Herbed Butter Smoked Whole Turkey

There’s no need to wait until Thanksgiving to have a delicious turkey. Smoked with classic seasonings, this is a dinner that offers leftovers for days.

Serves: 8Prep: 5 minutesCook: 5 hoursTotal: 5 hours 5 minutesDifficulty: Medium

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Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 3 cups hickory wood chips, or as needed, soaked in water
  • 1 turkey (8-10 lbs.), neck and giblets removed
  • 2 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1⁄2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 lemon, halved

Directions

  • Heat smoker to 225-250°F and add wood chips to smoker.
  • Rinse turkey under cold water and pat dry. Stir together sage, thyme, rosemary, garlic, butter, salt and pepper. Rub turkey with ½ butter mixture, including under the skin and in the cavity. Place lemon halves in the turkey cavity. Reserve remaining butter mixture.
  • Smoke until internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thigh and breast. Brush turkey with butter mixture every hour and add additional water to drip pan when needed. Cook time is approximately 30 minutes per pound.
  • After removing from the smoker, place the turkey on a platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Allow to rest 20-30 minutes before carving.
  • Serve immediately and refrigerate leftovers.