Ingredients
One 12-17 lb. fresh or frozen turkey	1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups Traeger Barbecue Rub	Optional brine recipe: 1-1/2 c. salt, 1 c. brown sugar, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 2 T. black pepper

Thawing Your Turkey
If your bird is frozen, place the turkey in a plastic garbage or leaf bag and let it thaw in the refrigerator. (Note: this takes approximately 24 hours of thawing for EVERY 4 lbs. of turkey. This means you MUST allow 4 days to safely thaw a 15 lb. turkey!)

In a hurry? Fill your kitchen sink or a bath tub with enough cold water to cover the turkey. You'll need to change water every 60 minutes. The thawing rate will be approximately 30 minutes per pound. Thawing a 15 lb. turkey will take at least 7 1/2 hours. After the bird has thawed, remove the giblets and cut off the excess skin from the neck and tail cavities.

Preparing the Brine Mixture
Note: This is an optional step in the preparation process. In a tub large enough to hold the turkey and the brine, add 2 cups of Traeger BBQ Rub, (you may substitute 1-1/2 cups of salt,1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons of black pepper). Add enough water to cover the entire bird-. Submerge the turkey into the brine mixture and place in the refrigerator for 8 hours. After brining, rinse the turkey in cold, running water to flush excess brine. Towel pat dry and then apply a light coat of olive oil to the entire outside skin of the bird.

To Stuff or Not To Stuff?
We highly recommend that you DO NOT stuff your turkey. Putting stuffing in your turkey slows down the cooking process, and the stuffing does not come up to temperature quick enough to kill off any food-borne bacteria. Insert a meat thermometer lengthwise through the side of the breast. You may want to put your stuffing into a heat resistant pan or dish and cook it alongside your turkey. You can also smoke the stuffing for additional flavor if you wish.

Cooking the Turkey
Start your grill on smoke with the lid open. Allow the fire in the firepot to establish, then close the lid. Switch to "High" (450F on thermostat equipped units) and allow the grill to warm up for approximately 20 minutes. Switch the grill to "Medium" (275 or 300F on thermostat equipped units), place the turkey in the center of the cooking chamber, breast side up. Allow internal temperature to rise to 100F degrees, then switch to Smoke and smoke for 3-4 hours. If you want more smoke in your meat, lengthen the time you smoke the turkey. After the smoke session is complete, switch the grill back to Medium (275 or 300F) and continue cooking until the breast temperature reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a quality meat thermometer to test for doneness. DO NOT leave the instant reading (pocket) thermometer in the turkey longer than one minute. The dial could melt if left in for an extended period of time.

If you don't care to smoke your turkey, you can cook it on Medium (275-300F). Use an average cooking time of 25-30 minutes per pound, depending on the size of your turkey and the outside temperature. THESE ARE APPROXIMATE COOKING TIMES!

If your guests are running late, you can "hold" the bird by wrapping it in foil and switching the grill to SMOKE. You can hold the bird for approximately 1-1/2 hours this way. When company arrives, remove the turkey from the grill and all it to "rest" for 20 minutes before carving. Give thanks and then get ready to enjoy BEST Thanksgiving turkey you and your guests have ever had.

 

---

To achieve real grilling greatness, check out our cookbooks boasting over 150 savory recipes.

Grills: Junior | Lil Tex | Lil Tex Elite | Texas | Professional | Professional Built-In | Lil Pig