4.7 from 303 votes
Best Smoked Turkey Recipe
This Best Smoked Turkey Recipe outlines smoking a 13-pound whole turkey seasoned with garlic, seasoned salt, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. The bird is stuffed with apple and onion quarters and basted periodically during a 7-8 hour low-temperature smoke until fully cooked. The result is a deeply flavored turkey infused with smoky, savory, and subtly sweet notes from the fruit stuffing and cola basting. This method suits feeding a large group where tender meat with a crispy skin is desired.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
8 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 15 mins
Servings:
15
Calories:
479 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 13 pound whole turkey (thawed)
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 24 ounces cola soda We used Coca Cola, flavored soda pop
- 1 large apple (quartered)
- 1 large onion (quartered)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper ground
Instructions
- Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey, and pat the turkey dry. 13 pound whole turkey
- Rub the minced garlic all over the turkey, then sprinkle the entire outside of the bird with seasoned salt. 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
- Place the turkey in a large roasting pan or disposable aluminum pan. Stuff the large cavity of the bird with the remaining ingredients. Cover the turkey loosely with foil. 1/2 cup butter, 24 ounces cola flavored soda pop, 1 large apple, 1 large onion, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- Prepare the smoker and heat to 250º Fahrenheit. Place the turkey in the smoker and baste every 1-2 hours with turkey juices from the pan.
- Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 180º Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the thigh. It’s good to plan 30 minutes per pound when you smoke a turkey between 225-250º Fahrenheit. This turkey was 13 pounds and took about 7-8 hours to get to temperature.
- Remove the turkey from the smoker and allow it to sit, still covered with foil, for 10 minutes before slicing.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- The calorie estimate provided is based on serving about 15 people, each serving being approximately one-fifteenth of the turkey.
- Calorie counts can vary depending on the brands of ingredients used, so consider consulting a nutritionist for accurate dietary information.
Nutrition Information
Calories
479kcal
(24%)
Carbohydrates
8g
(3%)
Protein
60g
(120%)
Fat
21g
(32%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Cholesterol
217mg
(72%)
Sodium
1764mg
(74%)
Potassium
667mg
(14%)
Sugar
6g
(12%)
Vitamin A
355IU
(7%)
Vitamin C
1.6mg
(2%)
Calcium
39mg
(4%)
Iron
2.6mg
(14%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 15 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 479
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 479kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Protein | 60g | 120% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 217mg | 72% |
| Sodium | 1764mg | 74% |
| Potassium | 667mg | 14% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 355IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 1.6mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 39mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2.6mg | 14% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.