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How to Smoke a Turkey on a Traeger
Traeger Smoked Turkey is one of my favorite ways to cook turkey for Thanksgiving. Check out my tried and true method on how to smoke a turkey, along with my 8 pro tips for the best smoked turkey! You’ll love the delicious smoky flavor you get with this cooking process!
![Slices of Traeger turkey on a plate with Thanksgiving sides.](https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Smoking-a-Turkey-on-a-Traeger-720x1080.jpg)
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Creating This Traeger Smoked Turkey
The Traeger has seriously been one of our best purchases during the last couple of years. Or, at least one of our favorite purchases.
We use it so much and everything we cook on it tastes great! I honestly can’t believe it took us so long to get one.
One of my favorite ways to cook turkey these days is to smoke it on our Traeger Pellet Grill.
With Thanksgiving ONLY ABOUT A WEEK AWAY, I thought that I’d write a post about How to Smoke a Turkey on a Traeger and share my 8 Pro Tips for the Best Smoked Turkey.
Our Traeger Smoked Turkey Method
I even consulted with Kevin on this one just to make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything from our method! Though, you should know, that I do plenty of the cooking on the Traeger myself.
The turkey is the center piece of the Thanksgiving meal and is arguably the trickiest part of the meal. Learn all about turkey brining, turkey smoking times, and turkey smoking temperatures.
What Do You Need for this Smoked Whole Turkey Tutorial ?
Before you begin preparing your Traeger smoked turkey, you’ll need to make sure you have some of the required equipment. If you aren’t new to smoking, none of this should be new to you.
In order to smoke a turkey, you need a few things:
- Probe Thermometer
- Pellet Smoker, such as a Traeger
- Wood Pellets
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to smoke a turkey, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
![overhead photo of a white plate with slices of Traeger smoked turkey](https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-720x1080.jpg 720w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-750x1125.jpg 750w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-730x1095.jpg 730w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-150x225.jpg 150w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-735x1103.jpg 735w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey.jpg 1200w)
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What’s the Best Wood for Smoking a Turkey?
The best smoked turkey wood really depends on your personal preferences, so it is important to experiment to find out what you like best.
We have tried all different types of wood pellets for our Traeger Smoked Turkey. Our favorite wood pellet flavors are: apple, pecan, oak, and hickory.
- Apple – mild and sweet flavor
- Pecan – rich, sweet, nutty flavor.
- Oak – medium flavor, not overpowering, quintessential smoking wood
- Hickory – mellow smoky flavor, not over powering, savory, hearty, one of the most versatile.
- Mesquite – intense, strong flavor with earthy notes. Much stronger flavor than other woods.
Don’t be afraid to mix different wood pellet flavors together. Using blends of different type of wood pellets can give the turkey extra flavor depth. We often use a combination of apple and hickory blended together.
How to Smoke a Turkey on a Traeger
I always purchase a smaller turkey. If we need more than 12 lbs, then we purchase 2 turkeys. In my experience larger turkeys take longer for the breast meat to finish and can end up dried out.
- Let the turkey sit at room temperature for 1 hour before you begin smoking.
- Cook on Smoke (150-160 degrees F) for 3 – 4 hours
- Raise temp to 250 degrees F
- Cook until the breast meat reads 160 degrees F at the thickest portion
- Do not remove the probe until the turkey has rested for 20 – 30 minutes.
Some recipes I have seen recommend raising the temperature to 325 degrees F after the initial smoke phase. We prefer the way the turkey turns out when we cook it at 250 degrees F.
![A plate of sliced traeger smoked turkey breasts, with more Thanksgiving sides in the background.](https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Recipe-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-720x1080.jpg 720w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Recipe-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Recipe-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-750x1125.jpg 750w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Recipe-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-730x1095.jpg 730w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Recipe-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-150x225.jpg 150w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Recipe-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey.jpg 1200w)
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8 Pro Tips for the Best Traeger Smoked Turkey
In our house, we have a running joke where we frequently say things like “hey, pro tip here…” when we’re giving one of the kids advice or something.
I thought I’d give you some of MY “pro tips” to make the best smoked turkey. These tips are all personally tried be us and have yielded great success for us when it comes to smoking a turkey.
Here’s a quick overview of the tips I’ve shared in the post below:
Smoked Turkey Tips
- Smoke two small turkeys instead of one large one.
- Brine your smoked turkey.
- Don’t stuff your turkey.
- Cook by internal meat temperature, not time.
- Don’t lift the lid on the Traeger.
- Don’t make panic induced adjustments.
- Finish the smoked turkey in the oven.
- Let the turkey rest!
Read on for more details and explanations on all of the tips!
Pro Tip #1: Smoke 2 Small Turkeys Instead of 1 Large One
Larger turkeys have a tendency to dry out on a smoker since they take so much longer to reach the appropriate temperature.
If you need a lot of meat, it is better to use 2 smaller turkeys than 1 large turkey when you are smoking a turkey.
Multiple smaller birds will allow you to cook faster, have plenty of meat, AND have meat is still juicy. A 12-14 pound turkeys is the ideal maximum size.
Another option is to smoke several turkey breasts rather than whole turkeys. We do this quite often as most of our family prefers the white meat to the dark meat.
![Overhead view of a raw turkey breast soaking in a container with brine ingredients before preparing this traeger smoked turkey recipe.](https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Best-Smoked-Turkey-Recipe-720x1080.jpg 720w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Best-Smoked-Turkey-Recipe-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Best-Smoked-Turkey-Recipe-750x1125.jpg 750w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Best-Smoked-Turkey-Recipe-730x1095.jpg 730w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Best-Smoked-Turkey-Recipe-150x225.jpg 150w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Best-Smoked-Turkey-Recipe.jpg 1200w)
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Pro Tip #2: Brine Your Smoked Turkey
When thinking about Smoked Turkey Preparation, one of the most important things to do is brine the meat.
You’ll have much juicier, more flavorful meat. The brine flavors paired with the flavor of the smoke is delicious!
Pro Tip #3: Don’t Stuff Your Smoked Turkey
I don’t recommend stuffing a turkey if you are smoking it.
Here’s why you shouldn’t stuff a smoked turkey:
- Lower cooking temperatures that occur in smoking can cause the turkey to stay in the danger zone (40-140 degrees F) for too long if the bird is stuffed. The stuffing will not reach a high enough temperature to kill any bacteria.
- Besides safety reasons, the heat, and smoke, needs to circulate freely throughout the bird for optimal flavor.
- And lastly, your turkey will cook faster without a stuffed cavity. A stuffed turkey will take longer to cook than the guidelines in this recipe.
How to Safely Stuff a Traeger Smoked Turkey
If you really love stuffing inside your turkey, there is a way to safely stuff a smoked turkey.
- First, prepare and cook the stuffing separately while the turkey smokes.
- Then, place the stuffing into the turkey once it is done smoking.
![Overhead view of dry turkey brine ingredients to use for a smoked turkey recipe.](https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Seasonings-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-720x1080.jpg 720w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Seasonings-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Seasonings-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-750x1125.jpg 750w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Seasonings-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-730x1095.jpg 730w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Seasonings-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-150x225.jpg 150w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Seasonings-for-Traeger-Smoked-Turkey.jpg 1200w)
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Pro Tip #4: Cook Your Traeger Smoked Turkey by Temperature, Not Time
There are a few things to know about smoking your turkey, and an important keys to success is cooking by temperature.
Turkey smoking times vary depending on a variety of things, such as:
- the size of the bird
- internal temperature the bird when you begin
- outdoor weather conditions (cold or windy days may cause your Traeger to run cooler)
So, it is better to have general time guidelines and specific temperature milestones to meet rather than cooking for x number of hours.
You avoid overcooked dry meat and undercooked unsafe meat when you use a digital probe meat thermometer. Place the probe in the thickest part of the breast before you begin cooking.
If it is very cold outside, you will need to monitor the temperature on your Traeger’s display and adjust the cook temperature accordingly so the temperature displayed on the digital readout matches the temperature the recipe says to cook at.
- For example, if your Traeger is set to 250 degrees F but it is so cold outside that the Traeger is only cooking at 200 degrees F, you will need to adjust the temperature settings until the Traeger is producing the appropriate temperature.
- Do this in small adjustments until you reach the correct temperature.
Pro Tip #5: Don’t Lift the Lid While Smoking Your Turkey
Heat and smoke escape every time you lift the lid and the Traeger will have to work harder to keep up with the temperature settings – this is especially impactful on cold days.
Just don’t do it. Your thermometer will tell you everything that you need to know.
Pro Tip #6: Don’t Make Panic Induced Adjustments
Perfect, tender, smoked turkey takes time. Don’t be impatient.
When smoking, meat can often experience a “stall.” It might seems like the thermometer is stuck at the same temperatures for hours at a time.
Don’t make the mistake of impatiently increasing the heat. Seriously, one of the worst things you can do is panic and make a bunch of rapid fire adjustments on your Traeger.
You think the turkey isn’t cooking fast enough, so you crank the temperature way up. Then, you crank it down because it is cooking too fast.
Sound familiar? If the answer is yes, it is time to stop doing that. If you need to make adjustments, don’t adjust the temperature by more than 25 degrees at a time, giving it time to increase the heat in between adjustments.
![A white platter on a thanksgiving table with sliced smoked turkey fresh herbs.](https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Traeger-Turkey-Recipe-720x1080.jpg 720w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Traeger-Turkey-Recipe-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Traeger-Turkey-Recipe-750x1125.jpg 750w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Traeger-Turkey-Recipe-730x1095.jpg 730w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Traeger-Turkey-Recipe-150x225.jpg 150w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Traeger-Turkey-Recipe.jpg 1200w)
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Pro Tip #7: Finish the Smoked Turkey in the Oven
You can certainly keep the turkey on your Traeger Smoker until the breast meat reaches 160 degrees F.
I prefer another way. I’ve found that the best way to get a nice, brown, crispy skin on a smoked turkey is to pull it off the Traeger and finish the turkey in the oven.
Pro Tip #8: Let The Turkey Rest
I know, the last thing you want to do after spending ALL DAY smoking a turkey is to wait even longer before slicing in to it.
Let the turkey rest for 20 – 30 minutes before slicing into it for the best results. The turkey will be easier to cut and the meat will stay juicer. It is worth the wait.
Traeger Smoked Turkey FAQs
Got questions about smoking a turkey on a Traeger? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
Can I Use this Traeger Smoked Turkey Recipe with a Different Pellet Grill?
Yes! We happen to have a Traeger grill, but I am reasonably confident that if you have a different brand wood pellet grill, you’ll still have great results with this recipe.
How Much Traeger Smoked Turkey Should I Plan Per Person?
Plan to purchase 1 lb. per person attending your turkey dinner.
If you like to have plenty of leftovers for the freezer or cooking up a big batch of soup, plan on double that, about 2 lbs of turkey per person.
What if you don’t want a lot of meat? Try smoking a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. You can follow the same tips and methods described in this post for making a smoked turkey breast.
Another alternative is to make this recipe for Easy Smoked Chicken, which is the perfect size for smaller meals.
Should I Brine a Traeger Smoked Turkey?
YES! Brining a smoked turkey before you put it in your Traeger helps the meat to retain moisture that is often lost when poultry is exposed to long cook times.
Rather than dry turkey meat, you’ll end up with a juicy, flavorful bird that is seasoned all the way through rather than just on the surface.
You’ll want to look at the label before purchasing your turkey and avoid anything labeled as kosher, pre-salted, or salt injected. Brining any of these will result in an over salted turkey.
You’ll find a lot more information about how to brine, along with a variety of recipes, in the below posts.
Here are my favorite Traeger turkey brine recipes to get you started:
- Fresh Herb Citrus Brined Turkey combines lots of fresh herbs with a subtle hint of citrus.
- Brining your turkey with this Apple Cider Sage Brined Turkey before smoking will not only infuses the meat with the delicious flavors of fresh apple cider and sage, but it will help keep the meat moist and tender.
- Brining a turkey in this Rosemary Beer Brine will tenderize the meat and infuse it with a TON of flavor for Turkey Day.
- This recipe for Garlic Herb Peppercorn Dry Brine is really simple and produces juicy, seasoned turkey meat. There is no soaking required!
How Long Does it Take to Smoke a Turkey?
For general guidelines, you can plan for approximately 30-45 minutes per pound of turkey for your total cook time. But, these are just guidelines.
Cooking time will always vary due to individual smoker (does your smoker run hot or cold?), did you start with a cold turkey or a room temperature turkey?, and what is the weather like outside?, did you open the lid a lot?
I always let the turkey sit at room temperature for about an hour before starting the smoking process.
Can I Smoke My Turkey the Day Before and Reheat It?
Yes – that’s a great way to spread the work of Thanksgiving out over multiple days! You’ll need to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator after.
How to Get a Crispy Skin on a Smoked Turkey
Do you prefer the skin of the turkey to be crispy like it is when it comes out of the oven? Here’s how you can still get that with the smoke flavor from the Traeger:
- When the internal temperature of the turkey measured at the thickest part of the turkey breast reaches 140 – 145 degrees F, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- At the turkey temperature of 150 degrees F, remove it from the smoker.
- Transfer to a roasting pan and roast in the 425 degree F oven until the temperature probe reads 160 degrees F in the breast meat.
- Let rest for 20 – 30 minutes before carving.
![](https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/How-to-Smoke-a-Turkey-720x480.jpg 720w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/How-to-Smoke-a-Turkey-750x500.jpg 750w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/How-to-Smoke-a-Turkey-730x487.jpg 730w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/How-to-Smoke-a-Turkey-150x100.jpg 150w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/How-to-Smoke-a-Turkey.jpg 1200w)
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My Smoked Turkey Finished Cooking Too Early – What Do I Do?
First, don’t panic! There are plenty of solutions to troubleshoot a turkey that has cooked too fast!
If you’re meal time is in 2 hours or less:
- Place a disposable roasting tray inside a well insulated cooler.
- Then, place the finished turkey on the roasting tray.
- Close the cooler, and store until ready to serve (within a reasonable amount of time).
The cooler will act as a warming drawer for the turkey, and the juices will have plenty of time to redistribute while it rests.
If your turkey finished earlier than 2 hours too early, then you’ll need to follow these steps:
- Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes.
- Carve the breast meat, legs, and, thighs.
- Arrange the carved meat on a large serving platter.
- Cover the platter with foil. Transfer the platter to the refrigerator.
- Just prior to serving your meal, reheat the platter in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Can I Make Gravy with Smoked Turkey Drippings?
Yes, you can. Place a wire rack inside of a disposable turkey roasting pan and smoke the turkey on that. That will allow air circulation on the underside of the turkey but still allow you to catch the drippings.
How Can I Make My Smoked Turkey Gravy Less Smoky?
Adding in some turkey or chicken stock to the drippings to augment the amount would help lessen the smokiness if you are concerned about your gravy tasting too smoky.
For example, in this How to Make Turkey Gravy with Drippings post, I say that if you have 2 cups of drippings but you want 3 cups of gravy, you would need to add 1 cup of broth. Maybe something like that?
I would love to hear how it turns out if you try it! I wish I was more help on this particular question!
What Should I Do with Leftover Smoked Turkey?
My post on How to Use Leftover Turkey covers everything! From making turkey stock, to leftover storage tips, and tons of recipes you can make with turkey after your holiday meal.
![plate of smoked turkey with thanksgiving sides](https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Smoked-Turkey-720x1080.jpg 720w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Smoked-Turkey-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Smoked-Turkey-750x1125.jpg 750w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Smoked-Turkey-730x1095.jpg 730w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Smoked-Turkey-150x225.jpg 150w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Smoked-Turkey.jpg 1200w)
Still Have Questions about Traeger Smoked Turkey?
If you haven’t answered all of your questions by the time you reached this point, you’ll find that there are even more questions and answers about smoking a turkey from readers in the comments section of this article.
Be sure to check those out if you have any other questions that aren’t covered here. You’ll find the comments below the printable recipe card. I’ve replied to as many of the questions with my answers and tips as I can.
If you are wondering how to roast a turkey, check out my Turkey Roasting Tips to learn more about the method that I like to use to roast my turkey. There are tons of hints, tips, and tricks for roasting a juicy, flavorful, and tender turkey.
Try this Traeger Smoked Turkey!
Next time you’re looking for a new way to cook your Thanksgiving turkey, give this smoked turkey recipe a try!
Did you think it produced tender meat with a delicious smoky flavor? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this delicious holiday season recipe.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me @goodlifeeats #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this flavorful turkey!
What Readers thought of this Traeger Smoked Turkey
Now that you know how to smoke a turkey on a Traeger, it’s time to actually do it!
Here are some recent reader reviews for this pellet grill turkey tutorial:
★★★★★
Chris says –
“This was amazing! We did a trial run yesterday and it turned out fantastic! The breast was super juicy and the four hours of smoking penetrated deep. The meat was so flavorful.
I brined it for 24 hours prior and used a roasting pan with it elevated on to allow airflow. I added some chicken stock to the bottom of the roasting pan to help keep moisture. I didn’t account for the cold weather so it took about 40 minutes longer than I had planned.”
★★★★★
Jet says –
“Great recipe! I just made this today with an 11 pound turkey, and your dry brine recipe.
Best Turkey I’ve had, with a small caveat that I really dislike dry meat (of any kind), preferring tender, ‘juicy’ meat and smoke flavor.
For me, the thigh is the best but the breast is the test. Even on a chicken that is cooked very well I often won’t eat the breast, and I will almost never eat turkey breast. HOWEVER, the breast on this was super moist and tender!”
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Have you had smoked turkey before?
![overhead photo of a white plate with slices of Traeger smoked turkey](https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-720x720.jpg 720w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-60x60.jpg 60w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-750x750.jpg 750w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-96x96.jpg 96w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-200x200.jpg 200w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-320x320.jpg 320w, https://www.goodlifeeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Traeger-Smoked-Turkey-480x480.jpg 480w)
Traeger Smoked Turkey
Traeger Smoked Turkey is one of my favorite ways to cook turkey for Thanksgiving. Check out my tried and true method on how to smoke a turkey, along with my 8 pro tips for the best smoked turkey! You'll love the delicious smokey flavor you get with this cooking process!
Ingredients
- 12 pound Brined, Unstuffed Turkey (no more than 14 pounds)
Instructions
Preparing the Turkey
- Prepare your preferred turkey brine according to your chosen recipe's instructions.
- Unwrap the turkey from the packaging it came in. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey (dispose of or use as desired in another recipe).
- Rinse the turkey inside and out and transfer it to the brine. Brine for the amount of time according to the recipe and the size of your turkey.
- For a liquid brine, rinse and pat the turkey dry after the brine time. For a dry brine, there is no need to rinse (unless your recipe specifically tells you to).
- Simply pat it dry afterwards.
- Before you begin smoking your turkey, let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Starting with a turkey straight from the fridge will take longer to smoke because the meat is colder to start with.
Prepping the Traeger
- Prepare your smoker to a low heat setting. On our Traeger, we use the "smoke" setting (around 150-160 degrees F) and we either use Oak, Hickory, Apple, Pecan or a blend of pellets for our wood.
Smoking the Turkey
- Transfer the turkey to the smoker, insert the probe of a digital meat thermometer that is safe for BBQing into the thickest part of the breast, and smoke on 150 - 160 degrees F for 3 - 4 hours.
- After 3 - 4 hours, Increase the temperature to 250 degrees F.
- Continue to cook until the the meat thermometer registers 150 degrees F in the thickest portion of the breast.
- When the turkey reaches 145 - 150 degrees F, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- At the turkey temperature of 150 - 155 degrees F, transfer your turkey to an oven safe roasting pan and transfer it to the oven.
Crisp the Smoked Turkey Skin
- Roast at 425 on the lower rack to crisp and brown the skin until the temperature probe inserted turkey breast reaches 160 degrees F.
Let the Smoked Turkey Rest
- Remove the turkey from the smoker and transfer it to a large cutting board or serving platter.
- Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for 20 - 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
General time guidelines:
30-45 minutes per pound for a starting timeline for planning purposes only. I really recommend using a probe thermometer, and if possible doing a test run before Thanksgiving.
There is a lot of other information in the blog post with troubleshooting tips and FAQs, so please check that information out.
If you need more turkey than 14 pounds, it is best to use 2 smaller birds rather than going larger than 14 pounds - larger turkeys will take longer to smoke.
This method can also be used with a whole chicken or a skin on turkey breast.
Oops! Did the turkey finish too early?
- Place a disposable roasting tray inside a well insulated cooler.
- Then, place the finished turkey on the roasting tray.
- Close the cooler, and store until ready to serve (within a reasonable amount of time).
The cooler will act as a warming drawer for the turkey, and the juices will have plenty of time to redistribute while it rests.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 3/4 pound turkeyAmount Per Serving: Calories: 643Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 371mgSodium: 350mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 97g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Todd says
Hi, Katie. I was just (literally yesterday) generously gifted with a new Z-grill (knock-off of Traeger) from my uncle and aunt. I told them I would have it set up and ready to smoke a turkey for them for Thanksgiving. Actually got it set up today – had nothing better to do – and it seems to work great, at least during the burn-in period.
As such, I’m now looking for smoked turkey recipes, and saw yours, which seems like a winner. A few quick questions for you:
~ I assume I can use a butter-based injection to get the butter under the skin throughout?
~ It looks like the lowest temp setting (at smoke) is 180 degrees. Does that majorly change anything timing-wise for the first few hours?
~ You say at the end, when the turkey reaches 155, to move it to an oven at 425 to finish it and get it to 165… When it reaches the 155 point, can I just crank the grill up to 425 or 450 and finish it off that way? During the fire-up I did today, it seemed to reach that temp pretty quickly.
~ Here’s an off-the-wall one – I’ve got an OXO digital meat thermometer that got the little cord (FYI – HIGHLY recommended. The thing works awesome). If I were to leave the probe in the whole time to avoid opening the lid, would the little gap caused by the cord make a difference? Or, will the grill just compensate to keep the heat where it should be, and it won’t matter?
Thanks!
Todd
Katie says
Hi Todd! Congrats on your new z-grill! Here are my thoughts:
-I soften butter and then pull the skin away from the meat and rub the butter between the skin and the top of the breast meat. Does this make sense? You can usually start to pull it away and then slide your hand between the layers on the cavity end of the bird.
-180 is consistent with the Traeger temp setting for “smoke,” so go ahead and put it on the lowest setting.
-Yes you can keep it on the grill and crank it up. However, I find that it takes the Traeger a while (especially in cold weather) to get up to that 425 temp, and if you keep the bird on the smoker while it is preheating to that temp you can risk overcooking the bird just while you wait. So what I would do if you want to crisp it on the smoker is remove the bird while you preheat to 425 OR use a propane grill and heat it for the last part and then switch grills.
-The Traeger has a hole in the side you can thread the cord through so there isn’t a crack from the lid resting on the cord. I would double check if your smoker has that because I actually overlooked it on the Traeger the first few times myself and did what you asked about doing. I didn’t see any problems from doing that but I prefer to thread it through the probe area.
Let me know if you have any other questions or need clarification on this. My one other suggestions is to give it a try before Thanksgiving in case you need to troubleshoot anything. Try to aim for a similar sized bird so you can see approximately how long it will take as the time it will take getting up to the final temp depends on how large your bird is. Good luck!
JUNIOR SCHOENFELDER says
do you wrap your turkey in butcher paper when internal temp. of the turkey reaches 150 degrees? Then smoke it the rest of the way at 225 degree.
Katie says
I do not use that method. If you try that let me know what you think!
Amy Shepard says
What if I already got a 20 lb turkey before I saw it’s best to do 2 small ones… Can I safely cook it the same way as your instructions?
Katie says
Yes that should be fine, just make sure to use a meat thermometer
Jorge says
Did you season the turkey after you brined it?
Katie says
No, I do not. Adding more turkey would make it too salty. You could add herbs inside if you wanted, but I don’t find it necessary.
Jorge says
@Katie,
Thank you. I almost double guess myself as to whether i was doing it right
Katie says
No problem at all! Happy Thanksgiving!
Heather says
Hello! Do you have any tips or information about cooking two turkeys simultaneously? And if I were to cook two 14-lb turkeys, that’s a total of 28 pounds. Would your tip about 45-55 minutes per pound translate to that? That would equal like 25.5 hours.
Katie says
When we cook 2 smaller turkeys or multiple turkey breasts in our Traeger it doesn’t really change the time at all. Just make sure they have space between them for the air to circulate and monitor with a probe thermometer.
John Olson says
What’s the time frame that you mentioned for 40-140? How much is too long to go in that temp range?
Katie says
Cooking the turkey on the smoke setting for 3-4 hours (around 150 degrees) is safe for that time period. After that turn it up to 225. Having cold stuffing in the cold turkey while it is cooking on the smoke setting will prevent the turkey temperature from raising fast enough. If you want stuffing in the turkey always recommend waiting to add the stuffing to the bird until the end, once the turkey is at least measuring temperatures of 150 degrees in the breast portion. I also recommend that the stuffing be fully heated when you add it to the turkey so that the stuffing reaches high enough temps to be safe to eat after being in an uncooked turkey.
Elda says
So you are saying it would be 12hrs of cook time for an 18lb Turkey?? That seems preposterous!
Katie says
Hi, when you’re smoking a turkey the cooking temperature is only around 140-160 degrees F when cooking at the “smoke” setting. You cook on “smoke” for 3 – 4 hours first. After the smoke time, you raise the temperature only to 225 degrees F, so cook times are much slower than in the oven. If you would like a faster cooking time, feel free to cook your turkey on the Traeger at 225 the entire time and you can plan on approximately 30 minutes per pound. However, you won’t have as much smoke flavor without the initial smoke period. If that’s still to long for you, then I recommend roasting it traditionally in the oven.
James says
Hello!
Thank you so much for all this info. It is very helpful! Re: Stuffing. Would you suggest doing the stuffing during the oven period? or when the heat in the smoker is turned up?
Thank you!
Katie says
Hi James, thanks for your kind words! I would suggest having the stuffing hot and ready to go just as the turkey finishes up the smoke period. Then, stuff it quickly (don’t pack it too tightly) just before your put it in the oven. Make sure the breast meat cooks to 165 degrees F and it is also helpful to take a quick temp of the stuffing to make sure it is plenty hot as well. Enjoy and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Karen says
We are thinking about smoking a Turkey on our new Traeger grill for Thanksgiving. I appreciate you sharing your recipe. One question I have is concerning gravy. If I capture the juices to make gravy, how does it taste in your opinion? Is it too smoky and therefore I should find another way to get gravy or would you suggest trying it?
Katie says
Hi, I personally have not made gravy from smoked turkey drippings. I think adding in some turkey or chicken stock to the drippings to augment the amount would help lessen the smokiness. For example, in this How to Make Turkey Gravy with Drippings post, I say that if you have 2 cups of drippings but you want 3 cups of gravy, you would need to add 1 cup of broth. Maybe something like that? I would love to hear how it turns out if you try it! I wish I was more help on this particular question!
Susan says
We just got a Traeger smoker a couple weeks ago. We’ve done hamburgers, whole chicken, and ribeyes on it. Amazing results! This will be our first Thanksgiving turkey on the Traeger though. Our plan is to go with two 11-ish-pound turkeys, brine them, season with herbs on the outside, and maybe do a butter-herb spread under the skin on the breasts. I think I’m going to elevate them on carrots and celery in a roasting pan. My question is what other people have asked, so I’m sorry for the redundancy. After the 3-4 hours on SMOKE, what is the estimated remaining time at 225 degrees? I don’t really have the option to use my oven that day, so we will leave the birds on the Traeger the whole time. I’m thinking it’s going to be another 2-3 hours. Thank you!
Katie says
Hi! For general guidelines, you can plan for approximately 45-55 minutes per pound of turkey for your total cook time. But, these are just guidelines. Times will always vary due to individual smoker (does your smoker run hot or cold?), did you start with a cold turkey or a room temperature turkey?, and what is the weather like outside? (windy or very cold days often yield longer cook times). I hope that helps!
If you find that throughout the day your turkey is cooking too fast, you can turn the temp down one notch to try to slow it, but don’t make a lot of rapid fire adjustments in a row. Likewise if it really seems like it isn’t going to cook fast enough, turn it up one notch. If after another hour it is still cooking way too fast you can try turning it down one more notch.
Here is some info for if your turkey finishes too early…
MY TURKEY FINISHED COOKING TOO EARLY – WHAT DO I DO?
First, don’t panic! There are plenty of solutions to troubleshoot a turkey that has cooked too fast!
If you’re meal time is in 2 hours or less:
The cooler will act as a warming drawer for the turkey, and the juices will have plenty of time to redistribute while it rests.
Julie Schuler says
I wanted to try the dry brine recipe. I see ingredients listed but no amounts. Just equal amounts of every spice? Thanks!
Katie says
If you scroll to the bottom of the post you’ll find a printable recipe card with all the measurements, specific instructions, and tips. The material not in the printable recipe card is used more for instruction purposes for uses who like really detailed how-tos and an overview of ingredients/tools/etc that they’ll need for the recipe. Hope that helps!
Katie says
Here is the dry brine that I think you mentioned: https://www.goodlifeeats.com/garlic-herb-peppercorn-dry-brine-for-turkey/ scroll to the bottom and you’ll see the big recipe card. I get a lot of questions via comments and emails about how to do certain things/recipe substitutions/specific details/etc so I try to answer as many of those as I can in the post in case someone else comes along with the same questions.
Chris says
This was amazing! We did a trial run yesterday and it turned out fantastic! The breast was super juicy and the four hours of smoking penetrated deep. The meat was so flavorful.
I brined it for 24 hours prior and used a roasting pan with it elevated on to allow airflow. I added some chicken stock to the bottom of the roasting pan to help keep moisture. I didn’t account for the cold weather so it took about 40 minutes longer than I had planned.
Katie says
So glad it worked out well for you! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. 🙂
Stephanie says
How do we trap the juices so we can make gravy?
Katie says
You could place a wire rack inside of a disposable turkey roasting pan and smoke the turkey on that. That will allow air circulation on the underside of the turkey but still allow you to catch the drippings.
Heather Riley Swanson says
Great article! Thanks!
Stephanie says
This sounds delicious! We just got a small Traeger and I plan to smoke two small, whole turkeys side by side for Thanksgiving. I’m guessing they will be in the 10lb range. I have three questions.
1. Do you smoke it in a roasting tray or straight on the grill?
2. Approx. how long will they take to get to 165 after the initial smoking of 3-4 hours? Asking so I can plan accordingly.
3. What is the end result difference between a bird smoked for 3 hours vs. 4 hours before bumping the heat up to 225?
Katie says
1. We smoke directly on the grill so that the meat gets maximum smoke exposure.
2. A rough estimate for planning purposes would be 45-55 minutes/pound for total cook time.
3. In my experience the Traeger puts off a lot more smoke on the smoke setting than at any of the other temperature settings so I like to smoke for 4 hours to get all that flavor into the turkey and get a larger smoke ring/smoke flavor.
I hope that helps! Send anymore questions you think of. Happy to answer them!
Katie says
another thing I forgot to note: Times will always vary due to individual smoker (does your smoker run hot or cold?), did you start with a cold turkey or a room temperature turkey?, and what is the weather like outside? (really cold days tend to yield longer cook times in our experience).
some troubleshooting:
Place a disposable roasting tray inside a well insulated cooler.
Then, place the finished turkey on the roasting tray.
Close the cooler, and store until ready to serve (within a reasonable amount of time).
The cooler will act as a warming drawer for the turkey, and the juices will have plenty of time to redistribute while it rests.
Meagan says
Hi! This sounds amazing and I cant wait to make it tomorrow. I just have one question…. I know you said not to focus on time and to focus on temperature but I need a rough idea on time in order to plan when to put it on the smoker and cook everything else. Can you give me an approx time per lb after the 4 hours of smoking?
Katie says
How large of a turkey are you planning to smoke? Will you be using a turkey breast or a bone in turkey? Happy to help and I’m sorry I didn’t see this sooner.
Ross Sutherland says
I also need that information. How long per pound after smoking for 4 hours? In my case, 13-lb Turkey, bone-in. Thanks in advance.
Katie says
Approx 30-45 min/lb for total time