Whenever I hear turkey for Thanksgiving…
Smoking a turkey is pretty straightforward. I recommend that you get a small turkey and give it a try. You might learn something, and you might make something that everyone loves for Thanksgiving. Make them forget their decades of family traditions.
Turkey Smoking Notes
- Start small – 11-14lbs is a good-sized turkey
- Buy two turkeys and cook one ahead of time. This will be your ace in the hole. Or, it will be your no-pressure backup turkey.
- Brine the turkey for at least 24 hours. This will introduce some flavor and prepare it for smoke.
- Apply a rub with salt, pepper, and herbs (see my secret brisket rub for inspiration). Turkey doesn’t taste much, so feel free to kick up the flavor with some herbs.
- Cover the tips of the wings and legs with foil. This will stop them from burning.
- Smoke at a higher temperature, around 335F, for a couple of hours
- Add some cubed butter to the turkey and put it back into the smoker until the bird reaches 165F in the breast and thighs.
- Use your oven after the initial smoke if you can’t keep a steady smoker temperature on a cold day.
My Secret Texas Brisket Rub Recipe for Turkey
- 1/2 cup of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
- 1/2 cup of kosher salt
- 1 cup of tellicherry black pepper (coarse ground)
Add all ingredients to a container, seal it, and shake it to mix thoroughly.
I also recommend watching some YouTube videos and absorbing some of the processes and techniques. I suggest starting with Arron Franklin’s BBQ with Franklin series on Thanksgiving. (This video series could apply to any holiday.)
Let me know how it goes for you! And, “thanks” for reading.