Smoked Whole Turkey
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 743
- Total Fat
- 34
- Saturated Fat
- 12
- Carbohydrates
- 10
- Dietary Fiber
- 2
- Sugar
- 3
- Protein
- 94
- Cholesterol
- 329
- Sodium
- 1663
- Total: 3 hr 30 min
- Active: 15 min
Ingredients
One 12- to 14-pound turkey
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 medium onion, quartered
1 head garlic, halved
Several sprigs fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, rosemary, and sage
2 bay leaves
One 32-ounce box low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
Directions
Special equipment:
a smoker; a turkey baster- Preheat a smoker to 350 degrees F.
- Remove any turkey parts from the neck and breast cavities and reserve them for other uses if desired. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels, inside and out.
- Combine the salt, paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried sage and cayenne together in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Sprinkle the turkey all over, including in the breast cavity, with the spice mixture. Stuff the cavity with the onion, garlic, fresh herbs and bay leaves. Set the bird breast-side up on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan. Pour the broth into the bottom of the pan and add the butter.
- Transfer the roasting pan to the smoker and cover with the lid. Smoke until the skin is slightly golden, about 1 hour.
- Baste the turkey with the broth in the pan. Continue smoking the turkey, basting it with broth every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 2 hours more.
- Remove the turkey from the smoker and set aside to rest for 15 minutes. Carve and serve.