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One of my favorite methods of cooking a turkey is on the smoker. I find that the smoke adds some nice little notes that complement the turkey. Traditionally, I use just salt and pepper. However, I wanted to come up with a rub that would give me some mouth watering, super tasty turkey. I think I may have done just that.
How to Smoke a Turkey with Rex’s Turkey Rub
You can smoke a turkey without brining, but it just doesn’t come out as good. I suggest brining your turkey for at least 12 hours. I have two great brines to choose from. Both pack a punch and help deliver a super tender and juicy turkey.
Once you have your turkey brined, pat it dry with a paper towel.
Preheat your grill or smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Time to add the rub
In a medium bowl, add brown sugar (I like dried brownulated sugar), kosher salt, paprika, cumin, sage, mustard, oregano, thyme, coriander, garlic and onion powder.
Mix well. Place into a shaker or an old spice container.
Evenly coat the entire turkey with the rub. Let sit while the smoker preheats.
Smoking the Turkey
Place the turkey in the smoker and cook until the internal temperature of the breast is 165 degrees. I monitor the temperature with a leave-in probe thermometer. That way I can always know the temperature. Today I used the Thermoworks Smoke thermometer. It senses the pit temperature and the turkey temperature. Plus, it sends the temperature wirelessly to me. They also have an attachment to send the temperature to your phone. The thermoworks smoke gateway is an add-on item but totally worth it.
Once the turkey is on the smoker, close the lid and let it smoke for 2.5 hours. At the four hour mark, check the turkey for color. The turkey will not be cooked, but you want to check for the appearance. If the color is to your liking, cover the entire turkey in foil (look for a nice golden brown color).
Close the lid and continue to cook until the temperature reaches 165 degrees in the breast. This will take about 20 minutes a pound. So, for a 14lb bird, it be roughly 4 hours and 40 minutes. Remember: do not cook based on time! Make sure to cook based on temperature. Once the probe thermometer reaches 165 degrees, make sure to double check with an instant read thermometer. I use a Thermapen, but you can use whatever you have available.
Now that the turkey is at temperature, remove from the smoker and let the turkey rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Once rested, carve and serve.
- 1 12-18 lb Turkey
- Rex's Turkey Rub see Recipe Below
- Turkey Brine - see website for links
- Foil
- 3 tbs brown sugar
- 1 tbs kosher salt
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 2 tsp dried mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
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You can smoke a turkey without brining, but it just doesn't come out as good. So I suggest brining your turkey for at least 12 hours. I have two great brines to choose from. Both pack a punch and help deliver a super tender and juicy turkey. See Savoryreviews.com for brine recipes.
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Once you have your turkey brined, pat it dry with a paper towel.
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Preheat your grill or smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
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In a medium bowl, add brown sugar (I like dried brownulated sugar), kosher salt, paprika, cumin, sage, mustard, oregano, thyme, coriander, garlic and onion powder.
-
Mix well. Place into a shaker or old spice container.
-
Evenly coat the entire turkey with the rub. Let sit while the smoker preheats.
-
Place the turkey in the smoker and cook till the internal temperature of the breast is 165 degrees. I monitor the temperature with a leave-in probe thermometer. That way I can always know the temperature.
-
Once the turkey is on the smoker. Close the lid and let it smoke for 2.5 hours. At the four hour mark check the turkey for color. The turkey will not be cooked but you want to check for the appearance. If the color is to your liking, cover the entire turkey in foil (look for a nice golden brown).
-
Close the lid and continue to cook till the temperature reaches 165 degrees in the breast. This will take about 20 minutes a pound. So for a 14lb bird it be roughly 4 hours and 40 minutes. Remember do not cook based on time, make sure to cook based on temperature. Once the probe thermometer reaches 165 degrees make sure to double check with an instant read thermometer. I use a Thermapen, but you can use whatever you have available.
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Now that the turkey is at temperature, remove from the smoker and let the turkey rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
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Once rested, carve and serve.
Turkey Brine - https://savoryreviews.com/2010/11/15/how-to-brine-a-turkey/
Broth Turkey Brine - https://savoryreviews.com/2017/11/15/broth-based-turkey-brine/
Thermapen - https://savoryreviews.com/recommends/thermoworks-mk4/
Thermoworks Smoke -https://savoryreviews.com/recommends/smoke/
