Step-by-step instructions on how to smoke a whole Thanksgiving turkey on the Big Green Egg. Juicy and delicious!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword big green egg, fowl, meat, smoked turkey, thanksgiving, turkey
Prep Time 2 daysdays
Cook Time 4 hourshours40 minutesminutes
Resting Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 2 daysdays5 hourshours
Author Beth
Equipment
Big Green Egg smoker
Lump Charcoal for Big Green Egg
Round Disposable Aluminum Pan
Aluminum foil
Ingredients
1whole turkey, completely thawedours was 14 lbs
2sticks softened salted butter
1clovegarlicminced
1TablespoonRosemaryfresh or dried
1TablespoonThyme
2teaspoonsSage
1teaspoonPoultry Seasoning
2teaspoonsSalt
Instructions
If you purchase a frozen turkey, thaw the turkey in the refrigerator for a few days until completely defrosted all the way through. Factor in one day of thawing time for every four pounds of bird into your prep time. This might take up to a week, depending on the size of the turkey.
Preheat the Big Green Egg to about 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit. To do this, follow these steps:
Add lump charcoal (we prefer applewood or hickory) to the BGE and ignite. Open the bottom vent and the top daisy wheel wide so the flames catch and begin to burn freely
Once the fire is well underway, watch the temperature closely and start closing the bottom and top vents a bit as you approach 330-340 degrees. Once you get the correct amount of airflow in the bottom vent it will stabilize at 350 degrees and stay there.
Let the BGE preheat for at least 15-20 minutes before you put the turkey on.
Remove all the giblets from inside the bird and discard unless you are making gravy with them.
Wash and rinse the turkey, then pat it dry completely with paper towels.
Tuck the wings under the back and tie the legs together with twine so everything cooks evenly.
Mix the butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, poultry seasoning and salt together in a bowl
Rub the herbed butter all over the outside of the turkey until all the skin is covered.
Place a round disposable aluminum pan on the grill of the Big Green Egg to catch the drippings
Place the turkey on three big balls of aluminum foil to raise it up off of the pan and allow the fat to drip but not get inside the big green egg.
Roast the turkey for about 4 and a half hours, until it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the skin is brown and crispy. Depending on the size of the turkey, this could take longer. Plan to cook it for approximately 15-20 minutes per pound of bird.
Once you reach an internal temp of 165 degrees, remove turkey from grill and allow to sit for at least 15-20 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.