Smoked Turkey Rub: How to Season a Turkey for Smoking

A smoked turkey rub is a mixture of salt and spices used to season a turkey after brining but before smoking. While typical BBQ rubs use ingredients like chili powder, brown sugar, and paprika, you can adapt this recipe to fit the flavor profile of your choosing. Add dried herbs (sage, thyme, or rosemary) to the mix for a more herbaceous blend. For an extra kick of heat, use the liquid from a can of smoked chipotle peppers instead of mustard to adhere the rub to the turkey.

Applewood, hickory, and mesquite pair very well with poultry, but you can use any food-grade wood chips or wood pellets depending on your preference and the type of meat smoker you have. Here’s how to find the best wood for smoking.

For the most flavor, season your smoked turkey twice: once with a dry or wet brine and then again with a dry rub. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial to seasoning and smoking turkey:

1. 1. Prepare the bird. After defrosting the turkey, remove the giblets and neck from inside the turkey. Save those for use in your favorite turkey stock or turkey gravy recipe.
2. 2. Brine. Before seasoning with the turkey dry rub, brine the turkey using a dry brine or wet brining method. Brining ensures even and thorough seasoning and keeps the breast meat juicy during the long smoking process. Try this easy smoked turkey brine.
3. 3. Pat dry. To ensure the rub adheres in an even layer, pat the brined turkey dry with paper towels before adding the mustard and the dry rub.
4. 4. Season. To form an even layer of seasoning on the skin as the turkey smokes, rub the entire bird with a thin layer of mustard, olive oil, or vegetable oil. The slather will create a tacky surface to which the spices and seasonings will cling. Add the dry seasonings and rub to coat the entire surface, getting into any nooks and crannies between the wings and in the interior cavity of the turkey.
5. 5. Prepare your smoker. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, heat the smoker to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, and cook for an estimated twenty to thirty minutes for every pound of turkey. Pull the bird from the smoker when a meat thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of both the turkey breast and thigh, reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. A twelve-pound turkey will take approximately five hours, but the cooking time will vary depending on the turkey size and your smoker. Always rely on the internal temperature of the meat for adequate and safe results.
6. 6. Baste. This step is optional but results in extra-crispy turkey skin. After about three hours of cooking, the turkey will render juices and fat that collect in the base of the pan. Spoon the drippings over the turkey, then continue smoking until fully cooked.
7. 7. Rest. Resting is a crucial step to ensure juicy meat for any turkey recipe. Before carving, let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes.