This easy smoked turkey recipe makes a juicy, beautifully browned bird every time, with fresh herbs and hickory smoke for incredible flavor.
Preparation Time
20 mins
Cooking Time
4 hr
Total Time
4 hr 20 mins
Calories
693 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Light 20 charcoal briquettes and place 10 on each side on the lower grate of a kettle charcoal grill. Place a drip pan or disposable aluminum baking pan in the middle of the lower grate and pour in water. When the coals are gray with ash, place a 2-inch square piece of hickory or other hardwood onto each bank of coals.
Step 2
Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Combine savory, sage, salt, and black pepper in a bowl; rub 2 tablespoons herb mixture inside the turkey cavity and inside the neck cavity. Loosen turkey skin over breast and legs; rub remaining 2 tablespoons herb mixture underneath loosened skin. Rub olive oil over entire turkey.
Step 3
Place turkey on the cooking grate and cover the grill. Monitor the heat with a grill thermometer to maintain a temperature between 150 and 250 degrees F (65 to 120 degrees C); add 3 to 5 coals to each side, about every 90 minutes. Add more wood chunks as needed to maintain a gentle smoke. If open flames flare up when removing the lid, douse them lightly with water or beer.
Step 4
Smoke turkey for 20 minutes per pound, about 4 to 4½ hours; let the heat increase to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) during the last hour of smoking. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, not touching a bone, should reach at least 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).
Step 5
Remove the turkey from the grill and rest, loosely covered with foil, before carving.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 (12 pound) thawed whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
