Smoked Apple Cider Turkey
Smoked Apple Cider Turkey is one of the most tender, juicy and flavorful recipes to add to Thanksgiving Dinner. A quick salt water brine makes sure the turkey stays juicy while it is smoked and the apple cider marinade gives it delicious flavor.
Until we tried this Cajun smoked turkey, it was not our favorite. However, when you brine, marinate and smoke turkey it is a whole other thing! This is no ordinary Thanksgiving turkey.
Ingredients for Smoked Apple Cider Turkey:
- 10- 12 pound Turkey
BRINE:
- warm water
- kosher salt
- lemon
- peppercorns
- fresh rosemary
APPLE CIDER MARINADE:
- Apple Cider
- Brown Sugar
- Garlic Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Dry Mustard
How to Smoke Apple Cider Turkey:
- Remove giblets and gravy packet from thawed turkey.
- Add turkey to a large pan or bowl.
- Mix warm water with kosher salt and mix until salt is dissolved. Pour over turkey.
- Add lemon, peppercorns and rosemary. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 8 hours.
- Prepare the apple cider marinade and set aside to cool. Can be made a day in advance and refrigerated.
- Drain turkey well in a colander and discard brine.
- Pat turkey dry with paper towels and truss turkey with butcher twine if desired. (Tie legs together and wrap twine around the middle of the turkey to hold in the wings.)
- Inject apple cider marinade into all parts of the turkey and between the skin and the meat.
- Cook over an indirect grill fire of about 300° using hickory for smoke flavor. Keep the grill closed and check the turkey after about an hour and a half.
If the turkey skin is getting too dark, you can remove the turkey and wrap in peach butcher paper and continue to cook. We maintained the grill between 250° and 300° for the entire cooking time.
- If your turkey is browning nicely, continue to cook until internal temperature reaches 165° in the thick part of the thigh near the bone, about another one and a half hours.
- Remove from grill and allow to rest 15 minutes before slicing.
How to Store and Reheat:
I like to remove the turkey from the bone and save the carcass to make turkey stock. Just toss it in a ziploc baggie and refrigerate or freeze until you are ready.
Sliced turkey will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze cooked turkey in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Enjoy turkey leftovers as a sandwich, make turkey salad or reheat in a pan on the stovetop with a bit of broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
How Much Turkey To Cook Per Person:
Figure about 1 pound of meat per person if you are cooking a whole turkey. If you are hosting a small dinner, this same recipe will also work with a whole turkey breast.
If you haven't tried making the dressing or stuffing on the grill, this is a must-try! The smoke flavor takes your traditional recipe to the next level of delicious. Move over cranberry sauce, this cranberry bbq sauce has tons of garlic flavor that is the perfect addition to any turkey dinner. Grilled asparagus is a quick and easy vegetable side dish that will elevate any dinner and it's perfect for holidays. If you want something other than the traditional mashed potatoes, give these easy foil packet potatoes a try. They cook so easily on the grill and have tons of flavor from the fresh garlic and rosemary. When you grill or smoke the turkey, you don't always have drippings but you still need gravy, This easy recipe is so delicious and simple to make. Homemade rolls are a must have for any holiday meal and these homemade Hawaiian Rolls are crazy good!Side Dishes for Turkey
This is definitely one of the most flavorful and delicious turkeys that we have ever made. Injecting the marinade really flavors the whole turkey and helps keep it moist and juicy. It is a great main course for any holiday dinner or for a family gathering.
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Smoked Apple Cider Turkey
Ingredients
- 10- 12 pound Turkey
FOR THE BRINE:
- 4 quarts of warm water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
- 1 tablespoons peppercorns
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Apple Cider Marinade recipe below
Instructions
- Place thawed turkey in a large pan or bowl.
- Mix warm water and kosher salt together until salt is dissolved. Pour over turkey.
- Add lemons, peppercorns and rosemary. Cover and refrigerate 4- 8 hours.
- Meanwhile, prepare the apple cider marinade and allow to cool.
- Drain brine from turkey and discard brine.
- Pat turkey dry with paper towels and place on a baking sheet.
- Truss the turkey by tying legs and around the middle to hold in the wings.
- Use an injector to inject the marinade into turkey and between meat and the skin.
- Prepare a grill fire to about 300° with hickory wood for smoke flavor.
- Cook turkey for 1 1/2 hours with the lid closed. Check turkey and if the skin is getting too dark, you can wrap it in peach butcher paper and continue to cook. If it is just browning nicely, continue to cook about another 1 1/2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165° in the thick part of the thigh near the bone.
- We maintained a fire between 250° and 300°.
- Remove turkey to a serving platter and allow to rest 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Apple Cider Marinade
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1//2 teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
- Pour apple cider into a small pan.
- Whisk in brown sugar, garlic, salt and dry mustard.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally bringing to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a mason jar. Cool before using as marinade.
This turkey is so incredibly juicy! No more dry, flavorless turkey on out Thanksgiving table!
Can this be done in the oven?
Hi Heather,
It can be done in the oven. Cooking time may be slightly longer.
~ Milisa
Would the brine have to be changed for doing a bigger turkey? And about how long should we brine and cook a 19-20lb turkey?
Hi Alexis,
You want the turkey to be submerged in the brine, so you might need to make 1 1/2 times the brine. I would suggest brining between 4 and 8 hours but you can brine up to 24 hours. Cook 15 -20 minutes per pound for grilled turkey if the grill temperature is between 300° and 350°. Be sure to use a digital thermometer to cook the turkey to the perfect temperature.
~ Milisa