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.
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.