Smoked Turkey Rub

closeup of golden brown smoked turkey with rub

4.69 from 51 votes

Free up the oven and smoked a turkey on the grill! Everything you need to know about smoking a turkey plus a savory smoked turkey rub recipe.

Prep Time5

Total Time6 5

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: how to smoke a turkey, smoked recipes, thanksgiving

Servings:

Calories: 466kcal

Author: Julie Clark

Ingredients

13 pound whole turkey (thawed)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried sage
2 teaspoons dry ground mustard powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground coriander

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Wash the turkey, remove the giblets and neck, then pat the turkey dry.13 pound whole turkey
Stir together all of the dried spices in a small bowl. Pat the spices all over the skin of the turkey. 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried sage, 2 teaspoons dry ground mustard powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon ground coriander
Cover the turkey with plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 30 minutes while the smoker comes to temperature.
**Follow the manufacturer's instructions for preheating your smoker. See the above instructions for a Traeger grill. **
Set the smoker temperature to 250º Fahrenheit. Remove the plastic wrap. Place the turkey in a foil pan and place it on the grill.
Close the grill lid and allow the turkey to cook for 30 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (making sure it is not touching bone) to read the internal temperature. The turkey is done when the temperature reaches 165º Fahrenheit.
Remove the turkey from the smoker and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
**If you'd like, you can baste the turkey a few times during cooking with the juices, or brush it with oil or melted butter.

Video

Notes

Other herbs that you might like to add are: garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, black pepper, parsley or rosemary.

The calories for this recipe are auto-calculated and include dividing the whole turkey into 12 parts. It's likely that there will be less calories, and you can definitely lower the calories by not eating the skin.

Nutrition