Wood Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey

posted in: Turkey 12
Wood Pellet Grill Hickory Smoked Turkey
Wood Pellet Grill Hickory Smoked Turkey

Just smoked my last frozen turkey lost leader that I picked up last Thanksgiving. Don't you just love it when your local grocery store practically gives the turkeys away just to get you in the door? It allows us to have some wood pellet grill smoked turkey every month or so for the rest of the year. But this year I didn't plan ahead well enough. Now the next turkey will be costing me around $1.50 or more per pound. It's still a great price when compared to other meats, poultry, and fish.

Seasoned 14 pound Turkey
Seasoned 14 pound Turkey
Turkey Smoked for 2 hours
Turkey Smoked for 2 hours

This time of year it's almost impossible to find a fresh young 13 to 15 pound turkey so I started with my last frozen turkey. Make sure to properly thaw out the gobbler in the refrigerator. This will take you about 3 to 4 days. Nowadays I don't do anything with the giblets anymore cause I don't make fresh gravy like the old days. I use a quick and easy mix.

Remove the neck and bags of giblets from the cavity. Rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Trim the excess fat & skin from the bird. I take time to peal back the skin of the breast and drumsticks while leaving it intact. Rub under the skin of the breast and drumsticks with [easyazon_link keywords="california olive ranch" locale="US" tag="ftd-20"]roasted garlic extra virgin olive oil[/easyazon_link] (EVOO) before applying a medium dusting of Jan's Original Dry Rub. Lightly rub EVOO on the skin of the turkey and lightly dust with Jan's Original Dry Rub. Wrap the turkey in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Hickory smoking a young 13 to 15 pound turkey is extremely simple on any wood pellet smoker-grill. My personal choice of grill is the MAK 2 Star General. Preheat your wood pellet smoker-grill with hickory wood pellets to 200ºF and smoke the turkey for 2 hours. After 2 hours of hickory smoke increase the grill pit temperature to 350ºF and roast until the [easyazon_link keywords="Maverick ET-735" locale="US" tag="ftd-20"]internal temperature[/easyazon_link] at the thickest part of the breast reaches 170ºF. Should take a total time of about 3½ to 4 hours to fully come to temp. Rest the turkey loosely under a foil tent for 20 minutes before carving and serving.

Smoked Turkey Resting
Smoked Turkey Resting
Smoked Turkey with sides
Smoked Turkey with sides

12 Responses

  1. […] was searching on the internet for a way to use a leftover smoked turkey breast, from a previous turkey cook, in a casserole when I came upon a recipe at Campbell's Kitchen for a turkey noodle casserole. The […]

  2. glen
    | Reply

    When you say “should take a total time of 3 1/2 to 4 hours to fully come to temp” do you include the 2 hours of smoking at 200 degrees or is it 3 1/2 to 4 hours after raising to 350 degrees?

    • smokerpete
      | Reply

      Yes Glen the 3 1/2 to 4 hours does include 2 hours of smoking at 200ºF and raising the pit temp to 350ºF. It does not however include 30 minutes up front to pre-heat the pellet grill. It also does not include resting the smoked turkey loosely under a foil tent before carving and serving. My pellet grill actually takes less than the 30 minutes to pre-heat but I like to give it time since factors like ambient temps may come into play. Let me know if you have any other questions … Pete

      • glen
        | Reply

        Great Pete, thanks for the reply and thanks for being so quick with it!
        I figured as much and I was expecting the heat up and setting time, but thanks for clarifying.
        Can’t wait till Thanksgiving to taste this!

        • smokerpete
          | Reply

          Glad I could help Glen. I like to experiment with different temps to see how it changes the flavor profiles. The last 14 lb turkey I smoked was smoked for 3 hours instead of 2 hours but I smoked it at 225ºF instead of 200º. Then bumped the pit temp to 325ºF instead of 350ºF. Still took about the same amount of time. Don’t fret if the turkey is done a little ahead of time of all the sides and trimmings. Usually the turkey is not still “hot” by the time you carve the bird and serve it.

          I turned my pellet grill ON at 11:30 am. Placed the bird IN at Noon and smoked the turkey for 3 hours. At 3 pm bumped the temp to 325ºF and at 4:30 pm the internal temp at the thickest part of the breast reached 170ºF. Rested the smoked turkey for 20 minutes, carved and served … Remember that these numbers are for a 14 lb turkey.

          Enjoy!!

  3. ROGER THOMPSON
    | Reply

    I always thought when you smoke any meat your suppose to (in this case) brine the turkey for a time to prevent bacteria growth, using cure ,salt , and spices or what ever flavor you like . Like when you make sausage you can make fresh without cure for fresh sausage or with cure for smoked sausage . Just curious because i smoke allot of sausage during deer season . Now that i have a pellet grill I will be doing more poultry and the such , can’t wait to try smoking turkey, i have two to try .

    • smokerpete
      | Reply

      I have never used a cure Roger when smoking meat, poultry, fish, etc on my wood pellet smoker-grill. I’m not smoking the meats for the purpose of food preservation. The only exception, in my case, is when I make beef jerky. My local butcher slices the meat for me, adds the marinade (teriyaki, etc), the appropriate amount of cure and vacuum seals it for me. I then allow it marinade for a day before smoking/cooking the jerky.

      But for everyday smoking of meats and poultry I will smoke it for period of time – usually 1 to 3 hours depending on what I’m cooking – and then I usually crank the pit temp to finish the cook until the meat reaches the appropriate internal temperature. I cook everything to internal temperatures. The meat is then consumed immediately that day.

      I have never seen any recipes that call for a cure when brining a turkey, chicken, or fish. It’s not like making/smoking sausages. Over the years I have smoked a lot of turkey and chicken and often enough I have been known to brine them first but as I stated I never use a cure. Since you make sausages you’re probably aware of the dangers of using too much cure. When you brine poultry it does enhance the flavor of the meat and it will be very moist. Remember that most turkeys you buy in grocery stores have a certain amount of flavor solution/brine injected into them so there is no need for a brine. Look at the labels for details. I would only brine a fresh turkey that has not been injected with anything.

      Bottom line – I recommend you do not use a cure in your brine for turkey or chicken.

  4. Steven
    | Reply

    Thanks for all of the above. Can you baste the turkey while cooking at the 350 temp?

    • smokerpete
      | Reply

      Yes, you can baste the turkey while cooking at the 350ºF temp. I personally never baste anything that I smoke/cook but every one to their own. Wood Pellet smoker/grills have a quick recovery time so don’t worry about opening up your pit to baste … Enjoy

  5. […] (Recipe provided by Smoker Pete) […]

  6. christopher
    | Reply

    Smoking first turkey tomorrow and ws wondering if i need a roasting pan or if the grease bucket will suffice ? Also thoughts on fdoing a 13# at 225 for about 7 hours?

    Using Pit Boss grill and smoker

    • Pete Jautaikis
      | Reply

      Your grease bucket should suffice Christopher but I recommend using a roasting pan to catch all the grease and drippings for a scrumptious gravy. Even though I always foil my grease pan I have decided that at my age I like to keep things simple. Why have all that grease/drippings messing up your smoker.

      I recommend smoking your turkey for 2 hours at your ‘smoke’ setting then cranking up your pit temperature to 325 degrees until the breast at the thickest part reaches 170 degrees (maybe 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 325). Rest the turkey for 20 under a foil tent. 7 hours for me is too long. You might also think about spatchcocking your 13 lb turkey. Cooks a lot faster and more even. I’m going to spatchcock a 14 pounder tomorrow. Search my website for “smoked spatchcock”. It’s easy to do, faster, and the results are great.

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