Smoking a Whole Turkey – Time and Temp

Set your dinner time – we’ll plan every step backward and put it on your calendar.

Smoke a whole turkey hot: 275 to 325°F, not 225°F. This is the one big cut where low and slow is the wrong instinct. Poultry skin needs heat to render and crisp, and a turkey held for hours in the 40 to 140°F range is a food safety problem rather than a barbecue technique.

Time and temperature

Plan on roughly 30 minutes per pound at 275°F. A 14 pound bird takes about 6 to 7 hours. At 325°F it is closer to 20 to 25 minutes per pound. Size matters more than you would expect: birds over about 16 pounds cook unevenly, so two smaller turkeys beat one enormous one.

Pull at 165°F in the thickest part of the breast, measured without touching bone. The thighs will read higher, around 175°F, and that is correct – dark meat is better with more time.

Brine it

Turkey breast is lean and unforgiving, and brining is the single biggest quality lever available. A wet brine of one cup of salt per gallon of water for 12 to 24 hours, or a dry brine of kosher salt rubbed on and left uncovered in the fridge overnight, both work. The dry brine has the edge for skin, because it dries the surface out.

Getting the skin right

• Dry the bird thoroughly before it goes on. Wet skin steams instead of crisping.
• Do not stuff it. Stuffing sits in the danger zone for hours and forces you to overcook the breast to make it safe.
• Butter under the skin, not on top, so it bastes the meat rather than running off.
• Finish hotter if the skin is still soft: 325°F for the last twenty minutes firms it up.

Wood and rest

Go mild. Apple, cherry or maple give good colour without overwhelming the meat; hickory and mesquite are usually too much for poultry. Rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving, tented loosely so the skin does not go soft.

For a faster, more evenly cooked bird, see spatchcocked turkey.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature do you smoke a whole turkey at?

275 to 325°F. Lower temperatures leave the skin rubbery and keep the bird too long in the food safety danger zone.

How long does it take to smoke a turkey?

About 30 minutes per pound at 275°F, so roughly 6 to 7 hours for a 14 pound bird. At 325°F, closer to 20 to 25 minutes per pound.

What internal temperature is smoked turkey done at?

165°F in the thickest part of the breast, away from bone. Thighs will read nearer 175°F, which is where dark meat is at its best.

Should I brine a turkey before smoking?

Yes. Turkey breast is very lean, and brining is the biggest single improvement you can make. A dry brine left uncovered overnight also dries the skin, which helps it crisp.

The calculator above schedules the brine, the smoke and the rest backward from your dinner time. See also the smoking times and temperatures chart.

Times & temperatures

📊 See the full smoking times & temps chart for every cut →

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