Category: Food

How to Make the Best Whole Smoked Turkey and Wow Your Guests

smoked turkey breastAlthough you might handle the grill quite well, figuring out how to make the best whole smoked turkey is not as easy as it looks. The process can be long and arduous, as the total cooking time can exceed 7 hours in some cases. Also, if you want to avoid keeping your oven busy for such a long time, and to also enjoy the best flavor you can get, using an outdoor cooker such as a grill or a smoker might be the best course of action.

Cooking Instructions for Obtaining Best Results

If you want to really get the finest turkey dish that money can buy, preparing it at home requires a little forethought. First of all, you’ll need to plan ahead and make sure the turkey is completely thawed out when you start. Overnight brining is a must, and your smoker or grill has to be prepared in advance.

To start out, rinse it under cold water, then place your turkey in a 5-gallon bucket containing 3 gallons of water. Dissolve barbecue mix and rub, then add some sugar, garlic and Worchestershire sauce.

The turkey should stay in the bucket overnight with its breast side oriented downwards and immersed into the brine. Put the bucket in your refrigerator, and cover it up, then once morning comes, get it out and pat your turkey dry.

You can use a disposable roasting pan for the turkey. Set it in place, then rub canola oil all over it before preparing your grill or smoker for the cooking process. Once the turkey is safely in position, and your grill set to the smoke setting, it should be left there for at least 2 and a half to 3 hours.

If you’re using a smoker, you can also choose a longer setting, leaving the turkey to slow smoke for up to 7 hours. Alternatively, after 2-3 hours on the smoke setting, set your grill to 350 degrees, and leave the turkey to cook until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees (about 3-4 hours). When it’s done, simply remove it from the grill and let it rest for about a quarter of an hour, before slicing it up.

Helpful Tips to Consider

A barbecue grill is typically very difficult to use when it comes to smoking a large bird like a whole turkey. What most experts will tell you is that it’s best to use a good smoker. Also, to make sure you can clean everything up more easily later on, as well as cooking the food more evenly and preserving its water content, consider using aluminum foil.

Try Hickory chips if you want to get the best flavor you can, and if you’re using wood, don’t worry too much about whether it is seasoned or not. For a unique creosote coating and a distinctive flavor, try mesquite. Its sap will create the unique appearance and taste that you’ve always wanted for your whole smoked turkey.

Although there are many other ways to prepare a good turkey, if you want to know how to make the best whole smoked turkey you can, the recommendations mentioned above will really help.