Turkey Pellet Grill Recipe

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Discover the ideal smoking conditions, temperatures, and woods for this mouthwatering turkey smoked in a pellet smoker.

This recipe for pellet smoked turkey may be the best available, and it will open up a whole new world of meat cooking for you if you’ve invested in a pellet smoker or grill.

The fact that this recipe doesn’t require any expensive equipment is one of its best features.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good traditional roast turkey, but it just doesn’t compare to a bird that’s been slowly smoked for hours low and slow over wood, plus who wants an entire bird taking up the oven?

I’ll go over everything you need to know to cook the ideal turkey on your pellet grill or smoker in this guide.

Here’s how to cook the ideal smoked turkey, including my tried-and-true recipe, the wood and tools you need, and my best advice for pellet smoking the ultimate bird.

Butter & Herb Smoked Turkey on Pellet Grill

Pellet Grill Smoked Whole Turkey 🔗

Make an EASY Pellet Grill-Smoked Whole Turkey, seasoned to perfection.

Prep: 15min

Total: 375min

Serving Size: 1 g

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 g, calories 807 kcal, Carbohydrate 3 g, Protein 113 g, Fat 35 g, Saturated Fat 12 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 445 mg, Sodium 570 mg, Sugar 1 g, unSaturated Fat 21 g

Ingredients:

  • 13 lb Whole Turkey
  • No-Salt Added Lemon Pepper Seasoning
  • 1 Lemon
  • 1 Sweet Onion
  • Fresh Basil
  • 1 Stick of Butter
  • Chicken Broth for Basting

Instruction:

  1. Warm the pellet grill up to 225*F, you can use any pellets, we use a variety of flavors.
  2. While the grill is warming, stuff the cavity of the turkey with chunks of lemon, onion, basil, and the stick of butter.
  3. Rub the outside with Lemon Pepper. This will be a dry rub, if you prefer to brine the turkey first, see the link in the post for brine instructions.
  4. Place the turkey on the smoker and smoke for 6 hours or about 30 minutes per pound up until the internal temperature reaches at least 165*F. (We prefer ours at 180*F; however, it is done at 165*F.)
  5. If you prefer, you can baste it with chicken broth every hour during the smoking time to keep it moist.
  6. After it is fully cooked, serve as desired.

FAQ

How long does it take to cook a turkey on a pellet grill?

If you prefer, you can baste the turkey with chicken broth every hour during the smoking time to keep it moist. Place the turkey on the smoker and smoke for 6 hours or roughly 30 minutes per pound up until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F (we prefer ours at 180°F, but it is done at 165°F).

Can you cook a turkey on a pellet grill?

An 8.5-pound turkey should be smoked on a pellet grill for 4.5 to 5 hours at 225 degrees F, or until an internal temperature probe reads 165 degrees, while a 15-pound turkey should be smoked for about 7.5 hours.

What temperature is a turkey done on a pellet grill?

A medium-sized whole turkey smokes on the pellet grill in about 3.5 to 4 hours… STEP 1 is at 275 degrees F (for the first 2 hours), STEP 2 is finished at 350 degrees F, and STEP 3 is continued until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Do you cover a turkey when smoking on pellet grill?

The turkey should be placed on a wood pellet (Traeger), charcoal, electric, or gas grill that has been prepared for smoking (see instructions above), preheated to 300 degrees (see graph above for typical cook times based on grill type), and smoked until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

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