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How to Smoke the Best Juicy Smoked Turkey on Pellet Grill
If you're a barbecue enthusiast, you know there's nothing quite like the succulent flavors of a perfectly smoked turkey. We're diving into the world of smoked turkey, specifically on a pellet grill.
Get ready to elevate your culinary skills and impress your guests with a mouthwatering juicy smoked turkey that's tender, flavorful, and a true centerpiece for any gathering. For this recipe we do not brine the bird, we spatchcock the turkey, add compound butter under the skin, and inject with roasted garlic and herb, and apply a dry rub.
No Brining Needed
I have three words that describe this turkey: juicy, juicy, juicy. This smoked turkey recipe is amazing, and the turkey comes out so tender, savory, juicy and flavorful. It doesn't even require you to brine it overnight. Its spatchcock, compound butter, and injection that took this turkey to the next level!
Cooking a turkey can be intimidating but it doesn't have to be, especially around the holidays because you want it to be cooked perfectly as it is the main course for your Thanksgiving dinner. Following this recipe and using a good meat thermometer will yield you success and labeled a superstar chef.
Around Thanksgiving I buy a few of these to put in my deep freezer, I will cook them year-round and not just for the holidays. So, save the neck for me Clark, and get to cooking.
Ingredients for Smoked Turkey
1 frozen turkey 20 pounds or less works great.
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Rosemary
Thyme
Your favorite poultry dry rub
Tony Chachere's Roasted Garlic and herb injection.
1. Selecting the Perfect Turkey for the smoker:
A 20 pound or less turkey works great.
2. How to smoke a turkey on a pellet grill
Thaw your turkey, (plan on about 24 hours of thawing in the fridge for every 5 pounds of frozen turkey) you can also thaw in your sink in cold water, a 20-pound turkey may take 12 hours.
Spatchcock your Turkey
Then spatchcock your turkey. Spatchcocking a bird is the process of removing the backbone. Use poultry shears and cut down both sides of back bone then lay bird flat with breast side up and push down until breast and thighs are lying flat. This allows for a more even and faster cook. If you spatchcock your turkey, you can have it on the table in about 4.5 hours.
Apply a mixture of compound butter between the skin and the meat. Let your butter get to room temperature and add, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, and thyme to the butter mixing well, then apply your compound butter under the skin.
What is Compound Butter?
Compound butter is a softened butter mixed with other ingredients. Add Killer Hogs AP seasoning and then rosemary and thyme to your softened butter to make the compound butter.
Click on Killer Hogs AP Seasoning to purchase directly from Bee Free Outdoors.
Add your dry rub and injection to your turkey
Use your favorite dry rub on the outside of the bird. I like Kosmos Dirty Bird Rub then inject the bird with Tony Chachere injection. I prefer the roasted garlic and herb but use what you like.
3. What pellets should I use for smoking my turkey?
To get a sweet smoke use cherry, apple or pecan. I like to use Pit Boss Fall Blend.
4. What temperature to smoke a turkey?
Pre heat your grill temp to 250°
5. How long to smoke spatchcocked turkey on pellet grill?
Smoke turkey at 250 degrees for approximately 11 to 13 minutes a pound. Pull off smoker when internal temperature of turkey breast reaches 165 degrees. Approximately four hours, but as always cook to temp not to time. You can turn up smoker to 350 near the end of the cook to crisp the skin.
6. Resting your bird: Do not skip this step:
Let the bird rest in foil tent and towel on kitchen counter for at least 30 minutes before carving. Do not skip the resting step, it is super important to redistribute the juices in the meat.
By following this comprehensive guide to smoking the best turkey on a pellet grill, you're well on your way to becoming a barbecue master. Elevate your culinary skills, impress your guests, and create unforgettable moments with the savory, smoky goodness of a perfectly smoked turkey. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don't be afraid to experiment and make this timeless dish your own.
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