Smoke your Turkey

For many, there’s nothing like the flavor of a smoked turkey. With the proper equipment, smoking your Butterball^® Turkey is an easy, delicious way to serve your turkey – and keep your oven free for other dishes.

Dadgum That's Good, John McLemore, Masterbuilt

Water Smoker

1. Prepare smoker: remove lid and center ring. Open all vents. Place 2 layers of briquettes (about 10 lbs) in charcoal chamber. Light briquettes and burn 30 mins or until covered with gray ash. Start cooking as soon as coals are ready to take advantage of initial higher temperature.
2. Line water pan with heavy foil. Place in center ring.
3. Prepare turkey (8 to 18 lbs) by removing giblets and neck from thawed / fresh turkey, draining juices and drying with paper towels. Turkey should be completely thawed for even, safe cooking.
4. Do not stuff turkey. Brush skin with vegetable oil. Insert oven-safe meat thermometer deep into lower thigh.
5. Carefully set center ring on bottom section. Fill water pan with hot water or other liquid to provide humidity during cooking. Add top cook rack.
6. Place turkey, breast side up, on top rack. Place oven thermometer alongside turkey to monitor temperature.
7. Cover smoker and close vents 1/3, protecting hands with oven mitts.
8. Soak 5 hardwood chunks (3×2 inches) about 1 hour. Place soaked wood on coals after 1½ hours of cooking to produce smoke.
9. To maintain heat around 250°F, add 12 to 14 briquettes through door every 1½ hours. Replenish water if necessary.
10. Check the temperature of your turkey after 3½ hours. For food safety, your turkey must pass through critical range of 40 to 140°F in 4 hrs or less. If internal temperature is low after 3½ hrs, take off smoker and finish in oven.
11. Cook to internal temperatures of 175-180°F- thigh, 165°F breast. Your turkey may take up to 12 hrs to cook.
12. When done, remove turkey from smoker, protecting hands with washable mitts or towels, and let stand 15 mins before carving.

Electric Smoker

1. Follow manufacturer’s directions for preparing smoker.
2. Prepare turkey (8 to 18 lbs) by removing giblets and neck from thawed / fresh turkey, draining juices and drying with paper towels. Turkey should be completely thawed for even, safe cooking.
3. Do not stuff turkey. Brush skin with vegetable oil. Insert oven-safe meat thermometer deep into lower thigh.
4. Set smoker to 225°F. Place turkey on cooking rack and cook for 8 to 12 hours or until inner thigh temperature reaches 180°F.
5. Check the temperature of your turkey after 3½ hours. For food safety, your turkey must pass through critical range of 40 to 140°F in 4 hrs or less. If internal temperature is low after 3½ hrs, take off smoker and finish in oven.
6. Cover turkey and chill or let stand 20 minutes before carving. Serve.

Approximate Cooking Time, Unstuffed Turkey in Smoker