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–+ servings
a Whole Smoked Turkey on a cutting board

Smoked Turkey in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker

Mads Martigan
Our Smoked Turkey in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker is first dry brined and seasoned overnight to get the most flavor and crispiest skin possible.
We then review step by step how to set your Masterbuilt, or ANY electric smoker, to perfectly smoke this whole turkey to perfection.
4.75 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Dry Brine Time 12 hours
Total Time 4 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Australian, barbecue, BBQ, Smoked
Servings 10 people
Calories 369 kcal

Equipment

  • Masterbuilt Electric Smoker or any brand electric smoker
  • Wood chips Preferably Oak or Fruitwood
  • Large Cutting Board
  • Paper Towels
  • Large Baking Sheet with Wire Rack
  • Internal Meat Thermometers
  • Carving Knife
  • Insulated BBQ Gloves

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Whole Turkey 12-14 lbs, thawed

Dry Brine

  • ½ Cup Kosher Salt
  • 3 tablespoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Seasonings

  • 2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Sage
  • ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder

Instructions
 

Clean the Turkey

  • Remove the thawed turkey from the packaging and remove the neck and giblet bag(s) form the main cavity.
    1 Whole Turkey
  • Clean, rinse, and pat dry the turkey well with paper towels.
    raw turkey on a v shaped rack set inside an aluminum foil pan
  • Trim any excess pieces of skin or fat off of the turkey.

Dry Brine the Turkey Overnight

  • Place the turkey on a wire rack placed on top of a baking sheet or in a V shaped rack inside of a pan.
  • Mix together the ½ cup Kosher salt and 3 tablespoon pepper, and sprinkle generously over the top and bottom and inside the cavities of the turkey. DO NOT use cooking oil to adhere or skin will not get crispy. If you prefer BBQ rub instead of just salt, add it now but choose a rub that does contain salt so the turkey will brine.
    ½ Cup Kosher Salt, 3 tablespoon Coarse Ground Black Pepper
    raw turkey being sprinkled with Famous Dave's chicken rub
  • Place the turkey, on the wire rack and baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4-6 hours.

Remove the Next Day

  • Take the turkey out of the refrigerator.
    dry brined turkey in a v shaped rack inside an aluminum foil pan
  • Mix the thyme, rosemary, sage, and garlic together and rub all over the entire exterior of the turkey.
    2 teaspoon Dried Thyme, 1 teaspoon Dried Rosemary, 1 teaspoon Dried Sage, ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder

Start the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker

  • Open up the electric smoker door and make sure the racks are all cleaned off and in their proper place. You may need to remove a couple shelves to make room for the turkey. Aim for the middle of the smoker for your turkey as much as you can.
  • Do not fill the water pan. Close the door.
  • Plug in and turn on the electric smoker and set the temperature to 275°F (or 325°F if your model goes up that high).
  • Once the electric smoker is up to temperature, load your wood chips in the chip loading tray. There is no need to soak the wood chips in water.
    Wood chips being fed into the wood tray of a masterbuilt electric smoker

Smoke the Turkey

  • Once smoke is being produced, position your seasoned turkey on one of the shelves with the breast side up.
    a whole turkey inside a masterbuilt electric smoker
  • Place an internal temperature probe if you have one into the center of one of the breasts, and another one, if you have one, into the middle of one of the thighs.
  • Close the door.
  • If you will be crisping your skin in the oven, skip to that step when the internal temperature of the breast reaches 130°F.
  • When the internal temperature of the breast has reached 160°F, and the internal temperature of the thigh hits 170°F, carefully remove the turkey from the electric smoker to rest and allow the temperatures to come up another 5°F.

Crisp the Skin in the Oven (Optional)

  • For crispy skin, preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • When the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 130°F in the breast, move it to a V shaped rack set inside a large pan filled with a little water or broth.
  • Lower the temperature of the oven to 375°F and place the turkey in the oven.
    a whole turkey in a V-shaped rack set inside an aluminum foil pan with some carrots and onions
  • Continue cooking the turkey until the breast meat reaches 160°F and the thigh meat reaches 170°F, then remove the turkey to rest and come up another 5°F internally.

Rest and Carve

  • Let the turkey rest for 30-45 minutes before carving to allow the juices to distribute and the internal temperature of the meat to rise to the final target temperature of 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thigh.
    a Whole Smoked Turkey on a cutting board
  • Carve, plate, and serve immediately.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 369kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 56gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 289mgPotassium: 605mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 163IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 3mg
Keyword barbecue turkey, BBQ Smoked Turkey, BBQ Turkey, Dry Brine, electric smoker, Electric Smoker Turkey, Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Turkey, Masterbuilt Smoked Turkey, Masterbuilt Turkey, smoked thanksgiving turkey, smoked turkey
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