The Best Way to Smoke Your Thanksgiving Turkey (Infographic)

The holiday season is quickly approaching and so is the time when you cook up a Thanksgiving turkey for friends and family. Smoking a turkey brings out its flavor and texture.

But, like all meats, there are certain things you need to know about handling and smoking the Thanksgiving bird.

It all begins with thawing the turkey safely. Most people buy their turkeys frozen from the grocery. Before cooking it, the bird needs to thaw out thoroughly so the smoking or grilling happens as expected. There are three ways to thaw the turkey: in the refrigerator, in a cold water bath, or in the microwave.

To brine or not to brine, that is a hot topic question among those who smoke or grill the bird. Some say it helps the flavor while others don’t think the extra time is worth it. This infographic gives you a quick recipe to try it yourself, helping you to create a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.

Cooking the turkey on the smoker or grill requires patience to get it to the proper internal temperature. Under-cooked turkey can potential pass on food-borne illnesses which is why it is so important to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It is important to see if the breast, thigh, and wing are cooked thoroughly before pulling them out of the smoker or off the grill.

Ultimately, no matter if you cook the turkey on the smoker or grill, the goal is to reach an internal temperature of 165F. It can take as little as 30 minutes for turkey wings on the grill or as long as 10 hours for a 20-pound turkey in the smoker. Reaching that internal temperature ensures the meat is thoroughly cooked and safe for consumption.

The final step in having a happy, turkey-filled Holiday meal is to put the leftovers away for snacking later. Within two hours of pulling the bird out of the oven, you need to get it packed up and put away in the freezer or refrigerator.

So, with all these in mind, take a deeper look at the infographic below from FuriousGrill, which should serve as a great all-round guide to make a perfect Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey.

Infographic by FuriousGrill.Com