How to Smoke a Turkey on a Pellet Grill

Whether you are making a thanksgiving turkey or just a normal barbeque at home with family or friends, it is always important to deliver the perfect, finger-licking dish. To do this you must get your recipe steps right. The perfect turkey is usually tender, juicy and has a smoked flavor to it. To add more taste to your turkey, you can have brine and stuffing. The brine can either be wet or dry but dry is preferable as it helps the turkey retain its natural moisture without adding any excess liquids, which leads to intensely flavored results.

When buying turkey, buy a fresh one that has not been added any salt to it. You can easily check this on the label where it shows the salinity content. It is definitely not easy to find a turkey that has not had any flavor enhancements but the search is always worth it in the end. Remember to smoke your turkey outside just as a safety precaution.

This American main course recipe takes 4 hours total cooking time, that is:

• Prep time: 30 minutes
• Cook time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Serves: 18
• Calories: 680kcal

Ingredients

Cooking tools

• A charcoal grill or gas grill that accepts pellets
• Your choice of pellets
• A grilling thermometer

Turkey

• 1 eighteen pound turkey

Dry Brine

• 6 tablespoon sea or kosher salt
• 2 tablespoon baking soda

Turkey Rub

• 1 tablespoon sea or kosher salt
• 1 cup granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning

Directions

Dry brine the turkey

1. Combine 6 tablespoons of kosher salt with 2 tablespoons of baking powder in a bowl. Gently pat your turkey dry with paper towels.
2. Sprinkle it on all surfaces with the salt mixture, holding it six to ten inches above the turkey for even coverage of the surfaces. The turkey should be well-coated with salt, though not completely. Leave in the refrigerator for a day.

Method

1. Prepare the grill by loading it up with wood pellets.
2. Ensure you have a water pan the whole time you are smoking the turkey. Prepare an 8 to 18-pound fresh turkey by removing giblets, neck, draining the juices, and drying with paper towels. The turkey should be completely thawed for even and safe cooking. Don’t stuff your turkey. Brush the skin with olive oil and insert an oven-safe thermometer deep into the lower thigh.
3. Preheat the smoker to 275F degrees and place the turkey breast side up on the grill. Place an oven thermometer alongside the turkey to monitor its temperature. It is usually done at 165F degrees. It takes about 15-18 minutes per pound when smoking at 275F-300F degrees. For crispy skin, 300F degrees is preferable.
4. Check the temperature of your turkey after 3/1/2 hours. If the internal temperature is low after 3/1/2 hours, take your turkey off the pellet grill and finish it in the oven. When done, remove the turkey while wearing barbeque gloves and let it stand for 15 minutes before carving.

This recipe is best served with jalapeno-cranberry salsa, smoked creamed corn or smoked mushroom bread pudding. A cold glass of wine and cola soda is a great wash down with this savory turkey dish.