Smoked Turkey Recipe with Bourbon Brine

4.48 from 120 votes

Smoked Turkey Recipe with Bourbon Brine

Truly the Best Smoked Turkey recipe, packed with flavor, from a bourbon citrus brine, to an herbed butter, to a great turkey seasoning. Rated as the best turkey brines for smoking, this is the juiciest and most flavorful turkey ever.

Prep Time1

Cook Time4

Resting Time30

Total Time1 4 30

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American, BBQ, Barbecue

Servings: people

Author: Mary Cressler

Cost: $65.00

Ingredients

1 12-14 lb whole turkey (unbrined)

For the Brine

8 quarts water
1 ½ cups kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
⅓ cup brown sugar (we use dark brown but light works also)
1 cup bourbon
2 oranges, cut into quarters
1 lemon, cut into quarters
⅓ cup whole peppercorns
10 whole cloves
2 dried bay leaves

For the Herbed Butter

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
½ tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
½ tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

Turkey Seasoning

½ cup Ultimate Dry Rub

Cavity Stuffing

2 oranges, quartered (we use navel)
1 lemon, quartered
1 red or yellow onion, quartered
6 garlic cloves
10 sprigs thyme
2 large sprigs of rosemary

Instructions

For Brine:

Prepare turkey for brine by fully defrosting, removing giblets and neck, and trimming off excess fat.
In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, combine water, salt, sugar, and bourbon. Bring heat up and dissolve the salt and sugar into the liquid, then immediately turn off heat.
Let cool and then add remaining brine ingredients. Add turkey to brine and cover. Brine for 24 hours in the refrigerator, avoid going beyond 30 hours. At a minimum brine for four hours.

For Herb Butter:

Add herbs to room temperature butter and combine.

How to Smoke a Turkey:

Prep Turkey: Remove turkey from brine and rinse. Pat dry with a towel, especially the cavity. Season liberally with dry rub and place into the refrigerator for four hours.
Preheat Smoker: After four hours, preheat Smoker to 275 degrees using fruit wood.
Stuff and Season Turkey: Stuff cavity of the bird with oranges, lemons, onion, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Then stuff butter between the skin and breasts, spreading it out with your hands all along the breast. Tie up legs and wings with kitchen string, or tuck them to keep tight against the turkey. Add more dry rub if needed (it can rub off while tying up the bird).
Smoke Turkey: Place turkey on the smoker, and then insert your digital meat probe into the breast (and thigh or leg if you have more than one probe). Smoke until the internal temperature of both reads 165 degrees (F). Use an instant read to check temp in various part of the turkey, even if the digital probes read 165 to confirm all parts of the turkey are cooked through.
Rest and Serve: Remove from smoker (will likely take 3 - 4 hours with a 12 - 14 pound bird) and cover with foil. Let rest for about 20 minutes, then slice and serve.

Video

Notes

Thawing: If the turkey is frozen, remove from freezer 3 days prior to brining the turkey in order to let it defrost safely and with enough time to brine. The general rule is that it takes 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey in a refrigerator to thaw.

Portions: Plan 1.25 pounds of turkey per person.

If Done Early: If the turkey is done cooking early, wrap in foil and place into a clean cooler with no ice. It will stay warm for up to four hours.

Spatchcocking: You can modify the recipe by spatchcocking the turkey. This will speed up the cooking process. Plan 10 - 12 minutes per pound versus 15.

Nutrition