Juicy, tender, crispy skin and packed full of flavor, this Traeger smoked turkey will quickly become the star of the feast. This is the time of year when many of us put on our chef hats to prepare a full holiday feast. This Traeger turkey recipe with smoked turkey gravy will be the most delicious and easiest smoked turkey you have ever made. Show
There are several reasons to smoke your turkey, but there are two main ones that jump out. The first reason is that you want a flavorful, crispy-skinned, juicy turkey. Well then, smoke it, it will add all of that and more to your whole turkey. The second reason and this one pops up a lot around the holidays in my house, is you don't have room in the oven to roast it. That Thanksgiving Turkey takes up a lot of space in the oven. Between the pies and desserts we make as well as the host of side dishes, if there is any way to free up the oven from having to cook everything, we take it. Your Traeger grill or smoker can achieve this for you. Ingredients
How to Smoke a Whole TurkeyStep 1 - Remove any giblets and neck from the turkey's cavities. Rinse the turkey well, inside and out. With a paper towel, pat dry the turkey and place it on a large cooking sheet. Step 2 - Season the inside the cavities well with salt and pepper. Place apple halves and fresh herbs inside the cavities. Next, rub the outside of the bird with melted or softened butter. I rub the melted butter all over the outside of the turkey making sure to get into any of the skin folds around the legs and wings. Step 3 - Place turkey on the preheated smoker. I use an internal temperature probe that you want to put into the thickest part of the turkey breast to gauge the temperature as it cooks. Let the turkey smoke at 225°F until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. This will take approximately 30 minutes per pound. I had an 11 pound turkey, it took just over 5 hours. If you aren't using a Traeger or a grill that has a steady temperature, I recommend having a thermometer that can give you a constant read on the internal grill temperature. Pro Tips
Step 4 - Once the turkey has an internal final temperature of 165°F throughout, remove it from the smoker and let it rest 20 minutes before carving and serving it. I recommend using an instant read thermometer and taking a few different measurements from the smoked turkey to ensure it is evenly cooked all around. If you plan to rest it longer than 20 minutes, you can loosely tent it with foil. Don't wrap it tightly with foil, because the collected moisture will then make the skin less crispy. Tips when smoking a TurkeyAny time you are smoking something low and slow, constant and consistent temperature is key. You can't keep opening the lid of the smoker to take a look at it. Every time you do, the heat escapes and it takes several minutes to get back to temperature. So keep the lid closed. Turkeys tend to drip a lot of juice. I always put a pan under the grill grate in the smoker. It does two things, it keeps my smoker from getting covered in turkey juice. It also collects the juice so that I can make a smokey flavor gravy for the meal. Place the pan under your turkey and put about 2 to 3 cups of water in it so that the turkey drippings don't just burn off in the heat of the smoker. Why smoke a turkey on a Traeger?Great question. You can follow these instructions to smoke your turkey in whatever smoker you own. The key is time and temperature. If you can hold a low and slow 225 degrees, you'll be fine with your smoker. There is a benefit to smoking a turkey on a pellet grill. That benefit is the set it and forget it with the heat and temperature. If you are using a stick burner, you have to do some babysitting and turkey dinners are always a bit more elaborate at my house. With a brisket dinner, my attitude is let's smoke that bad boy and dive in, it is all about brisket that day. Turkey dinners, there are usually several other side dishes that we are trying to complete and once I know I prepped the bird and he is smoking away, it gives me a peaceful 4+ hours to work on some of the other items for the meal. Carving a smoked turkeyFor presentation reasons, you can take the turkey off the smoker and place it in your favorite roasting pan for the wow factor pictures. If you are putting a big Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner spread together, the whole turkey does look impressive. If you want to carve the turkey and make it easy to serve especially for those people who may be hunting for dark or white meat, I recommend first taking the turkey breasts off and slicing them. I take my carving knife and just follow the backbone down until the breast comes off. I then place it on the cutting board and make nice thick slices so that each piece gets some of the crispy skin. Once the breasts are off, it is easy to remove the wings, legs and get to the dark meat. I usually serve a platter of white meat and another with dark. Best side dishes to go with smoked turkey recipeWe are working on a whole Thanksgiving feast this year and have some amazing recipes already with more to come!
Best ways to use leftover turkeyWe default to just eating leftover turkey right from the fridge. Sometimes we put it on sandwiches, and sometimes we incorporate it into recipes like Turkey Soup and Turkey Pot Pie. Juicy, tender, & packed full of flavor, Traeger smoked turkey will become the star of the feast. Traeger turkey is the best turkey ever. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 5 hours Resting Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes Course: Main Course Cuisine: American Servings: 20 Calories: 296kcal Smoked Turkey
Smoked Turkey Gravy
Smoked Turkey
Smoked Turkey Gravy
Nutrition: The nutrition facts are based on an 11-pound turkey yielding about 6 pounds of meat. Each serving is 1/20th of the meat which is approximately 4-5 ounces. The nutrition facts do not include the gravy. There are 0 net carbs for the meat. Storage: Store any leftover turkey in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Serving: 4oz | Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 1356mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 131IU | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg How long does it take to cook a turkey on a pellet grill?Place the turkey on the smoker and smoke for 6 hours or about 30 minutes per pound up until the internal temperature reaches at least 165*F. (We prefer ours at 180*F; however, it is done at 165*F.) If you prefer, you can baste it with chicken broth every hour during the smoking time to keep it moist.
What is the best temperature to smoke a turkey on a pellet grill?The cooking temperature for smoking a turkey on a pellet grill is 225 degrees F at 30 minutes per pound or 250 degrees F at 25 minutes per pound of turkey.
How long does it take to cook a turkey on a pellet grill at 300 degrees?Preheat your Traeger to 300 degrees Fahrenheit with the lid closed for 15 minutes, place your turkey on the grill, and let that bird roast for 3 to 4 hours.
How do you smoke a Butterball turkey on a pellet grill?Set the smoker to 225° F. Place the turkey on a cooking rack and cook for 8 to 12 hours or until the inner thigh temperature reaches 180° F. Check the temperature of your turkey after 3½ hours. Your turkey must pass through a critical range of 40° F to 140° F in 4 hours or less.
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