This year, we decided to put our relatively-new smoker to use and smoke our Thanksgiving turkey. The result was a delicious, smoky, moist meat with subtle barbecue notes that still paired well with more traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. If you have access to a smoker, it’s definitely worth giving this recipe a shot! Adapted from this one.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Plan ahead! You’ll first need to brine the turkey, which means getting it in the brine 18-24 hours before putting it in the smoker. Get it out of the freezer a day earlier than you would have if you were just roasting it. The smoking process will also take about 6-7 hours for a 13-lb. turkey — and this will take longer if the weather is cold outside. We planned to eat at around 12:30 on Thanksgiving, so I made the brine at 6am the day before and got it in the smoker by 6am Thanksgiving morning. The smoker took longer to heat up because the outdoor temperature was in the upper 30s, so it had a slower start. Throwing a cover over the barrel of the smoker helped it stay at temperature for the most part, though the turkey wasn’t fully cooked until about 1pm.

12-13-lb. whole turkey, giblets and neck removed
1/2 cup BBQ rub
1 onion, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
4 sprigs fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary or parsley
Optional: 3 cups chicken broth (only use if you don’t brine the turkey)
fresh herbs for garnish
cooking spray

If you are brining the turkey, follow the brine instructions 18-24 hours before smoking.

Preheat the smoker to 250F. You will need more time for this if the weather is cold; use a cover over the barrel to help insulate it. Load the smoker with hickory, apple, or cherry wood.

Coat a large roasting pan with cooking spray. If you’re not using a disposable pan, an oven bag can help protect it from too much smoke. Place the turkey in the pan and tuck the wings under the body.

Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the onion, lemon, and herbs. If you still have your brine solution handy, you can pull out some of the solid bits to stuff inside if there’s room. Use kitchen twine to tie the legs together.

Sprinkle the BBQ rub all over the surface of the turkey. If you want, add some more orange or lemon slices on top.

Place the turkey in the smoker. Cook for 5-7 hours. If you did NOT brine, baste with chicken broth every 30-45 minutes. If you DID brine, baste with any emerging juices every hour or 90 minutes; check in periodically on your bird. Refill the wood chips as needed.

If the turkey starts to get too dark, cover it with foil. It’s done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165F. 

Let the turkey rest for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with herbs if desired.