The best Thanksgiving Turkeys take a little effort, a little planning and some time. For this bird, I did a 48 hour brine, then I pulled it out and let the skin “air dry” in the fridge overnight. A little light seasoning and some steady smoke is all you need after that.
This bird is packed full of juice, packed full of flavor and the skin turned out better than any turkey I’ve ever smoked before. The results were something I’d be more than proud to serve on Thanksgiving…
WHAT MALCOM USED IN THIS RECIPE:
Description
Smoked Turkey Recipe with a 48 hour brine gives you a bird you’ll be proud to serve on Thanksgiving!
- 10–12lb whole turkey
- 1 bottle Malcom’s Bird Brine
- 2 gallons sweet tea
- 1/2 onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 carrots
- 1 package of fresh poultry herbs – rosemary, sage, & thyme
- 1/4 cup Killer Hogs AP Seasoning
- Place the turkey in a brine bucket lined with a meat bag (any container large enough to hold the turkey and 2 gallons of liquid will work). Add the entire bottle of bird brine and both gallons of sweet tea making sure the turkey is completely submerged in the brine liquid. Refrigerate for 48 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the brine and place on a wire rack over a lined sheet pan. Use paper towel to dry the skin and soak up moisture inside the cavity. Place the turkey on the rack back in the refrigerator uncovered to allow the skin to “air dry” for about 20 hours.
- Fire up a pellet smoker set for 350°F using your favorite flavor of wood pellets for smoke.
- Remove the paper damp paper towel from inside the cavity. Roughly chop the vegetables and fill the cavity. Be sure to add the fresh herbs. Tie the turkey legs together with butcher’s twine to hold everything inside.
- Spray the skin with cooking spray and season with Killer Hogs AP Seasoning on all sides.
- Place the turkey in the pellet grill and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 160°F in the thickest part of the breast. It should take approx. 3.5 hrs but go by internal temp not time. I do spin the turkey about half way and spray with Parkay spray margarine to help brown the skin.
- When the turkey reaches 160°F internal in the breast, remove it from the grill and let it rest uncovered for at least 15-20 minutes to allow for carry over cooking. The final target temp should be 165 in the breast and 175 in the dark meat.
Keywords: smoked turkey, turkey brine, thanksgiving, thanksgiving turkey, smoked turkey recipe, turkey
Malcom Reed
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