How to Smoke a Turkey That’s Juicy Inside & Crispy Outside

Byamazingfoodstv


This one’s all about doing turkey the right way — give it time to brine, get that skin good and dry, and let the smoke do the rest.

I’m smoking this on my pellet grill, but this method works on any pit that can hold steady heat.

The brine keeps it juicy, the smoke builds flavor in every layer, and the skin takes on that deep, golden color that just looks like Thanksgiving.

WHAT MALCOM USED IN THIS RECIPE:
– HowToBBQRight Ultimate Brine Kit –
– Malcom’s Bird Brine
– Meat Bags – Brining Bags
– Killer Hogs AP Seasoning
– Malcom’s King Craw Cajun Seasoning
– Chicken Rack
– Disposable BBQ Boards
– Thermoworks DOT
– BBQ Gloves

Smoked Turkey Recipe
– 1 whole turkey (12–18 lbs), thawed
– HowToBBQRight Ultimate Brine Kit
OR
– 1 bottle Malcom’s Bird Brine
– 1 bottle Killer Hogs AP Seasoning
– 1 bottle Malcom’s King Craw Cajun Seasoning
– Meat Bag
– Water (enough to completely submerge turkey)
– 1 stalk celery, cut into chunks
– 1 medium onion, quartered
– 1 apple, quartered
– 3 cloves garlic, smashed
– Cooking spray or oil (for coating the skin)
– Chicken Rack (optional)

Directions
1. Brine the Turkey
Mix one bottle of Bird Brine with 1 gallon of water until dissolved. Place the turkey in a large brining bag or container and pour the brine mixture over the bird. Add enough cold water to completely submerge.
Seal the bag (or cover the container) and refrigerate for 24 hours. For larger turkeys (over 16 lbs), brine up to 48 hours.

2. Dry and Prep
Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the liquid. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels—this is key to getting crispy skin.

3. Stuff the Cavity
Place the celery, onion, apple and garlic (use whatever aromatics you like) inside the cavity. Tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips underneath so the turkey cooks evenly.

4. Oil and Season
Lightly coat the entire surface of the turkey with cooking spray or oil.
Season the backside first with a medium coat of Killer Hogs AP Seasoning, followed by a medium coat of Malcom’s King Craw Cajun Seasoning.
Flip the turkey onto a rack and repeat on the top side with the same layers of seasoning.

5. Smoke the Turkey
Preheat your smoker or grill to 275°F using pecan pellets (or your preferred wood).
Place the turkey on the pit, centered for even airflow, and cook until the internal temperature in the deepest part of the breast reaches 160°F.

6. Rest and Serve
Remove the turkey from the smoker and rest for 20 minutes. The internal temperature will carry over to about 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the dark meat.

#smokedturkey #thanksgivingturkey #turkeyrecipe #howtobbqright

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49 Comments

  10. Malcom I listen to your show on podcast all the time! I have a question! I want to smoke a 5-6lb Rack of Pork Loin for friends over the holidays! You know like the ones from Costco! I want to smoke and gift it to people! My question is…How can I wrap and present it as a “gift” for like Christmas? Do I smoke it, cool it, then food save it, then freeze? So they can reheat it later! How can I get creative and decorate it for a cool presentation present?
    Thanks

  15. In my experience, 160+ is just too high for turkey. When slow cooking at something lower than oven temps, you don’t need to get as high to still have a safe bird. I shoot for 152 and let carryover bump it up a little more after that.

  25. I've done this for the past few years from watching your original turkey video, I brine mine for 48hrs and cook it at 240-250 for 4 hours then turn up the heat to 270 for the last 1-2 hours to really get a crispy skin and super juicy meat

  36. It's like you can taste the actual turkey through the screen with the way Malcom describes. Dude could smoke some refried beans and make it look like you've been missing out your whole life by not making refried beans. Truly amazing and one of kind.

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