Smoked Turkey Recipe on the Traeger Pellet Grill (Whole Bird, No Brine) | Sip Bite Go
Confidently smoke a whole turkey with my easy Smoked Turkey Recipe on the Traeger Pellet Grill. I’ve partnered with them (and Meater) to bring you this post on exactly how to make smoked whole turkey for Thanksgiving. I’m using their dry rub and Traeger Turkey Pellets Kit. Let’s smoke a whole bird!
In the recipe example we smoke a whole turkey that’s 11 pounds. The total smoking turkey time on the Traeger took about 3.5-4 hours until the thermometer read 165 degrees F.
¾cupsbutterabout 1 ½ sticks butter unsalted, softened
2clovesgarlicgrated or minced
½tspsalt
¼tsppepper
1lemonzest
Smoked turkey ingredients with simple seasonings
1wholeturkeyI smoked a 11 lb turkey
¼cupturkey poultry rubI used Traeger Turkey Rub
2tbspolive oil
Optional baste for smoked turkey
4tbspbutter
½tbspgarlicpowder
1tbsprosemaryfresh, chopped
Instructions
Mix butter rub. Add all of the compound butter mixture ingredients to a large bowl. With hands or a potato masher, mash ingredients together until combined. Set aside.
Remove the whole turkey from plastic. Remove inside parts and discard. Pat turkey with paper towel.
Season turkey. First, use your fingers to loosen the skin of the turkey from the meat. Smear butter between skin and turkey breast. Add turkey poultry rub and olive oil to outside skin of turkey. Rub into skin, about 1 minute. Tie legs together with twine like the Sip Bite Go recipe video demonstrates if desired. The gist of it is that you put the twine under the whole turkey, then up and around the legs, tying them together like a shoelace.
Chill turkey in the fridge before smoking. Transfer seasoned whole turkey to the fridge and store for at least 2 hours, to overnight. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 30 minutes before smoking it.
Preheat Traeger smoker to 275 degrees F. Add Traeger Turkey Blend wood pellet chips, or whatever pellets you’re using to the hopper. If desired, add a roasting pan with raised edges to catch the drippings below the grates (below where the turkey will sit). Add a small pan filled with room temperature or cold water on top of the grates, to the side, to add moisture as the whole turkey smokes (optional).
Smoke the whole turkey. Once preheated, add the whole turkey directly to the grill grates, breast side up, tucking wings under so they don’t stick out and smoke faster than the other parts. Smoke whole turkey at 275 degrees F for 2 hours.
Make the baste. You don’t have to baste the turkey, but it will add a lot of flavor to the skin. To make it, add all the basting ingredients to a small saucepan on a burner set to low heat. Stir until melted then remove from heat and set aside until the next step.
Raise the temperature of the smoker to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Brush turkey with baste. Smoke until internal temperature of the turkey, measured in the thickest part of the turkey (the thigh) with an internal meat thermometer. Traeger whole turkey is done smoking when it measures 165 degrees F (but sometimes people choose to pull the turkey from the heat at 160 F and letting it come up to temperature under foil while it rests). Exactly how long to smoke a whole turkey will depend on how many times the smoker is opened, and the size of the bird.
Rest smoked turkey for at least 20 minutes, under tin foil if desired. Remove twine and carve and enjoy!