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closeup up of smoked turkey with one slice out
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4.71 from 177 votes

Best Smoked Turkey Recipe

Ever wondered how to smoke a juicy turkey? This is the best smoked turkey recipe we've tried. Free up the oven and learn how to smoke turkey stuffed with fruit and aromatics for an amazing turkey dinner. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to smoke a turkey, smoked recipes, thanksgiving dinner, turkey dinner
Servings: 15
Calories: 479kcal
Author: Julie Clark

Ingredients

  • 13 pound whole turkey (thawed)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 24 ounces cola flavored soda pop (We used Coca Cola)
  • 1 large apple (quartered)
  • 1 large onion (quartered)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey, and pat the turkey dry. 13 pound whole turkey
  • Rub the minced garlic all over the turkey, then sprinkle the entire outside of the bird with seasoned salt. 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
  • Place the turkey in a large roasting pan or disposable aluminum pan. Stuff the large cavity of the bird with the remaining ingredients. Cover the turkey loosely with foil. 1/2 cup butter, 24 ounces cola flavored soda pop, 1 large apple, 1 large onion, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • Prepare the smoker and heat to 250º Fahrenheit. Place the turkey in the smoker and baste every 1-2 hours with turkey juices from the pan. 
  • Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 180º Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the thigh. It’s good to plan 30 minutes per pound when you smoke a turkey between 225-250º Fahrenheit. This turkey was 13 pounds and took about 7-8 hours to get to temperature. 
  • Remove the turkey from the smoker and allow it to sit, still covered with foil, for 10 minutes before slicing.

Video

Notes

The calories shown are based on the feeding about 15 people, with 1 serving being 1/15 of the turkey. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 217mg | Sodium: 1764mg | Potassium: 667mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2.6mg