Smoked FULL Turkey Recipe On Big Green Egg
Whether it is for the upcoming Thanksgiving or just want a large hearty meal for the family, you can always rely on this smoked full turkey recipe on a Big Green Egg to get your food cooked.
Turkey is one of my favorite foods to cook. It is easy to make, but I also enjoy the challenges of cooking such a large bird with different parts that need cook in one smoker.
The main challenge when smoking turkey is dryness.
In this recipe, I will tell you how you can easily smoke a full turkey on a big green egg and avoid making it dry.
Smoking at the right temperature is important and in this smoked turkey recipe on big green egg, I have smoked the turkey at about 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
More often than not, you will end up with a cooked bird, but the meat’s texture almost falls apart from the dryness.
There should be a right balance between the tenderness of the turkey and the juiciness in it.
This is hard to achieve if you have a bad smoker or cooking appliance to cook the turkey in.
If you invest in the best smokers or grills such as the Big Green Egg, you will be able to eliminate some of the challenges, or the grill will make it easier for you.
So with this recipe and your Big Green Egg grill, I will share my recipe on how to make the best-smoked turkey at home to get you ready for the next big occasion and present a perfectly cooked bird.
Smoked Turkey Recipe on BIG GREEN EGG
Ingredients
- 14-pound turkey
For The Brine
- 1 gallon of water
- Half cup of brown sugar
- 1 rind of navel orange
- 3 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 garlic head, halved
- 1 cup of kosher salt
- 2 lemons, quartered
Other Ingredients
- 10 sprigs of thyme
- 10 sprigs of sage
- 3 cups of chopped potatoes
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder to taste.
Step 1: Clean And Trim Turkey
To get started with this smoked turkey recipe on big green egg, first,defrost the turkey overnight in the fridge so you do not leave cold spots in it, especially on the interior.
Rinse the turkey once it is ready with cold water and pat it dry with a paper towel.
Remove the trimmings such as the neck and unnecessary parts but leave them on the side.
These parts can be used later when you are making the gravy before serving it.
Step 2: Brine The Turkey
Pour the gallon of water in a large bowl or a large bag if you have a very large zip lock bag.
Add the salt, sugar, garlic head, rosemary, orange rind, and two-thirds of the quartered lemons.
Note: I recommend mixing the brine in a bowl first to mix it well until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
Yes, I will be using brine in this smoked turkey recipe. You can then transfer the brine in the zip lock bag once it is ready.
Mix the ingredients well and once the sugar and salt are dissolved, place the turkey in a large zip lock bag or any large container to hold the turkey and the brine.
Pour the brine over the turkey and make sure that the brine completely covers the turkey.
Massage the brine into the turkey if you have it in a zip lock bag before putting it in the fridge.
Refrigerate the turkey in the brine for at least 12 hours but no more than 24 hours.
Flip the turkey over occasionally to get the brine on all sides of the turkey while it is being refrigerated.
Step 3: Prepare The Big Green Egg For Smoking
On cooking or smoking the turkey, soak 2 cups of hickory wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes or an hour.
This is my favorite part as we are getting ready to smoke the turkey on Big Green egg.
Set the coals in the firebox of the Big Green Egg while waiting.
Fire up the coals and then set the temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Put the wood chips over the charcoal and then install the convEGGtor plate insert on the grill.
Allow the grill to produce smoke by closing the lid and opening the vents slightly.
Preheat the grill for at least 20 minutes to make sure that the contaminants inside it are killed.
Step 4: Stuff And Season
Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine.
Rinse the turkey with cold water and then pat it dry with paper towels before you stuff it with the remaining lemon and onion quarters.
Add the thyme, sage, garlic head, and 1 cup of potatoes. Brush the outer part of the turkey with olive oil, season it with pepper and garlic powder, and let it rest for about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Smoke The Turkey
Place the turkey in a drip pan with the remaining potatoes scattered around it.
Place the pan on the grill and then close the lid, allowing it to cook without constantly opening the lid.
If the turkey starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
Reserve the drippings on the pan for making gravy later on.
Smoke the turkey for 12 to 15 minutes per pound. For this 14-pound turkey that we have, you will need to smoke it for about 3 hours to cook it all the way through.
Insert a meat probe into the breast part of the turkey and another on the thighs or wings.
The internal temperature of the breast should be around 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
As for the wings and thighs or the parts that have bones in them, the internal temperature you are looking for is 175 degrees Fahrenheit to make sure that the turkey is safe to eat.
This is how you know the turkey is cooked well and juicy inside. In this smoked turkey recipe, you will end up with juicy and tender turkey meat.
Step 6: Make It Juicy
Once the turkey has reached the internal temperature we talked about, remove it from the Big Green Egg and rest on a cutting board for 15 to 20 minutes.
While waiting, cook the gravy. Letting the turkey rest after cooking will allow the juices to come into the meat again and make it tender, so if you poke it with a fork, the juices should be clear.
Carve the turkey and then serve it with the potatoes and the gravy!
How Long Does It Take To Smoke Turkey On The Big Green Egg?
If you are wondering how long does it take to smoked turkey on the Big Green Egg then the rule of thumb is to smoke the turkey for 12 to 15 minutes per pound.
That means that a large turkey like the one we have just cooked with the recipe above will cook for 3 hours.
This can take up to 4 hours if the temperature inside the turkey is still too cold.
It is important to know the turkey’s internal temperature when you cook it to ensure it is safe.
Measuring the internal temperature with a meat probe is the most accurate way to determine whether the turkey is cooked or not. So I recommend investing in a good meat probe.
What Temperature Do You Smoke A Turkey On A Big Green Egg?
Big Green Egg grills are not meant for slow cooking as they are grills. So the temperature to smoke a turkey on a Big green egg is higher than it would be on a traditional smoker.
Big green eggs are perfect for producing high and intense heat that can sear your steaks or burgers quickly.
However, Big Green Egg grills are made from ceramic which means that they can hold low temperatures as well.
So smoking in the grill is perfectly fine as long as you control it properly.
Big Green Egg, the company itself says that the perfect temperature to smoke a turkey on the grill is at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
The recipe and process are based on BGE’s original recipe.
So make sure to follow both the timer and the temperature set on the recipe to cook the turkey properly.
How Long Does It Take To Smoke Turkey At 225?
Even though we don’t use this temperature on the Big green egg it is nice to know how long does it take to smoke turkey at 225.
Since a Big Green Egg grill is powerful, it is difficult to reach lower temperatures.
That is why the smoking temperature that we have on the recipe is pretty high for smoking.
If you have a regular smoker who can reach temperatures lower than that, you should use it.
At 225 degrees Fahrenheit, the turkey will cook slower and become tender slowly.
At that temperature, the turkey will need to cook for longer at about 30 minutes per pound.
That means that it will take around 7 hours for our recipe above to finish if you go with that temperature.
What Size Turkey Fits In Large Green Egg?
There are many models that you can choose from Big Green Egg.
You can get small and portable ones for when you want to cook something while camping or tailgating.
The most common or sought-after designs are far larger than portable ones.
You can get the large Big Green Egg about 18 inches in diameter, so it is pretty big.
For a medium-sized Big Green Egg, you can cook a 12-pound turkey in it.
A large Big Green Egg can cook up to 20 pounds of the whole turkey at once with the large cooking space.
Should You Wrap A Turkey In Foil When Smoking?
You don’t need to cover the turkey with foil while it is smoking.
Since the low and slow cooking temperature is set, the turkey will not likely burn or turn brown quickly.
However, if you cook at a higher temperature, there is a tendency for the turkey to turn brown too quickly.
That is the time when you cover the turkey with foil to prevent it from becoming too dark.
Covering the turkey would be more appropriate by the end when you are letting it rest.
You can use aluminum foil and a towel to cover the turkey while it rests to insulate it properly.
Should I Smoke My Turkey Breast Up Or Down?
Aside from the fact that it is aesthetically pleasing, cooking the turkey breast side up or down does not make any difference, especially with the juiciness of the turkey once it cooks.
Cooking the turkey with the breast side up is the widely accepted way to smoke it.
It does get to protect the meaty part of the turkey, but the overall finish is not that affected.
However, I recommend cooking the turkey breast side up since you can balance the turkey more evenly with its back on the grill grates than the curvy breast side of the turkey.
This is probably one of the best smoked turkey recipe on Big green egg and it tastes so delicious that I highly recommend you try it out.
Smoking turkey on the Big green egg is pretty easy and the flavors that you get when smoking on a grill are something nothing can replace.
So, do try this full smoked turkey recipe, and let me know how you like it!
If you like the post then do not forget to share it on social media!
