Smoked Turkey With Spicy BBQ Rub

Name: Smoked Turkey
Total time: 5 hours (plus dry-brining, sitting, and resting)
Yield: 8–10 servings
Ingredients: ⅓ cup (packed) dark brown sugar; ⅓ cup Diamond Crystal or ¼ cup Morton kosher salt; 2 Tbsp. chili powder; 2 Tbsp. smoked paprika; 1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper; 1 Tbsp. garlic powder; 1 Tbsp. ground coriander; 1 Tbsp. onion powder; 1 12–14-lb. turkey, neck and giblets removed, patted dry; Vegetable oil (for grill); 1 medium red onion, quartered; 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature; plus ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted; 6 cups hickory wood chips, soaked, and a drip tray if using a gas or charcoal grill; a chimney starter if using a charcoal grill

By Kat Boytsova

September 13, 2023

A carved and plated smoked turkey on taupe fabric

Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni

Let this be the year you “volunteer” to take the cooking outside. This smoked turkey recipe promises a perfectly burnished bird, encrusted with the smoky-sweet flavor of a BBQ-inspired brown sugar rub. It’s a streamlined dish that doesn’t require a fussy turkey brine recipe or necessitate adding cold water to a roasting pan so the drippings don’t burn. But the real reward will be the peace and quiet granted unto you by the great outdoors.

Whether you’re working with a gas grill, charcoal grill, or smoker, this whole-turkey recipe has you covered. You can coat the outside of the turkey with the dry rub up to two days in advance of your Thanksgiving dinner. If you’re using a frozen turkey, allow it to thaw at least 24 hours, then pat it dry with paper towels before coating with the turkey rub. (Follow the Epicurious guide for more intel on how to thaw a turkey.)

We call for hickory wood here for its balanced level of smoke, but if you happen to have more delicate cherry or apple wood on hand, feel free to use it. Avoid mesquite, which can be too strong for smoking poultry.

Interested in a spatchcocked bird? Try this Grilled Turkey Under a Brick. Or for a more traditional approach, our favorite dry-brined roast Thanksgiving turkey never fails. To round out your meal, check out our collection of the best Thanksgiving side dishes.