make amazing stock and turkey pie. It is a hit with everyone - even our family members who insist they don't like turkey.

GC Dallas6 months ago

13lb bird. Followed the recipe almost to a T. Only basted with butter at the beginning. Cooked in Large Big Green Egg. Dome temp 300, Grate temp 375. Interior bird temp got to 178. I allowed 4 hours. Done in 2-1/2 hours. Hurry up and get everything else done. Best turkey I have ever eaten. Daughter who said she didn’t like turkey loved it. Drip pan is essential to prevent flare-ups and turkey fire. Gravy from drippings was awesome. I can’t say enough good about this method. Wonderful change from the in-laws traditional dry, over-cooked, sacrifice to stuffing.

Colleen6 months ago

I bought a rotisserie attachment for my Kamado smoker - the best part of this recipe on that particular attachment is the yummy crispy skin on 100% of the bird.

Susan7 months ago

Can you smoke a larger turkey, 20 lbs, with this method?

Sam7 months ago

@Susan your limiting factor might be the size of your grill/smoker. A 20 lb bird wouldn’t fit in mine.

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