How to Smoke a Turducken

Do you enjoy smoked turkey during the holidays?

Smoking meats is popular during the holidays and provides a different approach to family meals and can add a unique flavor that will have your family and friends’ mouths watering. Now, imagine taking it to the next level!

Smoked turducken will take your already unique meal and add an even more delicious spin. Turduckens are a combination of three different popular birds, with a chicken stuffed into a duck, which is then stuffed inside of a turkey. Each layer is surrounded by either a seafood or cornbread stuffing, adding even more flavor. Add this to the smoky flavor and your holiday dinner will be talked about for years to come.

Smoking Your Turducken

The turducken will need to be cooked slowly to ensure that it cooks thoroughly and to prevent the outside from burning, so follow these instructions to smoke your turducken this year.

1. Allow the turducken to thaw in refrigerator for at least 48 – 72 hours. Ensure the turducken is completely thawed before cooking
2. Preheat your grill to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. If your grill does not include a built-in thermometer, purchase one. It is important to leave one of the burners off or to place all of the coals on one side of the grill. The turducken will need to be place over indirect heat.
3. Place the turducken in an aluminum pan or on aluminum foil to prevent it from sticking to the grill.
4. Soak your wood chips in water for 30 minutes and then place them in a smoker box. You can also add them directly to the charcoal, but the flavor may not be as intense.
5. Add water to a drip pan and place it under the spot where you will place the turducken to help keep the turducken moist while it smokes. Keep ¼ inch of water in the pan at all times.
6. Place the turducken in the aluminum pan or on the foil and then set the pan on the grill over the indirect heat. Let cook for four hours.
7. Brush olive oil over the skin of the turducken and cover with aluminum foil. Check the temperature and add more charcoal and wood chips if needed.
8. Keep the temperature between 250 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. You can accomplish this by opening and closing the vents as needed.
9. Continue to smoke for four to five hours, or until the internal temperature of the turducken reaches 165 degrees. Be sure to place the thermometer in the thickest section of the turducken.
10.  Once internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the turducken from the heat source, slice and enjoy!

If you have any additional smoking tips, or would like to see a blog about another way to cook turduckens, be sure to leave us a comment!