This easy smoked turkey recipe is great for Thanksgiving dinner or any special occasion. The whole turkey is cooked to perfection on the pellet grill. It’s juicy and tender with a smoky flavor.
Just in time for the holiday season, this delicious smoked turkey is a unique way to switch up your traditional holiday dinner. Instead of roasting the turkey, free up precious oven space and cook the entire turkey on your pellet smoker.
We love serving this alongside smoked beef brisket and smoked corn on the cob.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Super simple: Besides preparing the turkey, you're mostly just letting the smoker do its thing. Simple ingredients and easy cooking process, what's not to love?
- Full of flavor: The dry rub perfectly seasons the turkey for a savory flavor that pairs perfectly with the smokiness.
- Perfectly moist: Nobody wants a dry turkey! To ensure it doesn't dry out, to cut down on cooking time, and achieve crispy skin, we're spatchcocking the turkey. You'll never roast turkey the same way again!
How to smoke a turkey
The full instructions for spatchcocked smoked turkey in a pellet grill are found down below in the recipe card.
Step 1: Spatchcock the turkey
Start by making sure the frozen turkey is completely thawed. Preheat the electric smoker to 300F. Using clean paper towels, pat the turkey completely dry and spatchcock. (Remove the breastbone to make trimming easier!) Whisk the homemade spice rub together, coat the outside of the turkey with olive oil, and season.
Step 2: Cook on pellet grill
Place the spatchcocked turkey directly on the pellet grill grates. Close the lid and smoke turkey for 90-120 minutes. We use hickory wood pellets, but use your favorite type of wood chips.
Use an internal meat thermometer to check and see when the turkey is done. A turkey is fully cooked when the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165F at the thickest part of the thigh or breast.
Step 3: Let rest and carve
Once cooked, transfer the turkey to a clean cutting board or roasting pan, and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest for at least 10 minutes and up to 60 minutes. Carve then serve. This is truly the best way to serve up your Thanksgiving turkey!
Serving suggestions
Every family has their favorite side dishes, here are a few of mine:
- Learn how to make easy dinner rolls with no milk and no eggs! They're soft and fluffy, great for any holiday gathering.
- My kale salad is loaded with curly kale, crunchy green cabbage, roasted almonds, and a flavorful homemade apple dijon dressing. Serve as a simple side all year long!
- Olive oil mashed potatoes are light, fluffy, and creamy. A must-make during the holidays.
I hope you love this juicy smoked turkey as much as we do! If you give it a try, please leave me a rating below and if you have any questions, ask them in the comments. I look forward to hearing from you. Happy Thanksgiving!
Smoked Turkey
Ingredients
- 12-15 pound whole turkey thawed
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 4 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon ground mustard
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 300F. Ensure the turkey is completely thawed, pat dry, and spatchcock. This video shows how to spatchcock a turkey. To make trimming easier, remove the breastbone as well.
- Whisk together the brown sugar, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion, powder, chili powder, paprika, and ground mustard to create a homemade spice rub. Coat the exterior of the turkey with olive oil then season with the dry rub.
- Place the turkey directly on the grill grates, breast-side up. Close the lid and smoke the turkey for about 90-120 minutes. Turkey is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165F at its thickest part. Use an instant-read thermometer to check in the thickest part of the thigh or breast.
- Transfer turkey to a clean cutting board and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 10-60 minutes, carve, and serve! Here’s how to carve a spatchcocked turkey.
Nutrition
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