Pellet Grill Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey

By UncleDick

2021, I smoked a 12.4 lb Turkey on my RecTeq rt-700 pellet grill after dry brining it fr 3 days. The brine recipe was from TheKitchin.com, and the smoking technique from Mad Scientist BBQ

Ingredients

• •1. 12-15lb Turkey
• •Kosher salt
• •Dried Herbs
• •Fresh herbs for cavity
• •Celery
• •1 Lemon

Preparation

Step 1

Brining:
Thaw turkey if frozen
Remove plastic from legs and fake thermometer, Pat the turkey dry.
Mix salt and herbs (for every 5lbs of turkey you’ll need 1T salt, 1/2 t dried herbs and 1/4 t black pepper)
Loosen the skin of turkey. Separate skin from breast, down to thigh and meaty part of leg.
Season cavity with 2t herb mix
Rub 4t herb mix under skin throughout the turkey
Use remaining mix over the skin of entire bird
Tuck the wings under breast and tie the legs together
Refrigerate 3 days uncovered or lightly covered with plastic wrap.

Step 2

Turn pellet grill on to 200deg. And smoke for two hours. After 2 hours raise temp to 325deg. and cook bird until breast reaches 165deg. (1 1/2 -3 hours depending on size of bird) (my 12.5 lb. bird took 2 hours at 325deg, for a total of 4 hours cooking)
Let turkey rest 30 min before carving

Enjoy