Description
This smoked turkey is juicy, tender, and deeply flavorful with simple garlic seasoning and aromatic stuffing. A foolproof smoked turkey recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey 12 to 14 pounds fully thawed
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups apple juice
- 1 large apple quartered
- 1 large yellow onion quartered
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
Instructions
- Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey cavity and pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels.
- Rub the minced garlic evenly over the entire outside of the turkey, then season all over with seasoned salt.
- Place the turkey breast side up in a large disposable roasting pan.
- Add the butter, apple juice, apple quarters, onion quarters, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper into the cavity of the turkey.
- Loosely tent the turkey with foil.
- Preheat the smoker to 250°F using mild wood such as apple or cherry.
- Place the pan with the turkey into the smoker and smoke for approximately 30 minutes per pound.
- Baste the turkey every 1 to 2 hours with the juices from the pan to keep it moist.
- Continue smoking until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F and the inner thigh reaches 165°F without touching bone.
- Remove the turkey from the smoker, keep loosely covered with foil, and rest for 15 minutes before carving. Turkey must reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
Notes
- Resting the turkey allows the juices to redistribute for moist slices.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: American