How to smoke a turkey in an electric smoker? BBQ smoking is a wonderful way of enjoying food with a favourite flavour’s smoky touch. Smoked turkey is one of the most iconic foods from these food-pleasing smoking recipes out there. But every process step is key to enhancing the chicken’s flavour. You can make many leftover turkey recipes if you have leftover smoked turkey.
BBQ smoking is the best way to cook large cuts of meat while infusing them with your favourite beautiful smoky flavours. Smoking is a delicious method to prepare a whole turkey. It would be best if you had the turkey, seasonings, time, patience, and the right equipment.
An electric smoker is the right equipment, such as the Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smoker. While the cooking time is long, in return is beautiful textures, with wood-infused spices and meaty flavours combined to give you perfectly cooked meat.
1. Choose the perfect turkey.
First, you have to choose the perfect size for the turkey. After removing the bones and giblets, one pound of turkey will remain half a pound of delicious smoked turkey meat. So you can select the size according to your guest.f you have 11-12 guests, you need a turkey that weighs around 11 to 12 pounds.
2. Cleaning the turkey
Cleaning is a very important step in Turkey. But remember, a larger turkey can build bacteria on the inner parts of the meat at low cooking temperatures. Smoke it at 275°F for 60 minutes and then do the rest in the oven at 350°F. Always consider the size of your smoker and the size of your turkey. Most Americans buy their turkey frozen; thaw your turkey while avoiding giving yourself food poisoning.
3. Thawing the turkey
Ensuring your turkey is completely thawed out is vital to smoking consistently and not increasing unpleasant bacteria colonies. If you want to brine your turkey for a few days, you must allow it enough time to thaw. Some salient facts to keep in mind:
Allow around 24 hours of defrosting time for every 1.8-2.2kg turkey to thaw properly.
It is a terrible idea to defrost your turkey at room temperature.
At low or room temperature, colonies of bacteria such as Salmonella or Campylobacter will multiply every 20 minutes.
You can wash your turkey in the sink not bad, but it covers everything.
4. Brining the turkey
Brining is the most important step of making meat tender by soaking it in water, salt, and flavourings. While your turkey sits in its brine, the salt absorbs the flesh of the bird, breaking down proteins and seasoning the meat. Remember, a good brine enhances the taste of smoked turkey and keeps it moist by bringing one cup of sea salt per 1 gallon of water.
Feel free for your brine combination; buy something off the shelf.
Turkey brine in the recipe
Put all ingredients in a pot and mix with water, bring to a gentle boil and stir to combine all ingredients.
Please turn off the fire and let it cool; add some more cold water and leave the mixture in the refrigerator until it is cold.
You can use a brine bag or a container with a sealed lid. If you are using the brine bag, ensure you c carefully remove all the air before sealing the bag. Let it for 2 or 3 days in the fridge. After the brine, rinse it thoroughly and dry it with paper towels.
Smoking your turkey in an electric smoker recipe
Now you are a thawed, brined turkey ready to hit the electric smoker.
1. Season the turkey
After bringing, rinsing, and drying your turkey, the time is to enhance the flavour touches. You can create a spicy jerk smoked turkey, a deep south cajun turkey, with a mix of herbs and simple spices. Keep in mind that bringing your turkey to distribute the salt throughout the meat evenly, so do not add extra salt before applying the rub to stuff the cavity with some aromatics such as fresh thyme, rosemary, and garlic. Now rub stick spray the turkey with cooking spray; you can use olive oil and soft butter. Then rub evenly all over, and get the rub into those hard-to-reach places.
2. Smoking the turkey
When you are finished seasoning your turkey, it is time to get it in the smoker. You can smoke Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smoker with a max setting of 275°F. It is best to smoke at 300-350°F to get nice crispy skin, but you can always smoke until the turkey reaches 135°F internal temperature; you can check the internal temperature with the meat thermometer and finish it. After it, put the turkey in the oven to make your skin crispy. If you do not have room in the oven, do not take stress, 275°F will still work.
If you use a pellet smoker, fire up your smoker, and add woodchips, it is a bit difficult to make a turkey on this smoker. It will help the smoker balance himself before putting the turkey inside. When it starts producing smoke, consistently place the turkey inside. Set a timer for 35 to 45 minutes per pound of turkey you are smoking. Leave the probe inserted in the breast to watch the cooking time. Close the smoker and make sure the vent is partially open. After taking out the bird:
- Put it onto a baking sheet.
- Cover it lightly in an aluminium foil tent.
- Let it rest for about 30 minutes before carving.
How to Smoke a Turkey in an Electric Smoker?
You can make an easy turkey recipe cooked to mouth-watering deliciousness in an electric smoker—the perfect meal for Christmas and the Holidays.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Total Time: 11 hours
- Equipment
- Electric smoker
- Smoking wood, apple, or cherry
Ingredients
- 11-15 lb turkey defrosted or fresh dry rub
- Brine injection
- One-fourth cup of light oil
- One-fourth cup water
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powders
- 1 tsp ground bay leaf
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1 tsp finely ground black pepper
Electric Smoker turkey recipe
- Prepare turkey by removing our neck, gizzard, and giblets and refrigerate.
- Combine all brine ingredients in a saucepan over low heat and stir until well-mixed.
- Apply brine on the turkey by inserting needles of the injection firmly into the meat.
- Pat down with a paper towel to remove excess water or brine solution.
- Preheat the electric smoker to 225°F.
- Apply cooking oil to the cooking grate, and add a handful of wood chunks to the smoker box.
- Cook turkey for 40 minutes per pound, about 8-10 hours.
- The internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the turkey from the smoker.
- Wrap it in foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
- Make a slice and serve.
Nutrition Value of smoked turkey recipe
Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 72g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 232mg | Sodium: 1066mg | Potassium: 894mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 4mg
Why smoke a turkey in an electric smoker?
It is smoking your turkey in an electric smoker because it has freed up space; it is the same as it is feasible to cook a massive bird in a place with limited kitchen space. The electric smoker has the benefit of you not needing to carry extra fuel and electricity being the most everywhere and widely available power source on the planet.
What are the best ways of rubbing?
Rubs are generally divided into two ways dry rubs and wet rubs. Dry rubs are made of dry crushed ingredients like herbs and other spices. While wet rubs with similar elements that are made with an addition of liquid elements, such as oil, fruit juice, beer, or vinegar.
What are the chips best for smoking turkey?
Wood chips with a slightly sweet flavour are best for smoking turkey so you can try apple, apricot, cherry, peach, maple, or any other turkey smoke wood. Use a mix of apple and hickory wood chips throughout the smoke if you want the combination of the sweetness of applewood.
Closing lines
A smoked turkey recipe in an electric smoker is so easy and offers you such fantastic taste. You have to set your temperature, put your brined chicken in the smoker and be happy with your day, with this thinking that dinner is going to be something spectacular with your favourite rubbing and smoking flavour.
FAQS
How Long Does Turkey Take to Smoke at 225?
Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit for a turkey breast, and smoke for 30 minutes per pound.
Will it be better to smoke a turkey at 225 or 300?
Temperature variations make a difference; cook at 225, which means 35-40 minutes per pound. Some cook theirs at 300 degrees in their turkey, which can shorten cooking time.
How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a Masterbuilt electric smoker?
Preheat your smoker to 275F. Give the layer of olive oil to your turkey and pat it with salt and pepper to taste. Place turkey onto the bottom rack of the smoker. The smoking time is 3.5-4 hours or until internal temp reaches 165F.
How long does a turkey take to smoke at 325?
If you are smoking your turkey at 325 degrees, your turkey will get to the needed temperature without drying out. Regardless of size, it normally takes 3 to 4 hours total cooking time.