Introduction on how to Smoke a Turkey
Smoking a turkey on a pellet grill is a fantastic way to elevate your holiday BBQ game. Instead of the traditional oven-roasted bird, wood-fired smoked turkey can be the showstopper of your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast. Pellet grills make this process approachable even for beginners. They offer the convenience of an oven with the flavor boost of a smoker. By cooking low and slow, you’ll get tender, juicy meat that you simply can’t achieve with standard roasting. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through how to smoke a turkey on a pellet grill for the holidays, for beginners and intermediate BBQ enthusiasts alike. (We’ll assume you’re using a pellet grill like a Traeger Ironwood 885, but any similar grill will work.) Get ready to impress your family and friends with a delicious holiday smoked turkey!
Preparing the Turkey
Before you fire up the pellet smoker, proper turkey prep is essential. Here’s how to get your bird ready for the smoker:
- Choose the Right Size Turkey: For smoking, a medium-sized turkey (around 12–15 pounds) is ideal. Smaller turkeys cook more evenly and safely on a low-and-slow smoke. (Larger turkeys over 15 lbs can stay too long in the “danger zone” of 40–140°F during cooking, which food safety experts warn against). If you need to feed a big crowd, consider smoking two smaller turkeys side by side, rather than one enormous bird. Make sure the turkey will fit in your pellet grill with the lid closed — the last thing you want is discovering it’s too tall or wide on cooking day!
- Thaw the Bird Completely: If your turkey is frozen, plan ahead so it’s fully thawed before smoking. The safest method is thawing in the refrigerator — allow about 24 hours of fridge thaw time for every 4–5 pounds of turkey. That means a 12-pound turkey takes roughly 3 days to defrost in the fridge. To check if it’s thawed, ensure there are no ice crystals inside the cavity and the meat is soft to the touch. (In a pinch, you can use a cold water bath to thaw faster — submerge the turkey in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. This method still takes several hours for a large bird.) Never smoke a partially frozen turkey, as it will cook unevenly.
- Prep and Season the Turkey: Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey’s cavities (these are often in a bag inside the bird). You can save them for making stock or gravy, or discard them. Rinse the turkey if needed and pat it dry with paper towels — a dry surface helps the skin brown up. Now, season your turkey. Even though we’re not covering brines or rub recipes here, you’ll want to at least salt the bird generously (and add pepper or your favorite poultry seasoning blend). You can rub the skin with a bit of olive oil or melted butter and then apply your seasoning; this will help the skin turn golden and make the seasoning stick. Season both outside and inside the cavity for the best flavor. (Tip: If you have time, seasoning the turkey the night before and letting it sit uncovered in the fridge can dry out the skin for extra crispness later.)
- Truss for Even Cooking: Trussing means tying up the turkey’s legs and wings so nothing sticks out to cook too quickly. For a whole turkey, tuck the wing tips under the bird’s shoulders and use kitchen twine to loosely tie the legs together. This makes the turkey a more uniform, compact shape, which helps it cook evenly and prevents the wing tips or legs from drying out or burning. Some store-bought turkeys come with a plastic or metal clip that holds the legs – that works too. Trussing isn’t absolutely required, but it does improve the cooking consistency of a whole bird (and makes for a nicer presentation). Now your turkey is prepped and ready for the smoker!
Setting Up the Pellet Grill
With the turkey prepped, it’s time to get your pellet grill ready. Proper grill setup will ensure you maintain steady heat and flavorful smoke throughout the cook.
1. Clean and Check Your Grill: Start with a clean grill for the best results. Clear out any old ashes from the fire pot and make sure last cook’s grease is cleaned up. If your pellet grill has a drip tray or grease bucket, empty it so it’s ready to catch the turkey drippings (there will be plenty of drippings from a big bird). Place a new foil liner on the drip tray if you use one, for easier cleanup. Also, ensure the grill grates are free of residue – a good brush while the grill is cold works, or you can heat the grill and scrape them clean.
2. Choose the Right Wood Pellets: The type of wood you use will influence the flavor of your smoked turkey. Generally, mild or medium woods are best for turkey. Fruitwood pellets like apple, cherry, or peach give a lightly sweet, smoky flavor that complements turkey beautifully. You can also use blends or other mild woods like pecan or maple, or a competition blend that often includes oak and hickory. Hickory will impart a stronger classic BBQ taste, which many people enjoy, but use it in moderation if you prefer a milder smoke. It’s usually wise to avoid very strong woods like mesquite for a turkey, as those can overpower the delicate turkey flavor. Fill your hopper with plenty of pellets – have more than you think you’ll need. A turkey can take many hours to smoke, and you don’t want to run out of pellets mid-cook. (If you’re using a Traeger Ironwood 850 or similar pellet grill, one full hopper will typically last the whole turkey cook, but it never hurts to have extra pellets on hand.)
3. Preheat the Pellet Grill: Set your pellet grill to its smoking temperature, usually around 225°F but check the recipe you’re following. This low temperature is key to that “low and slow” cooking which yields tender, juicy meat. Give the grill time to fully preheat with the lid closed – about 10–15 minutes – so the heat is evenly distributed. Many pellet grills will automatically start producing a steady stream of clean smoke at this stage. (On some models, you might have a special “smoke mode” or super smoke setting – if so, this is a good time to use it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Otherwise, 225°F will do the job.) Once preheated, the grill’s internal thermostat will keep the temperature constant, but be mindful of ambient conditions. If it’s a cold or windy day, the grill may have to work harder to maintain temp, so try to place it out of heavy wind and keep the lid closed as much as possible during cooking.
4. Set Up for Indirect Cooking: In a pellet grill, cooking is indirect by design (the heat comes from the fire pot and is dispersed, not a direct flame under the meat). Still, make sure your heat deflector/drip pan is in place (this prevents direct heat and catches drippings). Some people like to put a shallow pan of water on the drip tray or in a corner of the grill to add humidity to the cooking environment. This isn’t strictly necessary on a pellet grill, but a water pan can help keep the air moist and may help smoke adhere to the meat. If you choose to use one, fill a small aluminum pan with water and set it on the grate alongside where the turkey will go. Finally, plan the turkey placement: you’ll want to cook the turkey on the main rack, centered in the grill for even air circulation. If your grill has an upper rack, you might remove it for this cook to give the turkey plenty of headroom. You can also place the turkey in a roasting rack or pan, but for maximum smoke exposure, many pitmasters put the turkey directly on the grill grates. Just be sure to position it breast side up and consider putting a drip tray on a lower shelf or under the grates to catch drippings if you want to make gravy later. Now everything is set up – let’s start smoking that turkey!
Smoking the Turkey
This is where the magic happens. Smoking a turkey on a pellet grill is mostly a hands-off process, but you do need to monitor a few things as it cooks. Here’s how to smoke your turkey to perfection:
1. Start Smoking (Low and Slow): Once your pellet grill is up to 225°F and producing steady smoke, place the turkey on the grill. Position it breast-side up in the center of the grate for even heat and smoke distribution. Close the lid and let the low-and-slow cooking begin. At 225°F, a general rule of thumb is to smoke the turkey for about 30 to 40 minutes per pound . (If you choose to smoke at a slightly higher temperature like 250°F, you can expect closer to 25–30 minutes per pound.) For example, a 12-pound turkey may take roughly 6 to 8 hours at 225°F until it’s done. Remember, these times are estimates – every turkey and grill is a bit different – so always rely on the internal temperature to gauge doneness, not just the clock.
2. Maintain Consistent Heat and Smoke: One of the benefits of pellet grills is that they regulate temperature for you. Still, you should keep an eye on things. Make sure your hopper has plenty of pellets; refill it as needed to avoid any interruptions in the smoke. It’s best not to open the grill lid frequently – every time you peek, you lose heat and smoke, which can extend the cooking time. Resist the urge to constantly baste or check the turkey, especially in the first few hours. (If you want, you can rotate the turkey 180° halfway through the cook for even exposure, but with modern pellet grills it’s often not necessary.) If your grill has a built-in probe or if you have a digital meat thermometer, insert the probe into the thickest part of the breast at the start of the cook so you can monitor the temperature without opening the lid. Keep the probe cord or transmitter outside the grill. The pellet grill should produce a light, bluish smoke – that’s the clean smoke you want. If at any point you see thick white smoke or the temperature swings wildly, something may be up (perhaps pellets getting low or a grease flare). Otherwise, relax and let the grill do its job. Low and slow smoking is a patience game, but the reward is worth it.
3. Optional – Baste or Spritz (Minimal Opening): Although not required, some BBQ enthusiasts like to baste or spritz their turkey during the smoke for extra moisture or flavor. If you want to do this, wait until the turkey has been smoking for a couple of hours and the skin has started to take on some color. Then you can quickly open the lid and spritz the turkey with a bit of apple juice or broth, or baste it with melted butter or its own juices. Do this quickly and maybe every 1 to 2 hours at most. This can help keep the skin from drying and adds a nice sheen. Again, this step is optional – a well-prepared turkey will stay plenty juicy on its own, especially if it was brined or buttered under the skin (steps we haven’t covered here). If you do baste, always close the lid promptly to keep the heat in.
4. Monitor Internal Temperature: As the estimated cooking time nears its end, begin checking the turkey’s internal temp. The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast (and not less than 165°F in the inner thigh near the drumstick joint). Use an instant-read thermometer if you didn’t have a probe set up. Insert it deep into the breast meat, away from bone, to get an accurate reading. Also check the thigh meat; dark meat can actually be at 170–175°F and will still be tender – in fact, many people prefer thigh meat at around 175°F. What’s critical is that the breast is at least 165°F for food safety. If you find one area is lagging (for example, breast at 165° but thigh is only 155°), you can tent a piece of foil over the done part and continue cooking a bit longer until everything is at temperature. But usually, if you kept the turkey size reasonable and placed it properly, the whole bird will finish around the same time. Never judge doneness by the color of the meat or juices alone – use that thermometer! It’s the only reliable way to know the turkey is fully cooked.
5. (Optional) Finishing Touch – Crisper Skin: Smoking at low temperatures can sometimes result in a softer skin on the turkey. If you love a crispy, golden-brown skin, here’s a pro tip: towards the end of the cook (when the turkey is close to done, say at 155–160°F in the breast), increase the grill temperature to around 275–300°F for the last 30-60 minutes. This higher heat finish will help render the fat in the skin and crisp it up. Many pitmasters do this step, and pellet grills like the Traeger Ironwood 850 can handle this temperature jump easily. Keep a close eye during this phase – you want the skin to brown, not burn. Once the turkey hits that 165°F internal target and the skin is nicely colored, it’s ready to come off the grill.
Resting and Serving
Congratulations – your turkey has finished smoking! But hold on, you’re not quite ready to dig in yet. Proper resting and carving will ensure all your hard work results in the juiciest meat and a beautiful presentation on the table.
1. Rest the Turkey: After removing the turkey from the pellet grill, place it on a large platter or a cutting board with a gutter to catch juices (there will be some runoff). Do not slice it right away. Loosely tent the turkey with aluminum foil and let it rest for about 20–30 minutes. Resting is crucial — during this time, the hot juices inside the turkey redistribute throughout the meat. If you were to cut immediately, those juices would gush out onto the cutting board, and the turkey meat would end up drier. By resting, you ensure each slice will be moist and flavorful. (As a bonus, resting makes the turkey a bit cooler and easier to handle when carving.) Don’t skip the rest – even a 15-minute rest is better than nothing, but aim for a full 20+ minutes, especially for a larger bird. This is a great time to warm up your side dishes or make gravy from the drippings while the turkey is sitting.
2. Carve the Turkey: Carving a smoked turkey is much like carving a roast turkey. Use a sharp carving knife or an electric knife. Here’s a simple carving plan for ease and good presentation:
- Remove the Legs and Thighs: Place the rested turkey breast-side up. Slice the skin between a leg and the body, then gently pull the leg outward. Cut down through the joint where the thigh connects to the body to remove the whole leg quarter. You can then separate the drumstick from the thigh by cutting through the joint between them. Repeat for the other side. These dark meat sections can be served whole or sliced as desired.
- Remove the Wings: Pull each wing away from the body and cut through the joint where it attaches. The wing doesn’t have a ton of meat, but some folks love nibbling on smoked turkey wings! (You can leave the wings on if they’re not in the way, but typically they come off next.)
- Carve the Breast Meat: Now you have clear access to the turkey breast. There are two large breast lobes on either side of the breastbone. To carve, make a long cut vertically along one side of the breastbone, and gently follow the ribcage contour to remove the entire breast half in one piece. Once you have that piece off, lay it on the cutting board and slice it crosswise into thick slices (about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices, or whatever thickness you prefer). Slicing against the grain this way makes each piece tender. Each slice will have a bit of the flavorful outer crust. Do the same for the other breast. (Alternatively, you can carve slices directly off the turkey by cutting perpendicular to the breastbone, but removing the whole breast to slice tends to be easier for beginners.)
- Slice and Serve: Arrange your sliced breast meat, thigh meat (you can slice the thigh meat too, off the bone), and drumsticks on a serving platter. You can leave the drumsticks whole for a rustic look that many associate with a traditional turkey. Pour any accumulated juices over the sliced meat or save them for gravy. For a festive touch, garnish the platter with a few fresh herb sprigs (like rosemary or sage) or some citrus slices and cranberries around the edges.
3. Enjoy Your Smoked Turkey: Your beautifully smoked turkey is now ready to serve! The meat should be juicy with a gentle smoky flavor, and the skin a lovely brown (and possibly crisp, if you did the high-temp finish). When you take that first bite, you’ll taste the difference that wood-fire cooking makes – a depth of flavor that turns a regular holiday turkey into something extraordinary. Serve it up with your favorite holiday sides and watch the compliments roll in. The combination of pellet-grilled smoky turkey and classic trimmings is a guaranteed hit for any holiday BBQ or family dinner.
Final Thoughts
Smoking a turkey on a pellet grill might sound intimidating at first, but as you’ve seen in this guide, it’s quite straightforward. By following these steps – from selecting the right bird and prepping it, to setting up your pellet grill, monitoring the cook, and carving like a pro – even a beginner can achieve a smoked turkey that wows the crowd. The key points to remember are to cook low and slow for tenderness, use a meat thermometer to hit that safe 165°F internal temp, and be patient through the process. The reward is a moist, flavorful turkey with a delicious hint of smoke that will make your holiday meal memorable. So fire up that pellet grill (whether it’s a Traeger Ironwood 850 or any other model), and get smoking. Happy BBQ holidays, and enjoy your perfectly smoked turkey!
Grilling can be dangerous. Information provided is for educational purposes only. Always follow proper grilling and food safety guidelines when handling and cooking meat. Use a meat thermometer to ensure safe internal temperatures, wash hands and surfaces thoroughly, and avoid cross-contamination. Information is for educational purposes only
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