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

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 – https://bit.ly/H2QBrineKit
– Malcom’s Bird Brine https://bit.ly/H2Qbirdbrine
– Meat Bags – Brining Bags https://bit.ly/3BXUC8W
– Killer Hogs AP Seasoning https://bit.ly/TheAPRub
– Malcom’s King Craw Cajun Seasoning https://bit.ly/KingCrawCajun
– Chicken Rack https://bit.ly/BBQRack
– Disposable BBQ Boards https://bit.ly/BBQBoards
– Thermoworks DOT https://bit.ly/2VBWm0K
– BBQ Gloves https://bit.ly/H2Q_BBQGloves

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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