Turkey Tips: Grilled and Smoked Turkey

By: Allrecipes Staff

Smoked Turkey

One of the benefits of smoking a turkey is that it's almost impossible to overcook anything in a smoker. The temperature remains low and the cooking is slow, resulting in perfectly moist and tender meat with a rich, complex flavor.

The Tools

Besides a smoker, there are a few other things you'll need to smoke your turkey:

A large pan
An accurate meat thermometer
Wood chips--any kind of fruit wood, such as apple or cherry, complements turkey very well, but hickory, pecan, and maple will be equally good

If you're smoking a whole bird, we recommended that you choose one weighing no more than about 15 pounds--large turkeys take too long to heat all the way through. If you choose a frozen turkey, it should be thoroughly thawed before you begin. (Ensure that you have removed all the giblets and gizzards from the turkey, as well as the plastic pop-up thermometer).

Prepping

To add even more flavor to your turkey:

Try brining: while not an essential part of smoking a turkey, soaking in brine before cooking gives the meat maximum flavor and juiciness.
Rub bird with oil or butter for crispy and evenly browned skin.
Apply a dry rub just before smoking. (If you have brined the turkey, you should not use any salt in the dry rub).

Unfortunately, you can't stuff a smoked turkey; if you have your heart set on stuffing, you can make it separately in the oven.

Smoking Your Turkey

Once you have prepped your turkey, you are ready to begin smoking:

Place turkey in the pan, breast-side up.
Insert the meat thermometer deep into the thigh, being careful not to touch the bone or joints.
Run your smoker at 240 degrees F (115 degrees C).
Allow 30 minutes of cooking time per pound of meat.
Baste the turkey with its own juices a few times during smoking, but avoid opening the smoker too often; you will lose heat and increase the cooking time.

When the thermometer reads 180 degrees F (82 degrees C), pull it out of the smoker and let it rest at least 15 minutes. Carve and serve.

Grilled Turkey

Don't have a smoker? Use your charcoal grill. A 12-pound turkey is the largest that will fit most grills.

The Tools

To grill your turkey, you'll need:

Good-quality charcoal briquettes: about 20 pounds
Disposable aluminum roasting pan
Soaked wood chips, if desired
An accurate meat thermometer
Tongs and heavy-duty oven mitts
Recommended: a thermometer on your grill or deep-fat frying thermometer placed through the vent on the grill's lid

Prepping

Follow the instructions above for Smoked Turkey.

Grilling

Essentially, you'll be using your grill as an outdoor oven: you want a moderate, even temperature rather than searing heat. Arrange the coals on one side of the grill only--you will use the empty side for the drip-pan. When the coals are covered with white ash, add a handful of damp wood chips. Add more wood chips any time you add more charcoal.

Lightly oil the grill's grate. Brush the skin of the turkey with oil or rub it with butter to prevent it from sticking.
Set a disposable aluminum roasting pan next to the hot coals. This will catch drippings and prevent flare-ups.
Adjust the grill's vents so they are open halfway.
Many recipes suggest roasting the turkey in a second disposable pan, adding water, wine or aromatics to the roasting pan for basting.
If your grill is outfitted with a thermometer (or you have inserted a deep-fat frying thermometer through the vent), check it. Aim for 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), but don't get hung up on a perfect and constant reading.
Roast the turkey until the thigh meat registers 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). This may take two to three hours or longer, depending upon the heat of the fire and size of the turkey.
Avoid opening the lid; conserve heat. Rotate the turkey as necessary for even cooking.