Nothing says Thanksgiving like a beautifully smoked turkey sitting front and center at the dinner table. This smoked turkey recipe on the Big Green Egg is nicely topped with the perfect buttery, garlic and herb sauce which is stuffed with apples, onion, lemon & herbs making it the perfectly moist turkey for Thanksgiving, or any other occasion.
Smoked Garlic & Herb Buttered Turkey on the Big Green Egg
- Turkey (12.65 lbs was used in this recipe)
- 1 Each – Lemon
- 1 Each – Apple
- 1 Each – Yellow Onion
- .5 Ounce – Fresh Sage
- .5 Ounce – Fresh Thyme
- .5 Ounce – Fresh Rosemary
- 16 Tablespoons / 1 Cup – Butter
- 1/2 Teaspoon – Black Pepper (Garlic & Herb Butter)
- 2 Tablespoons – Minced Garlic (Garlic & Herb Butter)
- 1 Teaspoon – Dried Thyme (Garlic & Herb Butter)
- 1 Teaspoon – Dried Rosemary (Garlic & Herb Butter)
- Disposable Roasting Pan
How to Setup the Big Green Egg for the Smoked Turkey
This Thanksgiving style turkey is cook with indirect heat right around 325 degrees. The plate setter / conv”egg”tor should be inserted with the feet facing upward. Turkey can be smoked at 325 degrees for about 14-15 minutes per pound in which this 12.65 lb turkey took just over 3 hours to cook.
Never pull and eat the bird with the internal temperature less than 165 degrees in which I recommend pulling Turkey off the BGE when the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.
How to Prepare the Garlic & Herb Buttered Turkey for the BGE
The first thing I like to do is pat the turkey dry with a paper towel. This will allow the garlic & herb butter to stick to the turkey better.
Next, cut a yellow onion into 8 pieces.
Quarter an apple.
Quarter a lemon.
At random, place all the onion, lemon & apple pieces into the turkey.
Stuff all of the fresh thyme, rosemary and sage in and around the apples, onions and lemon. Set the turkey aside.
Start out by softening, not melting, the butter in a mixing bowl.
Add the minced garlic.
Followed by the dried thyme (fresh would also work).
Finally the dried rosemary in which the dried would also work.
Mix everything together well.
The first step is to get the garlic & herb mixture directly on the chicken breast, between the breast and the skin. To do this, take a finger and slowly separate the skin from the turkey breast.
Once the skin is separated from the meat, stuff the garlic & herb butter into the pockets that were just created.
With the remaining garlic & herb butter, rub it all over the top of the turkey.
Add some freshly ground pepper to the top of the garlic and herb buttered turkey and the turkey is ready for the Big Green Egg.
How to Smoke the Garlic & Herb Buttered Turkey on the BGE
Get the BGE dialed into right around 325 degrees.
Place the garlic and herb buttered turkey on the Big Green Egg.
Insert your temperature probes and let it ride rolling around 325 degrees.
When the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees it is done. I use an instant temperature pen to confirm a couple other locations are up to temperature in which I also prefer to pull the turkey at 170 degrees just to ensure it is done.
Place the turkey on the counter and let it rest for 10-20 minutes prior to cutting it up. This allows the turkey’s juices to settle along with giving you a little bit of time to use some of the juices for a delicious gravy.
Place on a cutting board and serve!
Smoked Garlic & Herb Buttered Turkey
Nothing says Thanksgiving like a beautifully smoked turkey sitting front and center at the dinner table. This smoked turkey recipe on the Big Green Egg is nicely topped with the perfect buttery, garlic and herb sauce which is stuffed with apples, onion, lemon & herbs making it the perfectly moist turkey for Thanksgiving, or any other occasion.
Ingredients
- Turkey (12.65 lbs was used in this recipe)
- 1 Each - Lemon
- 1 Each - Apple
- 1 Each - Yellow Onion
- .5 Ounce - Fresh Sage
- .5 Ounce - Fresh Thyme
- .5 Ounce - Fresh Rosemary
- 16 Tablespoons / 1 Cup - Butter
- 1/2 Teaspoon - Black Pepper (Garlic & Herb Butter)
- 2 Tablespoons - Minced Garlic (Garlic & Herb Butter)
- 1 Teaspoon - Dried Thyme (Garlic & Herb Butter)
- 1 Teaspoon - Dried Rosemary (Garlic & Herb Butter)
- Disposable Roasting Pan
Instructions
- Before prepping the turkey get the Big Green Egg fired up for an indirect cook. The platesetter / conv"egg"tor should be inserted with the feet facing upward. Get the BGE dialed into 325 degrees.
- Start out by patting the turkey dry with a paper towel.
- On a cutting board, cut the yellow onion into 8 equal pieces, quarter the apple and quarter the lemon.
- Randomly insert the lemon, apple and onion into the turkey.
- Stuff the turkey and all around the apple, onion and lemon with the fresh thyme, sage and rosemary. Set the turkey aside.
- In a mixing bowl soften butter (do not melt). Add the minced garlic, dried thyme & rosemary. Mix together well.
- At the turkeys cavity, gently separate the skin from the breast. To do this, take a finger and slowly loosen the skin from the breast.
- Stuff the garlic & herb butter between the skin and the turkey's breast.
- Place the remaining garlic and herb butter all over the top of the turkey.
- Season the top with some freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the garlic & herb buttered turkey on the Big Green Egg, insert your temperature probes and close the lid.
- Turkey is cooked at 165 degrees but it is recommended to pull it when it hits 170 degrees. Set on the counter and let it rest for 20-30 minutes which is a perfect time to warp up the sides and get the turkey juices in the gravy. Cut up as needed, serve and enjoy.
Notes
At 325 degrees the turkey will take roughly 14-15 minutes per pound. This 12.65 lb turkey took just over 3 hours to cook.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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