How To Smoke Turkey - Smoked Turkey Tips
Smoked in a Egg Smoker purchased from Home Depot or Lowes
The first step in readying a turkey on a smoker is to select out a Turkey for smoking

The first step in readying a turkey on a smoker is to select out a Turkey for smokingthat is not to large.
 
The reason for a smaller bird, around  9 to 14 lbs. maximum. It takes between 6 and 8

hours to smoke a 12 pound turkey and the bigger they get, the longer they take.
Set up the smoker and toss on the bird. When using charcoal, it is best to let

the flames burn out, fill the water pan with water (seasoned water is fine too see

note below), then place the lid on the smoker and wait for the temperature to reach

the ’safe’ zone on your smoker.
 
Once you have reached a temp of 200 or higher, toss the wood chips on cover the

smoker. Start timing the turkey when the temperature returns to the save zone.

Safety Reminder:  Keep in mind chickens and turkeys are prone to salmonella bacteria

which can ruin your whole Thanksgiving. Cooking temperatures of 160 degrees Fahrenheit  **minimum** are essential for killing off this bacteria.

This temperature is not the OUTSIDE of the turkey, but the inside, so make sure

 you have a thermometer to check for proper temp before taking the bird out of the

smoker. Inset the probe into the breast meat.
 

Smoking Turkey Notes and Tips:
We use a water smoker which by design keeps the meat moist

and prevents burning like a traditional smoker with no water in the event you forget

about the turkey for an extra half hour or so. I personally chop up 4 to 5 large onions

and place them into the water cavity with some garlic as a flavored steaming agent.

I have also stuffed the cavity of the bird with herbs such as thyme and basil and

 even cilantro. This will flavor the bird with its essence. We have also stuffed the

Turkey with chopped up oranges from my tree’s. make sure not to eat the oranges

that you stuffed into the smoked turkey they are just for flavoring.
 
We’ve used inexpensive charcoal and the expensive charcoal, and have found the main

 difference being the number of times you need to add charcoal. The better the charcoal, the longer between times you need to add more in. You can expect to use at least 10 pounds or more of charcoal for a 10-14 lb. turkey, so have some extra just in case. You will most likely not have to check the charcoal or temperature for 3 hours if you use good charcoal so this gives you time to. When you check the temperature on your smoker, just look for the safe zone on your smoker on the gauge that is there. Most of them have a “safe” zone or a actual read out with numbers but in either case, keep that temperature above the safe” zone. If you need to add more heat do not add a big pile of briquettes this will be your demise. Add 6 to 8 charcoal briquettes at a time to bring the temp to the proper zone. If you add to many you will have a seething inferno that will incinerate your prize bird.
   
Check the water after you add charcoal each time just to keep it full and not let it run

out. If you used onions in your water and the water is running out you will be able to tell,

everything will smell like poached onions. If this happens, add water carefully since if you

spill on the charcoal, it will put off steam and it is not a pleasant feeling on your hands,

arms or face.

Wood Chips 
When use hickory chips or mesquite chips or other chips in your charcoal to flavor the bird.

Soak them for at least ONE hours in water and then toss them on the charcoal and they will

smoke and add that flavor to your turkey.
 
After about 5 hours, it is a good idea to actually take off the lid and check the condition

 of the smoked turkey. Each time you remove the lid it adds between 10 and 15 minutes

to the cook time, so don’t take the lid off to see your prize until you absolutely have to.

When checking the bird, you look for the meat to have a pink look to it. It should be moist

and look cooked to the eye and it should not be raw looking. It is difficult to tell when the

turkey is actually done without checking the internal temp. of the smoked turkey.