You will want to use a low heat with your smoker to fully cook your turkey. This will take a little more time than if you were using a deep fryer or cooking it in the oven, however the flavor that a smoker imparts into the meat can’t be beat. Watch this video for some great tips on how to smoke a turkey.

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Here is a great turkey smoker rub recipe too that will really add more flavor to your turkey and give it a great brown skin:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 Tbs onion powder
• 1 Tbs paprika
• 2 Tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tsp kosher salt or sea salt
• 2 Tsp white pepper
• 1 Tsp powdered ginger
• 1/2 Tsp powdered sage

Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Dust the body cavity of the turkey with one tablespoon of the dry turkey rub. Add the remaining dry mix to the oil, combining well. Smear this wet rub under the skin of the breast, and all over the outer surface of the skin as well.

A couple of tips for successful deep fried turkey are to remember to put the turkey into the deep fryer basket and put it in the deep fryer before filling the fryer with oil. This will help you to prevent overflowing the oil onto the ground, and if you are using a propane or gas fired fryer, it can prevent burning down your house.

Also, cover the ground around it with something to prevent the oil splattering from soaking in. This is especially important if you are cooking on your concrete deck, patio or driveway. It is equally important if you are cooking on a wooden deck.

Follow the manufacturers recommendations about specific oil, temperature and time needed to heat the oil and cook the turkey.

Here is a great video on how to use an electric turkey deep fryer.

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Turkey Serving Guide – How much turkey to serve per person

When planning your Thanksgiving turkey dinner it can be overwhelming wondering how much to serve per person. You will want to have enough for each person to have at least two servings and enough for turkey leftovers.

Up to 12lbs. = 1lb. per person

Over 12lbs. = 3/4lb. per person

Bone in breast = 1/2lb. per person

Boneless breast or role = 1/3lb. per person

Turkey Thawing Guide

Refrigerator thawing is the recommended method for thawing turkey. It used to be comon practice to thaw turkey in the sink with cold water. The problem with this method is that bacteria can grow on the turkey while it is thawing. This is the reason that refigerator thawing is recommended.

6 to 8lbs. = 1 to 1 ¾ days

8 to 12lbs. = 1 to 2 days

12 to 16lbs. = 2 to 3 days

16 to 20lbs. = 3 to 4 days

Bone and breast = 1 to 2 days

Boneless breast roll = 1 ½ to 2 days

Turkey Roasting Guide

Pre-heated 325° oven.

6 to 8lbs. = 2 ¼ to 3 ¼ hours

8 to 12lbs. = 3 to 4 hours

12 to 16lbs. = 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours

16 to 20lbs. = 4 to 5 hours

Bone and breast = 1 ½ to 2 ¼ hours

Boneless breast roll = 1 ¾ to 2 ½ hours

The following are three recipes you must try:

DEEP FRIED TURKEY
1 turkey, 12-15 lbs, thawed
5-6 gallons peanut oil
1 stick butter
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 lb salt pork, chopped to a fine mince
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large outdoor turkey fryer
1 turkey marinade injector
1 mesh strainer
salt and pepper

Set up your turkey fryer outside; make sure the fryer is away from flammable objects such as your house. It is wise to remove little children and your pets from the area you will be frying in. You will also need a heavy-duty wire to lower and raise the turkey from the grease, most fryers provide this.

The turkey must be fully thawed before frying, as excess water will cause the oil to bubble up.

Combine salt pork with minced garlic and 1 tsp. of peanut oil and fry in a pan on low heat for 30 minutes. Add to the pan soy sauce, paprika and butter and cook until butter has melted. Stain this mixture to remove bigger bits and then pour into marinade injector. Inject the turkey; remove pop-up timer and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Cooking the Turkey
30 minutes before cooking remove the turkey from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. The oil in the fryer should be 350° degrees for optimal cooking and the turkey must be dry when going into the oil.

Most turkey fryer recipes call for peanut oil, add this up to the line inside of the turkey fryer. Slowly place the turkey breast side down into the fryer basket. Allow the oil temperature to lower to 300°F and continue frying, it is recommended that you fry for 4 minutes per pound of turkey.

Remove the turkey to a serving platter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the bird upside down fro at least 20 minutes so the juices will redistribute to the breast. Flip the turkey right side up and serve with garnishes of choice.

CAJUN FRIED WHOLE TURKEYS
2 whole turkeys
16 oz. bottle Italian dressing
1 tbsp. garlic powder or garlic salt
1 tbsp. onion powder or onion salt
1 tsp. celery salt
1/3 bottle paprika pepper
1/2 can of beer (optional)
3 tsps. poultry season
1 tsp. salt (omit this if using garlic or onion salt)
1 tsp. pepper (black)
1 tsp. pepper (white)
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 dashes Tabasco

Wrap legs with foil and-or wire. Mix all ingredients and inject into each bird at least 12 hours before cooking and place in the refrigerator. Deep-fry the turkey using peanut oil, 4 minutes per pound. The oil in the fryer should be at 340 degrees.

DEEP FRIED HONEY TURKEY
12-14 lb. turkey
5 gallons peanut oil
SEASONING:
1 bottle Italian dressing
1/8 c. Lea & Perrins
Onion salt
Lemon salt
Garlic salt
Lemon juice
4 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. brown sugar

Heat seasonings on stove until melted down then pour though a strainer. Insert into turkey with an injector. Be sure to season the outside of the turkey as well, butter, salt and pepper works nicely, then refrigerate overnight.
Fry turkey in wire basket at 300 to 310 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes. 4 minutes per pound.

Turkey fryer recipes are pretty consistent, all go into the fryer but it’s the seasonings that make them unique. Get creative and see what flavor combinations you can come up with to have a delicious fried turkey.

Dressing is still the best dish to have with turkey, followed by mashed potatoes, potato salad and deviled eggs. With all these dishes you have many different types of ingredients making for a very flavorful dinner. And that’s fine, but the turkey is best tasting like turkey.

Some people get up early on Thanksgiving Day and put the turkey in and cook it in a few hours. Then they wonder why the turkey is a little tough. Cooking Thanksgiving turkey overnight is the best way to enjoy very tender, flavorful turkey. You can cook the turkey in a gas oven on low heat and it will be very tender when you finish it on Thanksgiving Day. But cooking overnight with gas is a little dangerous. I usually stay up all night if I cook with gas, cooking on low, about 200 degrees, and about 7:00am turn the heat up to about 350 degrees to finish in about two hours.

You can cook the turkey on Thanksgiving Day with electric, but once again, you sacrifice flavor and tenderness. Cooking turkey overnight is again the best method with electric. And electric is much safer to use for overnight cooking than gas. But with the cost of electric today, cooking overnight with an electric range will be somewhat expensive. And since you will undoubtedly be cooking all day, cooking with an electric or gas range can cause the temperature to rise substantially.

When cooking Thanksgiving turkey, the best way to cook is with an electric roaster. It’s less expensive than a range, safer than gas, and creates less heat than either of the other methods. Cooking with an electric or gas range, many people use a cooking bag to help tenderize the turkey. With an electric roaster you don’t need the bag, although you can use one. I personally don’t like having to open and close the bag every time I want to baste the turkey. And it will be just as tender with the roaster as it will be in a cooking bag.

Put the turkey in the roaster about 11:00pm and smother it with margarine. Add a little salt and just a little pepper. Set the temperature at 200 degrees and go to bed without having to worry. If you happen to get up during the night, baste the turkey before going back to bed. About 7:00am turn the temperature up to 350 degrees and baste two or three times before the turkey is done. The Thanksgiving turkey will be done in about three hours and it will be so tender it will be falling off the bone. Cooking Thanksgiving turkey in a roaster allows you to use the range, saving time. Happy Thanksgiving!