Smoked Turkey With Herb Rub Recipe

This is the only smoked turkey recipe you will ever need. The herb brine brings all the wonderful flavors of the holidays: thyme, rosemary and sage, all made for turkey, with a balancing sweetness from the light brown sugar and the perfect amount of salt to round it all out. Dry-brine the turkey and let it sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator to dry out the skin so that it crisps up and turns deep amber when cooked. After the turkey is brined, carefully loosen the skin and rub softened butter underneath. This is the key to juicy, full-flavored meat. We suggest hickory chips to give the smoke a classic flavor. Turkey is safe to eat when the thickest portion reaches 165f, but thats not the temperature to look for when the bird is still on the smoker. Instead, remove the turkey at 155f, and cover loosely with foil. The meat will continue to cook as it rests and will remain tender and juicy.