Thaw the turkey (if frozen), remove the giblets and neck, and trim excess fat around the openings.
Brine the turkey 24 hours before smoking (optional but recommended for moisture and flavor). Use a wet brine or dry brine 24 hours prior to smoking. Rinse turkey after wet brining and pat dry with paper towels. Don't rinse if you dry brined.
Rinse the brine thoroughly with paper towels (if you wet brined).
Let the turkey sit at room temperature 30 mins to 1 hour before smoking.
Smoke the Turkey
Setup your smoker: Follow the manufacturer's instructions and bring the smoker's temperature to a temperature of 225 to 275° F and set it up for indirect cooking with a water drip pan in place. Add the wood chunks, chips or pellets for smoke. *See note 3 about temperature.
Rub softened butter on the entire outside of the turkey and under the skin. Spray a V-rack with cooking spray and place turkey breast-side up (see note #2).
Smoke turkey until the internal temperature of the breasts reaches 159°F and thighs reach 170°F. Use a probe thermometer to verify doneness. See note # 7 about carry-over cooking.
Remove from the smoker and place on a large cutting board to rest for 30 minutes before carving and serving.
Video
Notes
Brining the turkey is optional, but highly recommended for a super juicy bird. You can wet brine or dry brine. If using a self-basting turkey or a turkey that is pre-brined, skip the brining step.
Using a V-rack is totally optional, but it makes moving the turkey in and out of the smoker much easier.
For pellet smokers, I recommend smoking at a lower temperature if you want more smoke flavor. You can also use a pellet smoke tube for additional smoke.
Smoking with indirect heat is essential or the skin will burn before the turkey is finished cooking.
Approximate cook times: 7 hours at 250° F for a 14-pound turkey
at 225° F: 30-35 minutes per pound
at 250° F: 30 minutes per pound
at 275° F: 25 minutes per pound
at 325° F: 13 minutes per pound
Open the lid as few times as possible during the smoke. This will keep the temperature consistent as well as keep the smoke in.
There will be temperature carryover, so remove the turkey about 5 to 7 degrees lower than where you want it to end up.