How to Smoke a Turkey With Indirect Heat

There are many different types of smokers. While the following these steps address cooking a turkey on a smoker with a side firebox, for indirect heat, the process could be adapted for other smokers. Before smoking the turkey, you will need to prepare a rub, which is a blend of seasonings and spices. Links for rub recipes are included in the Resources section below.

Things You'll Need

• Turkey
• Paper towels
• Rub mixture
• Foil
• Foil pan
• Smoker
• Charcoal
• Lighter fluid
• Wood chips
• Apple juice in a spay bottle

Instructions

1. Prepare the raw turkey with a rub. The night before you plan to smoke the bird, rinse it in cold water and remove any packaging that has been inserted in the cavity. Dry the turkey with paper towels and rub the rub mixture on the turkey's skin. Cover it and refrigerate overnight.

2. Fill the smoker's firebox with charcoal and douse with lighter fluid. Do not use charcoal that doesn't require lighter fluid. After a few minutes, light the charcoal.

3. Place a pan of water below the grill. This will add moisture and catch the drippings.

4. Set the turkey on the grill when the charcoals are white-hot. Close the lid of the smoker and plan to cook 1 hour for each pound. Use a meat thermometer to check the bird's temperature.

5. Add wet wood chips to the charcoal to add smoky flavoring. Use wood chips sold specifically for smoking food. They come in different woods, such as hickory or mesquite.

6. Add a handful of charcoal to the firebox every hour or so, as needed, to keep the fire stoked.

7. Keep the lid closed, except to open it several times during the process to spray the turkey with apple juice.

Resources

• Rub Recipes
• More Rub Recipes