Learn how to smoke a turkey in a vertical smoker. This makes the most delicious, juicy turkey you’ve ever had!!
With a bunch of hungry growing boys to feed, we love to cook a whole turkey whenever possible. Smoking a turkey gives it a unique flavour profile that you are sure to love!
We’ve shared how we smoke salmon in this vertical smoker and how we love to cook garbage can turkey too. Be sure to check out those posts!
Too busy to make this right away?! Pin it for later! Pin this recipe to your favorite camping board on Pinterest and it’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready.
Our smoked turkey starts with the most amazing brine recipe that you have ever had – promise! We like to leave our turkey in the brine overnight at the very least. If we are camping, I have been known to put the brine and entire turkey in a cooler to travel together to our campsite.
How to smoke a turkey:
- Prepare the turkey in brine overnight.
2. Drain the brine and pat the turkey dry. Coat the skin with butter and seasoning of choice. We like to use a chipotle dry rub. Tie the wings to the body of the bird if needed.
3. Light the smoker with briquettes and a handful (about 1/2 cup) of wood chips. Keep the briquettes and wood chips stocked and lit throughout the smoking process.
4. Place the turkey in the lit smoker. We use a DIY turkey stand in this vertical smoker. It’s important to allow the smoke to circulate around the entire bird.
5. Smoke the turkey for 8 – 12 hours at 160 degrees until it reaches your desired doneness.
5. Smoke the turkey for 8 hours at 225 degrees.
Doesn’t this bird look amazingly delicious?! It was!!
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Kitchen essentials for smoking:
- These rubbermade containers are perfect for storing and packing food.
- These silicone tongs are perfect for flipping and grasping food.
- This Henckel Knife is my favorite for slicing and dicing in the kitchen.
- I love using this non-stick bakeware for all of my cooking.
Have you ever smoked a turkey?! How did it turn out?
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How to Smoke a Turkey
Learn how to smoke a turkey in a vertical smoker. This makes the most delicious, juicy turkey you've ever had!!
Ingredients
- 18-20 pound turkey
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp dry rub
- 1 bag briquettes
- 1 bag wood chips
Instructions
- Prepare the turkey in brine overnight.
- Drain the brine and pat the turkey dry. Coat the skin with butter and seasoning of choice. We like to use a chipotle dry rub. Tie the wings to the body of the bird if needed.
- Light the smoker with briquettes and a handful (about 1/2 cup) of wood chips. Keep the briquettes and wood chips stocked and lit throughout the smoking process.
- Place the turkey in the lit smoker. We use a DIY turkey stand in this vertical smoker. It's important to allow the smoke to circulate around the entire bird.
- Smoke the turkey for 8 hours at 225 degrees until it reaches your desired doneness.
