2022 Thanksgiving Turkey

  • Turkey weighs 22lb.
  • Defrosting will take 5-6 days
  • Brining will take 24-48 hrs
  • Cooking should take 8-10hrs @ 275º smoke (reference)

What I did

  • 2 nights before – made brine (Tara has recipe)
  • 9am night before – added 22lb bird to oven bags (2x) in cooler, ice on sides, poured in brine
  • 9pm night before – pulled bird from brine. Dried with paper towel, added herb butter under breast (recipe), added turkey rub to outside (recipe).
  • 4:30am – turned on Traeger smoker
  • 4:45am – moved bird to 225° smoker
  • 8:30am – increased temp to 250° because it was falling below 225° sometimes.
  • 8:55am – breast 109°, thigh 128°. Increased temp to 275°.
  • 9:30am – smoker at 275°, breast 123°, thigh 142°
  • 9:33am – turned smoker up to 300°
  • 9:57am – smoker 300°, breast 131°, thigh 152°
  • 10:18am – smoker 300°, breast 140°, thigh 160°
  • 10:30am – added ham to smoker
  • 10:50am – smoker 300°, breast 150°, thigh 170°
  • 11:09am – breast 155°, thigh 175°. Turned smoker up to 375°
  • 11:30am – smoker 375°, breast 160° (forgot to check thigh), pulled off smoker to rest

Herb Butter

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tbsp thyme finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp oregano finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp rosemary finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Turkey Rub

  • 3 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp crushed rosemary
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp rubbed sage

Published on November 14, 2022