Pit Boss Smoked Turkey:  Juicy, Flavorful Turkey Made Easy

Do you know that yummy smoked turkey from the cool restaurants?

Now you can make it yourself with a Pit Boss smoker! These cool smokers make it so easy to cook a turkey, not turkey brine, that tastes awesome. Put the turkey in, set the heat, and let Pit Boss work its magic. The turkey comes out tender, juicy, and packed with finger-licking flavor.

What is Pit Boss Smoked Turkey?

Pit Boss smokers let you make tasty smoked turkey at home. You put a whole turkey or just parts like legs inside the Pit Boss. Then you turn on the heat and add smoky wood chips. The Pit Boss gently smokes and cooks the turkey for hours until it’s perfectly juicy and smoky-flavored, like from a restaurant.

Pick Your Flavor Pellets

The Pit Boss uses wooden pellets to make smoke that flavors your turkey. Lots of wood types like hickory, apple, maple, oak, or cherry make tasty smoke.

If you want a classic barbecue flavor, use hickory pellets. For sweeter smoke, try apple or maple wood pellets. Different woods make different flavored smoke, so you can experiment to find your faves!

Use 100% flavor wood pellets, not ones mixed with fillers. Check the Pit Boss manual to see which pellet flavors they recommend trying on poultry like turkey.

Pit Boss Power Sources

Pit Boss makes both electric and gas smokers. Their electric smokers use a power cord you plug into an outlet. The gas ones hook up to an outdoor propane tank, just like a grill.

Electric Pit Bosses are easier since you don’t have to buy propane tanks. But gas ones get a bit hotter. Both make awesome smoky flavors!

You choose between electric or propane when you buy your Pit Boss. You can’t switch out power types later. Check your manual to see if your smoker uses gas or electricity.

Let your Pit Boss work its magic! Low and slow patience pays off in amazingly juicy, smoky meat.

How to make Pit boss Smoked Turkey Perfectly

1. Choosing and Preparing Your Turkey

• Size Matters – Smaller turkeys, like 10 pounds, work best in the Pit Boss smoker. Bigger birds don’t fit as well.

• Soak that Bird – Before smoking, let your turkey take a bath! Dunking the turkey in a salty brine makes it super moist and yummy.

• Tie those legs Together – Trussing keeps the turkey neat in the Pit Boss so it cooks all nice and even. Just wrap kitchen string around those legs and wings to keep them tucked in tight!

2. Flavor Your Turkey

• Create your Special Spice Mix – Make a basic rub using yummy spices like garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, and paprika. Massage it all over the turkey!

• Get Creative with Flavors – Try fun flavor mixes on your bird. Some ideas: lemony pepper rub, sweet maple cinnamon, spicy Cajun spices. Your turkey will taste unique and yummy.

• Don’t Forget the Sage! – The classic turkey herb combo is sage, thyme, rosemary, and garlic. Mix them and pat it onto your turkey for traditional flavor. Yum!

3. Smoking the Bird in Your Pit Boss

• Slow Cooking Rocks – Keep temps low, between 180° to 250°F, and let that turkey take its time roasting over hours. This makes it super tender.

• Got wood(chips)? – For an awesome smoky flavor, put wood chips like hickory or apple in the smoker box. Replenish them every hour.

• Cook times Matter – A 10-pound turkey takes about 5 hours in the Pit Boss at 225°F. Bigger birds take way longer so plan! Use a meat thermometer to check doneness.

• Rest Time – Once your turkey reaches 165°F, let it chill out and rest off heat for 20 minutes or so before eating. This makes the juices settle back in for extra juicy meat!

4. Turkey’s Done – Now What?

• Patience, Padawan – Don’t slice up that turkey hot off the smoker! Let it rest for 20+ minutes first so all the yummy juices are set in the meat.

• Slice and Serve – Use an electric knife to carve thin slices of your smoky turkey masterpiece neatly. Now pile those bad boys high on plates!

• Make Bone Broth – Don’t toss that turkey skeleton! Simmer it with veggies for hours to get rich homemade stock for soups or gravy. Waste not, want not!

Pit Boss Smoked Turkey

Turkey Ingredients:

• 1 whole turkey (10 to 15 pounds)
• 1⁄2 cup spice rub
• 1⁄4 cup salt
• 1-gallon water for brine
• 2 cups wood smoking pellets
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 crushed garlic cloves

Mix up the wet marinade and let the turkey bathe in it overnight before smoking for extra flavor. Pat on the spice rub right before putting it in the Pit Boss smoker. Use your favorite wood pellets for smoke and you’re good to go!

Instructions ( Step by Step )

1. Bath that Bird!

• Mix 1-gallon water, 1⁄4 cup salt, 1⁄2 cup brown sugar to make the yummy brine
• Dunk your turkey and let it soak in the brine for 8-12 hours
• This makes the turkey crazy moist and tasty

2. Gettin’ Smoky with It

• Take the turkey out of the brine, pat super dry with paper towels
• Massage the rub all over and under the skin to flavor the meat
• Truss up those legs and wings with kitchen string so it cooks nice
• Place turkey breast up on the Pit Boss cooking racks

3. Fire It Up!

• Dump 2 cups of wood pellets into the pellet hopper box
• Turn the temp dial to 225°F for low&slow smoking
• Close the lid and let that baby smoke for 5+ hours
• Check it after 3 hours in case more pellets are needed

4. Almost Turkey Time!

• Use a meat thermometer to check the turkey temp
• Pull turkey off the grill when it hits 165°F juices will run clear
• Let that smoky bird rest for 20 minutes then slice, gobble, and enjoy!

Tips for Turkey Smoking Success

1. Choose the Right Size

Stick to small or medium turkeys under 16 lbs. Huge birds don’t fit or smoke right.

2. Brine is Key

Soaking that bird in a salty brine before smoking keeps the meat crazy moist.

3. Use a Meat Thermometer

It’s the best way to test when turkey is perfectly cooked without cutting in too early.

4. Keep Pellet Smoker Full

Refill wood pellets during long cooks so the smoke stays steady. Open the lid as little as possible.

5. Let Turkey Rest

Never slice into turkey right off the smoker! Resting for 20 minutes let’s juices settle back in.

Follow these turkey tips and your Pit Boss smoker makes restaurant-quality birds right in your backyard!

Serving and Storage Tips

1. Serving Ideas

• Slice up turkey for sandwiches – add cheese, lettuce, cranberry sauce
• Dice up bits of turkey for salads, pasta, soup, or pizza topping
• Pile slices on plates with mashed potatoes and gravy for an easy meal
• Stir chopped turkey into egg scrambles, breakfast burritos, and hash
• Get creative! There’s so many ways to gobble up smoked turkey

2. Storage Tips

• Refrigerate carved turkey for up to 4 days
• Freeze turkey portions in air-tight bags for 2-3 months
• Use ice cube trays to freeze broth into turkey-flavored cooking cubes!
• When reheating, add moisture with drippings, broth, or gravy

Now you know how to save and savor every last bit of your Pit Boss smoked masterpiece!

Conclusion

Making tasty smoky turkey at home is easy and fun with the Pit Boss pellet grill. Soak your bird in flavor brine then let the smoker work its magic for hours with cool wood smoke.

Keep an eye on the temperature and doneness. Before you know it, you’ll be carving up juicy, delicious turkey for your family with your own Pit Boss skills!

It has way better flavor than any boring oven turkey. Show off your smoker talents at the next holiday meal or barbecue. Get your Pit Boss and get smoking!

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