Name: Smoked Turkey
Prep time: 9 h
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 13 h
Yield: 0
Ingredients: 12-15 lb Turkey; 1 batch Turkey Brine (recipe below or store-bought), see notes; 1/2 cup Grass-Fed Butter or Ghee, room temperature; Salt; Ground Black Pepper; 1/2 large Yellow Onion, quartered; 3-4 stems Fresh Rosemary; 3-4 stems Fresh Sage; 6 cloves Garlic, peeled; 3 Tbsp Grass-Fed Butter or Ghee, cold, cubed; 1 gallon Water; 2-3 cups Apple Juice, no added sugar; 4 stems Fresh Rosemary; 3 Tbsp Orange Zest; 3/4 cup Salt, yes, CUP; 3 cloves Garlic, sliced; 1/2 cup Honey, leave out for Whole30; 2 Tbsp Whole Peppercorns; 2 Bay Leaves

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Smoked Turkey Recipe

Ever since we got our Traeger Smoker, we’ve been smoking everything (who doenst love some smoke flavor). Our absolute favorite thing to smoke is beef brisket. We get a 10-15lb brisket and eat it for over a week. But something about smoked brisket for Thanksgiving just didn’t sound right, and I love smoked turkey, so rather than buying a smoked turkey from the local BBQ place, I decided to make it myself with a few ingredients.

Brine the Turkey

The key to making turkey, no matter how you plan on cooking it, is to brine it. This year, rather than making my own brine, I found a clean-ingredient brine at Costco from Pressery, a local-to-me company. It made the prep so much easier. And although making your own brine isn’t really that much more difficult, it definitely removes one step of the process. If you do find a premade brine, just be sure to carefully check the ingredient list for anything weird or gross.

The other key to an excellent smoky flavor turkey is butter or ghee. Since we have made the transition into a ketogenic lifestyle, butter is more of a staple around here. Spreading butter under the skin on the breast of the turkey results in a much more flavorful and tender meat, not to mention extra-crispy skin.

And being that we don’t eat bread (not even grain-free substitutes in most cases), we don’t stuff the bird with traditional stuffing. Instead, we use other ingredients. I like to use salt & pepper, herbs, onions & garlic, and of course more butter. Not only does this add to the flavor of the turkey itself, but I recycle all of that when I make my post-Thanksgiving turkey broth. Waste not want not.

Traeger Smoked Turkey

This recipe is written specifically with the Traeger smoker in mind, but if you have a different brand or type of smoker, it should be easily adaptable to achieve the smoky flavor. If you don’t have a Traeger and have been wanting a smoker, I’d highly recommend you put it on your Christmas wish list. Having it has taken our food to a whole new level of deliciousness. We can convert almost the same recipe into something completely different just by adding the smoke flavor.

Plus, just look at this golden, crispy, perfectly cooked turkey. THIS is what you want to serve up as the centerpiece of your holiday dinner. Talk about impressing your in-laws/grandma/always-acts-better-than-you-{family-member}. Just be sure you keep one of the turkey legs or thighs for yourself because everyone knows those are the best parts.

Smoked Turkey

Prep Time: 9 hours

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 13 hours

Ingredients

12-15 lb Turkey
1 batch Turkey Brine (recipe below or store-bought), see notes
1/2 cup Grass-Fed Butter or Ghee, room temperature
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
1/2 large Yellow Onion, quartered
3-4 stems Fresh Rosemary
3-4 stems Fresh Sage
6 cloves Garlic, peeled
3 Tbsp Grass-Fed Butter or Ghee, cold, cubed

Brine

1 gallon Water
2-3 cups Apple Juice, no added sugar
4 stems Fresh Rosemary
3 Tbsp Orange Zest
3/4 cup Salt, yes, CUP
3 cloves Garlic, sliced
1/2 cup Honey, leave out for Whole30
2 Tbsp Whole Peppercorns
2 Bay Leaves

Instructions

Combine all brine ingredients in a large stockpot (if it's large enough to fit your turkey) or turkey brine bag. Place the turkey in the pot or bag and make sure it's completely covered.
If using a stockpot, place the lid on the pot. If using the bag, seal up (by knotting the bag or clipping with a locking clip) and set it in a roasting pan to prevent any accidental leaks. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
The morning of, remove the turkey from the brine (over the sink to minimize any mess) and rinse it off completely, including inside the cavity. Pat it dry (a wet turkey is a soggy cooked turkey).
Very gently separate the breast skin from the meat, being careful not to rip it. If you're wearing rings, take them off so they don't rip the skin either. Stuff the softened 1/2 cup of butter under the skin and press it over the entire breast (pressing from the outside of the skin is the easiest method).
Salt and pepper the inside of the cavity and place the onions, rosemary, sage, and 3 Tbsp cubed butter/ghee.
Wrap the prepare turkey in plastic wrap and place in the roasting pan in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the butter to firm up. Remove from fridge and discard the plastic wrap and coat the turkey in more salt and pepper, patting dry again beforehand in case condensation has collected under the plastic wrap.
Turn the smoker on and allow the fire to get started. Turn the heat up to 180°F and place the turkey (still in the roasting pan) directly on the smoker grates for 2 hours. Turn up the heat to 225°F for another hour. Finally, increase the heat to 325°F for approximately 1 more hour, or until a quick-read thermometer reads 160°F in the breast and 180°F in the thigh (test in the thickest parts).
Remove from the smoker and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Once you've gotten all the meat off the turkey, make a broth out of the carcass (get the recipe here).

Bob

Friday 24th of December 2021

What does (leave honey out for Whole 30) mean???

Kendra Benson

Saturday 25th of December 2021

If you are following the Whole30 protocol, you cannot have any sweeteners, so you would need to leave the honey out of this recipe. If you are not currently on a Whole30, then you can leave the honey in :)

HEATHER

Tuesday 23rd of November 2021

What’s the cooking difference for a 19lbs turkey, I’m assuming the same temperatures but what about the times? And I’m cooking two 19 lbs turkeys, would that make me extend the cook time even further on my traeger?

Monday 29th of November 2021

I have never cooked a turkey much larger than 15 lb, but time would definitely need to be increased, I just couldn't say how much. And I couldn't even fit 2 19-lb turkeys in my Traeger, so I have no advice for you there. Sorry!

Julie

Tuesday 16th of November 2021

Not quite sure about cooking the turkey, do you use a large roasting pan or just put the turkey on the grill. It seems people say different things, please clarify, as soon as possible, Thank you

Wednesday 17th of November 2021

For this recipe, we keep the turkey in the roasting pan while it's in the smoker. This makes sure all the drippings are saved for making gravy.

Melissa

Wednesday 10th of March 2021

Hi! Can you recommend which flavor Traeger pellets are best to use?

Rob Benson

Maple, Hickory, Cherry blend from Costco. :)

Michelle

Wednesday 18th of November 2020

I’ve used this brine to smoke by turkey in my traeger since 2014 when you originally posted it for oven roasting. Turns out great every time!! I use the butter under the skin but cook it just a little differently. I smoke it for 3-4hrs until the skin is brown then stick it in the roasting pan and cover with foil to finish. Takes about 6hrs total depending on how cold it is outside. FYI this brine works for a bigger bird too. I’ve done 19lbs and it turned out great.

Monday 23rd of November 2020

So glad to hear that! We are doing it again this year, it's my favorite way to cook a turkey :)