You might be wondering and must have been having this simple question in your head regarding how to smoke a turkey in an electric smoker.
Here is a detailed guide for you. Check out the details.
We have managed to put up a simple recipe and easy to follow cooking method for you. Get a turkey for yourself and throw it in a smoker.
It is high time to make an epic one and also tasty turkey dinner.
Upon going for this smoking technique, you will be able to keep the meat of your turkey all and completely moist.
This technique will keep your dish be infused and injected with delicious flavours. So, let us jump on to the needed details.
You can share with us your own created and devised methods as to how to smoke a turkey. You never know, your shared methods and tips might be loved by the rest of the readers.
The Preparation Phase Of Turkey
First of all, you have to process with the preparation phase of turkey, There are certain steps that are involved in this cooking job:
Go On Buying And Selecting A Whole Turkey
Most importantly, you have to go on buying and choosing a whole turkey. Choosing a suitable turkey is utmost important and essential for you.
No doubt, there are plenty and an extensive number of Turkey options available in the market. It is always recommended to go for an option of the whole turkey.
Such a turkey comes with none of the added ingredients or any of the flavours.
In addition, it is observed that the bones present in the whole turkey, they are going to keep your meat moist.
You are free to add your own spices and favourite flavours if you want to through brines, injectors, or with the help of rubs.
Hence, make sure that you get the best perfect turkey type for this cooking job. You can make a decision on the basis of fact regarding how many numbers of hungry turkey eaters are out there!
It is noticed that when you remove all of the bones and giblets from turkey, then you are generally and mainly left with one pound of turkey.
Besides, half a pound of turkey meat, it is alright on a per-adult basis. Or if there are 10-12 guests coming at your end, they have a turkey that weighs 10 to 12 pounds.
You can have a self-basting turkey as well.
Thaw Your Turkey Appropriately
The second step is to Thaw your turkey correctly and appropriately. This is an important step that you have to carry out.
Avoid cooking a frozen turkey. If your turkey is appropriately and rightly thawed out, then the cook will be in a position to cook this meal right at the consistent rate.
If you do not know as to how to thaw your turkey, then there are a few of the important points that may help you immensely.
As an example, if you have got 4-5 lbs of turkey, then it will take around and about 24 hours of defrosting time.
Before you cook your turkey, it has to be entirely and properly defrosted.
In other words, we can say that it has to sit and remain there in your refrigerator for a time frame of two days.
Avoid defrosting your turkey at any of the room temperature settings. By doing so, you will end up making a terrible meal.
Most importantly, during room temperature settings colonies of bacteria get to be multiplied right after every 20 minutes.
Lastly, avoid defrosting your turkey in any kind of dishwasher.
Cleaning And Brining Your Turkey
The next step is to go on cleaning and brining your turkey before you throw and toss it in an electric smoker.
Regarding cleaning, you need to remove your turkey neck, gizzard as well as rest of its internal parts that are present there inside the turkey.
And brining is another important and crucial part of this smoking job.
You can Submerge the turkey breast right in a gallon of water and also in 1 cup of kosher salt.
It is this salt that is going to break down the muscle part of your turkey.
Furthermore, this bringing phase will let your turkey meat to become more tenderize.
Its tendency regarding moisture absorption will be increased and amplified.
You can rinse your turkey in cold water. You have to rinse all of its surfaces and do not forget to rinse the body cavity part.
Most noteworthy, it is through bringing that your turkey meat will be able to become 100% more tender.
Just soak it in a mixture of water, salt, and any other kinds of flavourings and you are good to go.
This method of brining is also called with the name of ‘wet brining.’ As soon as your turkey meat is going to sit and settle itself in brine, then the presence of salt will be able to permeate deeper all into the flesh side of the bird.
This brining step breaks down proteins. It does the perfect seasoning of your meat.
Besides, if you manage to do excellent bringing, then the taste of your turkey meal will be enhanced.
Dry The Turkey With The Help Of A Towel
Moving to the next step, you have to dry your turkey with the use and help of a towel.
Just let it rest and settle there for a time frame of 12 to 24 hours. In this way, the salt and flavours will be able to get dispersed ideally and perfectly throughout the meat.
Apart from that, if you do not feel like going for wet brining job, then you can carry out another alternative.
It is dry brining. In this method, there is no need for water.
Seasoning Your Brined Turkey
Now, here comes the seasoning part. Once your turkey is brined, then you have to season it well.
Most certainly, you can season it with the help and aid of spices and herbs.
Or if you are planning to smoke a whole turkey, then you need to use lots of dry rubs right in the cavity as well as wet rub completely on the outside zone of Turkey.
It is this wet rub that will be able to get stick to your turkey meat. This process retains and intact the moisture in your meat.
The purpose of doing seasoning is to add up needed and required finishing flavour touches into your turkey meat.
You can go for any of the bold flavours if you want to. You are free to make a spicy jerk turkey.
If you wish to make and prepare a deep kind of south cajun turkey, you can do that too.
Some people only like and prefer to season their turkey with salt, pepper and also with granulated garlic, as well as granulated onion.
The only thing that you have to remember while seasoning your turkey, it is to distribute the salt evenly and throughout the meat.
Some people love to get the taste and wants to prepare an extra crispy and smoked turkey skin.
If you want to enjoy this same taste, then what you can do is to place and keep your bird right on a rack with the help of a baking paper present underneath it. Keep it in the fridge.
Allow it to air-dry overnight. It is all because of the excess moisture that is going to give that delicate and 100% crispy skin to your turkey meat.
Smoking Turkey In An Electric Smoker
Now, we are moving to the climax part. Get hold of an electric smoker and smoke your turkey in it.
In this phase as well, you have to follow a series number of steps and guidelines. So, make sure that you read out and go through this guideline with all focus.
Step 1
The very first step is that you have to preheat your electric smoker. Keep the temperature range up to 225°F.
There is a bonus tip for you. What you can do is to oil your grate. In this way, you can easily prevent the turkey from any mess and sticking.
Step 2
Moving to the second step, you can now add your turkey meat. Most importantly, you have to insert the temperature probe right into the turkey breast.
For this job, you can get hold and free to use a Digital Electric Smoker.
Step 3
It is recommended and advised to set the desired and needed internal temperature range up to 160°F.
This way, your electric smoker will be able to get automatically turned right on the warm mode as soon as your turkey meat reaches the desired and suitable temperature.
Furthermore, you have to keep a very close eye and attention on your turkey temperature range.
Step 4
Make sure that you do not over-cook your turkey. Upon over-cooking it, it will dry out and lost its real and actual taste.
It is on per pound basis that 30 to 40 minutes time frame is needed to cook and prepare turkey meat.
We have another hot and a bonus tip for you. It is that you can Baste the turkey with the help of little vegetable oil.
Or you can use any kind of melted butter. This manner, your turkey meat will remain to stay moist.
Always Choose And Go On Using The Right Electric Smoker
Most noteworthy, you need to use the right and top-quality electric smoker for this cooking job.
It is seen that Turkey tends to absorb more and the maximum amount of smoke as compared to red meat.
Moreover, you can make use of mild woods. Like, you can use Apple and cherry woods for this job.
These woods are accompanied by a sweet taste and they manage to instantly complement and enhance the taste of your turkey meat.
If you are planning to use Hickory and mesquite woods, then it is not a wise and correct decision to do so.
These are marked and identified as heavier woods. Their bad side is that they quickly and instantly overpower the taste of turkey.
There is a solution for you to tackle this problem. You can blend and fuse 1/4 of the heavier and flavoured kind of wood right with some 3/4 milder wood.
This way, you can easily and conveniently offset the strong taste and flavour of hickory or mesquite wood.
Spatchcocking A Turkey
The next tip for you to make this dish more tasty and delicious! It is spatchcocking a turkey. For that, you have to cut down the spine.
After that, you can loosen the breastbone. You can even remove it if you want to. Moreover, you need to lay down your Turkey meat in a flat position.
Those who prefer to keep on spatchcocking their turkey, they will see and notice that their turkey meat will be able to absorb more of smoke.
Moreover, their turkey meat will be able to get cooked instantly and faster.
Why Smoke A Turkey? Plus Points for You
If you have decided and planned to go for smoking your Turkey meat, then trust us, a delicious meal will be prepared and set at your end.
Instead of oven-roasting your turkey, you can go on with this option.
This cooking method is going to turn and transform your bird right into a flavoured masterpiece.
If you want to serve your guests and friends with some of the delicious meals, then do prepare this dish.
Smoking Turkey may turn out to be your festive favourites.
Now people are no longer using a traditional charcoal smoker, they are avoiding to us a fancy offset smoker.
We are seeing an excessive and massive trend of using electric smokers for smoking Turkey.
This cooking option manages to free up space. It makes your cooking task feasible and easier for you.
It is true that it is not at all easy to cook and prepare such a massive bird.
Moreover, if you have got a limited kitchen space, then get an electric smoker and toss this big bird in it.
Using this kind of electric smoker, it does not need any of the extra fuels and also electricity. It is marked as one of the most ubiquitous power sources.
What Kind Of Rubs To Go For While Smoking A Turkey?
It is seen that rubs are mainly and commonly divided right in between dry rubs and also wet rubs.
If using dry rubs, then note down that they are made by using dry ground ingredients.
As an example, they are made of herbs and spices. On the other hand, if one is going for wet rubs, then they are made and composed of similar elements.
The only difference is that they have got addition and incorporation of the liquid component.
Like, they are infused and injected with oil, fruit juice or they can be packed with beer or vinegar.
Injecting Turkey- Should You Pursue This Step Or Not?
Some people wonder whether it is alright to inject turkey before going for a smoking job.
You can do that! You just have to fill a specially and exclusively designed syringe with some melted butter or duck fat.
You can inject your turkey with cognac, maple syrup. In addition, you can use lemon juice.
This way, your turkey meat flavour will get a boost. Cooks go for injecting as an alternative if they do not want to go for brining.
It is observed that brining takes 24 hours and injecting your turkey meat is comparatively a faster method for the sake of adding extra flavours.
It is up to you whether you want to brine your turkey or wants to inject it, the choice is totally up to you.
No difference is there in both of the methods, only the time duration aspect is there.
Conclusion:
So, what's the bottom line? It is all go recommended and suggested to use an electric smoker and cook your Turkey in it.
This is an easy method that all beginner level cooks can follow. Utilizing an electric smoker, it will be going to give you fantastic results.
We are confident that you will end up making something spectacular and delicious.
And another surprise for you, if you are using an electric smoker, then handle it with care. Wear Best Grilling Gloves. You can try these GRILL ARMOR GLOVES.
These are exceptional gloves and exclusively made for such cooking jobs. They are Heat Resistant and tolerate heat up to 932F Degrees Fahrenheit.
These suggested gloves have Five Fingers Flex Design and incorporated with Non-Slip Silicone Coating.
So, when you will cook this massive bird? Share all your experiences with us. Sooner, we will let you know in what other ways you can use an electric smoker.
Stay tuned and become a cooking expert by reading out interesting details from this web page.