Traeger Smoked Turkey with Smoked Turkey Brine

This pellet grill turkey soaks for 24 hours in a simple 3 ingredient brine of brown sugar, salt and water. Then it gets a thick layer of butter under the skin and spends about 7 hours on my Traeger: first on the Smoke setting, then roasting at 350°F until the breast reaches 160°F.

The Best Smoked Turkey on a Pellet Grill (Brined for 24 Hours)

I’ve brined several whole chickens and turkeys prior to smoking. Every. Single. Time. I’m grateful I took the extra time and preparation. Your smoked whole turkey would still turn out somewhat decent without brining, but there is a distinct difference between brining and not brining. It turns out SO juicy!

I smoke mine on my wood pellet grill (I own a Traeger), and I love how easy smoking a turkey can be compared to roasting one in the oven. The real work is planning ahead. When smoking a whole turkey, you need to start preparing 4 to 5 days before. If your turkey is still frozen, it can take up to 3 full days to safely thaw in the refrigerator, and you MUST have a thawed turkey before it goes into the brine for another 24 hours.

The plan itself is simple. Thaw the turkey completely, brine it for 24 hours in brown sugar, salt and water, spread butter under the skin, then smoke and roast it on the pellet grill until the breast reaches 160°F.

I cannot emphasize the importance of preparing ahead. Trust me, your smoked Thanksgiving turkey will be a highlight for years and worth the time. There’s nothing better than a smoked, juicy turkey.

Why You’ll Love This Smoked Turkey

• So juicy. A 24 hour brine plus butter under the skin keeps the breast meat moist.
• A 3 ingredient brine. Brown sugar, salt and water. No special kit needed.
• Frees up your oven. The turkey cooks outside on the pellet grill, so your oven is open for sides and pie.
• Drippings for gravy. Smoking it in a roasting pan saves every drop for the gravy.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredient list is short because the brine, the butter and the smoke do most of the work. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Whole turkey: 12 to 16 pounds, completely thawed, with the giblets removed. Check both the main cavity and the neck end, since many turkeys hide a packet in each. Feel inside the cavity too and make sure there are no icy spots left before it goes into the brine.
• Brown sugar: 1/2 cup. It balances the salt in the brine and helps the skin brown. The molasses in brown sugar also adds a gentle caramel note that tastes great with smoke.
• Salt: 1/4 cup for the brine, plus more with pepper to season the turkey before it goes on the grill. Salt is the real workhorse of the brine. It seasons the meat all the way through and helps it hold on to moisture as it cooks, which is why brined turkey stays so juicy.
• Black pepper: For seasoning the outside of the bird along with the salt, right before it goes on the grill.
• Water: 3 gallons, enough to completely cover the turkey, especially the breast. Only 2 cups get heated to dissolve the sugar and salt. Use cold water for the rest so the brine stays chilled.
• Salted butter: 1 cup, softened, spread under the skin. This is what bastes the breast as it smokes. Make sure it is truly soft so it spreads easily without tearing the skin.
• Onion: 1 large onion, peeled and halved, for the cavity. You could also add garlic cloves, fresh rosemary or sage leaves. These aromatics flavor the meat from the inside and add even more flavor to the drippings in the pan.

You’ll also need a 4 to 5 gallon container or brining bag, a roasting pan, wood pellets for your grill and a meat thermometer to check the breast.

How to Smoke a Turkey on a Pellet Grill

1. Make the brine. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the brown sugar, salt and 2 cups of the water. Bring it to a boil and cook only until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
2. Brine for 24 hours. Place the turkey in a 4 to 5 gallon container or brining bag (I use a very large mixing bowl), add the remaining water and the brown sugar mixture, and make sure the whole turkey is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
3. Butter under the skin. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat it dry, inside and out. Dry skin browns much better than wet skin. This next step might gross you out, but don’t skip it! Gently separate as much skin from the breast as you can and spread the softened butter underneath, then anywhere else you can reach. There will be a thick layer of butter.
4. Season and stuff. Season generously with salt and pepper, set the turkey in a roasting pan and put the onion in the cavity.
5. Smoke. Turn the pellet grill to the Smoke setting with the lid open to establish the fire. Place the turkey in its roasting pan on the grill and smoke for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
6. Roast. Increase the grill to 350°F and cook another 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the breast reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Check the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone, for an accurate reading.
7. Rest. Remove the turkey from the grill and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. The temperature keeps climbing as it rests. Make sure the breast, thigh and wing read 165°F before you carve.

Smoked Turkey FAQs

• How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a pellet grill? About 7 hours for a 12 to 16 pound turkey: 2 1/2 to 3 hours on Smoke, then 3 1/2 to 4 hours at 350°F, plus 15 minutes of resting.
• Do I have to brine the turkey? It will still turn out decent without brining, but the 24 hour brine makes a distinct difference. It’s what makes this turkey SO juicy.
• Can I smoke a frozen turkey? No. The turkey must be completely thawed before it goes into the brine, and that can take up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
• What temperature should smoked turkey reach? Pull it when the breast reaches 160°F and let it rest for 15 minutes. The temperature keeps rising as it rests. Before slicing, check that the thickest part of the breast, the thigh and the wing all read 165°F, the USDA safe minimum.
• Why put butter under the skin? As the turkey smokes, the butter melts and bastes the breast meat from above, which keeps it moist. It also helps the skin turn golden and adds rich flavor to the drippings for gravy.
• Why does the turkey need to rest? Resting for 15 minutes lets the juices settle back into the meat. If you slice right away, more of that juice ends up on the cutting board instead of in each slice.
• Can I stuff the turkey? Yes. Instead of the onion, you can fill the cavity with this classic bread stuffing. The smoke flavor in the stuffing would be incredible.

Best Smoked Turkey Recipe on a Pellet Grill

The most juicy, tender smoked turkey on a pellet grill. Brined for 24 hours in a simple brown sugar and salt brine, buttered under the skin, then smoked and roasted on a Traeger.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 day d

Cook Time 7 hours hrs

Total Time 1 day d 7 hours hrs

Ingredients

  

• 1 12 to 16 lbs turkey, completely thawed and all giblets removed
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup salt
• 3 gallons water
• 1 cup salted butter softened
• 1 large onion peeled and slice in half

Instructions

 

• Important Note: For best results, completely thawed turkey must brine for at least 24 hours. Please make preparations to allow proper amount of time for brining.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar, salt, and 2 cups waters. Bring to boil and only cook until sugar and salt are dissolved (about 1 minute after bringing to boil). Remove from heat.
• Place turkey into a large 4 to 5 gallon container or brining bag (I have a very large mixing bowl where I can fit both my turkey and brine) and add remaining water and brown sugar/salt mixture. Make sure the entire turkey is submerged by the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine and pat dry. Carefully separating the skin from the turkey, spread the butter under the skin on the turkey breast. Continue spreading butter on all places you can get under the skin. Season turkey with salt and pepper. Place turkey in roaster pan and stuff the cavity with the onion OR with options suggested in the above post.
• Meanwhile, turn your wood pellet grill (I own a Traeger) to the Smoke setting and open lid to establish fire.
• Leave grill on Smoke and place turkey in roasting pan on the grill and smoke for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  
• Increase grill setting to 350 degrees and cook for additional 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until the breast internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. 
• Remove from grill and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Smoking your turkey this year? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and share your success story in the comments. I cannot wait to hear how it turns out! Happy Thanksgiving!

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