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how to make smoked turkey recipe, best thanksgiving recipe
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5 from 3 votes

Best Smoked Turkey Recipe

This Smoked Whole Turkey is flavored with a simple brown sugar spice rub and cooked low and slow in the smoker until perfectly tender and juicy.  It’s an impressive way to save precious oven space and couldn’t be easier.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time4 hours 50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 268kcal
Author: The Carefree Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 10-12 lb Whole Turkey thawed
  • 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Pepper

Smoked Turkey Rub

  • ½ cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Paprika

Instructions

  • Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees.
  • Let your completely thawed turkey sit out for an hour to come to room temperature. Remove the packaging and anything inside the neck and body cavity.
  • Turn the turkey, breast side down. Use heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut along one side of the backbone. Repeat with the other side, then press the turkey flat.
  • Pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels. Mix the brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl, then rub over the entire turkey. Sprinkle salt and peppers generously on all sides.
  • Place the turkey breast side up on the smoker and insert a temperature probe.
  • Close the lid and cook the turkey for 3-4.5 hours, or until the internal temperature in the deepest part of the breast reaches 160 degrees F.
  • Remove the turkey from the smoker and cover with foil. Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistrubute.
  • Slice and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 926mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 357IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg