Easy Smoked Turkey Recipe with Maple BBQ Glaze
Published Oct 09, 2023 Updated Oct 23, 2023
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This easy smoked turkey recipe is dry rubbed and smoked to absolutely perfection. Basted with a maple BBQ glaze, you’ll have a perfectly juicy Thanksgiving bird, and your smoker does all the work! Serve with all of your favorite sides, and enjoy all the flavorful leftovers for days to come!
Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe Great
Thanksgiving is coming so soon, which means it’s turkey time! This year, I wanted to do something different than a regular roasted turkey. We absolutely love using our Traeger smoker, so I created this Easy Smoked Turkey Recipe with an absolutely diving Maple BBQ Glaze.
This is NOT your mama’s Thanksgiving turkey. This bad boy is buttered, dry rubbed with a simple homemade seasoning blend, then stuffed with fresh herbs, garlic, onion, apple, and citrus, and smoked on a pellet grill low and slow for 6-8 hours. It’s basted with a mouthwatering Maple BBQ Glaze that is sweet and tangy and absolutely delicious.
The resulting smoked turkey has a crispy skin, is full of flavor, and has the most tender, juicy meat! It’s the BEST smoked turkey recipe I’ve ever tasted, and even better, it’s really so simple. There are quite a few steps to prep, but your smoker really does all the hard work!
The ultimate Thanksgiving dinner! Let’s get smoking!
Ingredient Notes
Traeger Smoked Turkey
- Whole Turkey: Use fresh turkey or frozen turkey, just be sure to thaw first if frozen.
- Butter: Use vegan butter or olive oil for dairy-free.
- Apple
- Orange
- Lemon
- Sweet Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Fresh Rosemary
- Fresh Sage
Maple BBQ Glaze
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Butter: Use vegan butter for dairy free.
- Ketchup
- Brown Sugar
- Maple Syrup
- Smoked Paprika
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Dijon Mustard
- Garlic Cloves
- Orange Juice
Seasoning
- Smoked Paprika
- Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Brown Sugar
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepping the Turkey
- To make the seasoning, add your spices to a small bowl and mix together.
- Next, make the glaze by adding all the ingredients to a saucepan and heating over medium heat until combined and the brown sugar has dissolved.
- If you have a frozen turkey, thaw it in the refrigerator before you plan to smoke it. Allow it to thaw in the fridge one day for every 4-5 pounds of turkey.
- When defrosted, remove the giblets and neck from the turkey’s cavities. Pat it dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in an aluminum roasting pan breast side up. This drip pan will help contain all the juices and turkey drippings and give the turkey excellent flavor.
- Rub room-temperature butter all over the outside of the turkey and under the skin. Apply the dry rub generously over the whole turkey. Ensure you rub the mixture both under the skin and on the surface of the turkey.
- Stuff the apple, orange, lemon, garlic cloves, and sweet onion inside the cavity. Place any extra around the turkey in the roasting pan. Cross and tie the legs together with string or twine. Then, cover the turkey and pan with aluminum foil.
Smoking the Turkey
- Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Set the temperature to 225°F. For reference, we used the Traeger 780 series with Apple and Maple wood pellets.
- Place the roasting pan on the smoker’s grill grate. If your smoker has multiple levels, position the turkey on the upper level for better smoke penetration.
- Close the lid and cook for 5 hrs. At the 5 hour mark, remove the aluminum foil and baste the turkey. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey’s thigh without touching the thigh bone. This will help you monitor the internal temperature.
- Consider basting the turkey with the glaze every 30 minutes (after the 5-hour mark) to help keep it moist and flavorful. Keep an eye on the smoker’s temperature and smoke levels. Add more wood chips, chunks, or pellets as needed to maintain a steady amount of smoke.
- Plan for around 30 to 40 minutes of cooking time per pound of turkey. However, cooking times can vary based on the smoker’s temperature and the turkey’s size. The turkey is safe to eat when the thickest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Serving the Turkey
- Once the turkey reaches the desired internal temperature of 165°F, carefully remove the aluminum pan from the smoker.
- Let the turkey rest for about 20-30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a moist and tender turkey.
- Carve the turkey and serve it with your favorite side dishes. Check out my serving tips for some of my favorite sides!
Mac’s Pro Tip
Expert Tips
- Cook Time Notes: A good rule of thumb is cooking 30-40 minutes per pound of turkey. Example: For a 13-pound turkey, 6-8 hours or until the internal temperature of the turkey is 165 degrees F.
- Basting: To get a juicy turkey, Consider basting it with the glaze every 30 minutes (after the 5-hour mark) to help keep it moist and flavorful.
- Pellets: I used maple and apple pellets. Feel free to use your favorite, but these two go super well with the Maple BBQ glaze and dry rub. Other pellets that might work are hickory or cherry.
- Smoker: We use the Traeger 780 series. We love our Traeger, but if you have a different pellet smoker, that will work too! You can also use an electric smoker.
- Turkey Brine: There are two processes to brine a turkey: wet brine and dry brine. Wet brining is a process where you soak the turkey in a brining solution up to overnight. This enhances the flavor and juiciness of the turkey, but it’s not necessary for this recipe. Instead, we’re using a dry rub to dry brine the turkey with seasonings.
Serving Tips
Serve your easy smoked turkey recipe with my family’s favorite gravy recipe and all the sides you can think of! And don’t forget this Boozy Fall Punch! Here are some fun (and tasty!) recipes that I’ve made over the years:
- Creamy Dreamy Mac & Cheese
- The BEST Mashed Potatoes
- Cranberry Sauce
- Traditional Asparagus Casserole
- Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Hidden Suprise Pecan Pie
- Paleo Apple Crumble Bars
Storage Tips
- Store leftover turkey in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven and use for a variety of meals: sandwiches, soups, salads, and more! In my opinion, turkey is always better the next day!
- To freeze, allow your smoked turkey breast or dark meat to cool completely. Then, place the leftovers in a freezer bag and remove any air. Place in the freezer and use within 2-3 months for optimal freshness.
Recipe FAQs
How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a Traeger?
A good rule of thumb is to cook for 30-40 minutes per pound of turkey. Small Turkey 10-12 pounds: 5-7 hours, Medium Turkey 13-16 pounds: 6-8 hours, Large Turkey 17-20 pounds: 9-11 hours
How do you keep a turkey moist when smoking?
By basting! Once the turkey has cooked for 5 hours, I recommend basting every 30 minutes until cooking finishes. This is the best way to keep your turkey moist and juicy.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
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Easy Smoked Turkey Recipe with Maple BBQ Glaze
This easy smoked turkey recipe is dry rubbed and smoked to absolutely perfection. Basted with a maple BBQ glaze, you’ll have a perfectly juicy Thanksgiving bird and your smoker does all the work! Serve with all of your favorite sides and enjoy all the flavorful leftovers for days to come!
Ingredients
Turkey
- 10-15 lbs Whole Turkey thawed
- 1 stick butter room temperature
- 1 apple sliced into fourths
- 1 orange sliced into fourths
- 1 lemon sliced into fourths
- 1 large sweet onion sliced into fourths
- 4- whole garlic cloves
- fresh rosemary 6-7 springs
- fresh sage 6-7 leaves
Maple BBQ Glaze
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp butter
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tsp orange juice optional
Seasoning (double if desired)
- 2.5 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
Prepping the Turkey
- To make the seasoning, add your spices to a small bowl and mix together.
- Next, make the glaze by adding all the ingredients to a saucepan and heating over medium heat until combined and the brown sugar has dissolved.
- If you have a frozen turkey, thaw it in the refrigerator before you plan to smoke it. Allow it to thaw in the fridge one day for every 4-5 pounds of turkey.
- When defrosted, remove the giblets and neck from the turkey's cavities. Pat it dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in an aluminum roasting pan breast side up. This drip pan will help contain all the juices and turkey drippings and give the turkey excellent flavor.
- Rub room-temperature butter all over the outside of the turkey and under the skin. Apply the dry rub generously over the whole turkey. Ensure you rub the mixture both under the skin and on the surface of the turkey.
- Stuff the apple, orange, lemon, garlic cloves, and sweet onion inside the cavity. Place any extra around the turkey in the roasting pan. Cross and tie the legs together with string or twine. Then, cover the turkey and pan with aluminum foil.
Smoking the Turkey
- Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Set the temperature to 225°F. For reference, we used the Traeger 780 series with Apple and Maple wood pellets.
- Place the roasting pan on the smoker's grill grate. If your smoker has multiple levels, position the turkey on the upper level for better smoke penetration.
- Close the lid and cook for 5 hrs. At the 5 hour mark, remove the aluminum foil and baste the turkey. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey's thigh without touching the thigh bone. This will help you monitor the internal temperature.
- Consider basting the turkey with the glaze every 30 minutes (after the 5-hour mark) to help keep it moist and flavorful. Keep an eye on the smoker's temperature and smoke levels. Add more wood chips, chunks, or pellets as needed to maintain a steady amount of smoke.
- Plan for around 30 to 40 minutes of cooking time per pound of turkey. However, cooking times can vary based on the smoker's temperature and the turkey's size. The turkey is safe to eat when the thickest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Serving the Turkey
- Once the turkey reaches the desired internal temperature of 165°F, carefully remove the aluminum pan from the smoker.
- Let the turkey rest for about 20-30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a moist and tender turkey.
- Carve the turkey and serve it with your favorite side dishes. Check out my serving tips for some of my favorite sides!
Notes
Expert Tips
-
- Cook Time Notes: A good rule of thumb is cooking 30-40 minutes per pound of turkey. Example: For a 13-pound turkey, 6-8 hours or until the internal temperature of the turkey is 165 degrees F.
-
- Basting: To get a juicy turkey, Consider basting it with the glaze every 30 minutes (after the 5-hour mark) to help keep it moist and flavorful.
-
- Pellets: I used maple and apple pellets. Feel free to use your favorite, but these two go super well with the Maple BBQ glaze and dry rub. Other pellets that might work are hickory or cherry.
-
- Smoker: We use the Traeger 780 series. We love our Traeger, but if you have a different pellet smoker, that will work too! You can also use an electric smoker.
-
- Turkey Brine: There are two processes to brine a turkey, wet brine and dry brine. Wet brining is a process where you soak the turkey in a brining solution up to overnight. This enhances the flavor and juiciness of the turkey, but it’s not necessary for this recipe. Instead, we’re using a dry rub to dry brine the turkey with seasonings.
Serving Tips
Serve your easy smoked turkey recipe with my family’s favorite gravy recipe and all the sides you can think of! And don’t forget this Caramel Apple Punch!Storage Tips
-
- Store leftover turkey in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven and use for a variety of meals: sandwiches, soups, salads, and more! In my opinion, turkey is always better the next day!
-
- To freeze, allow your smoked turkey breast or dark meat to cool completely. Then, place the leftovers in a freezer bag and remove any air. Place in the freezer and use within 2-3 months for optimal freshness.
Nutrition
Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 662mg | Potassium: 766mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1050IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @healthylittlepeach or tag #healthylittlepeach!
This was a huge hit I’m my house. The instructions were very easy to follow, and that maple glaze…. I may need to make a double batch of that next time it was so good all around a 10/10.
Happy to hear the instructions were easy to follow. Thank you so much!