Smoked Maple Bourbon Turkey - Why Wait for Thanksgiving?
Labor Day weekend is here — and this year, we're skipping the burgers and making something truly unforgettable. 🦃🔥 This is the grand finale of my Culinary Corner BBQ Summer Series, and I saved the best for last: Smoked Maple Bourbon Turkey. Don't wait for November. Once you try it this way, you'll want to smoke one for every cookout, every holiday, every excuse you can find.
A rich maple and bourbon brine keeps every bite incredibly juicy, while low-and-slow smoking delivers that deep, irresistible flavor that makes everyone ask for seconds. This is your Labor Day showstopper — and the whole family is going to love you for it. ❤️
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👋 Barbara's Game-Changing Tip: Try Spatchcocking Your Turkey!
I tried this myself and I will never go back. Remove the backbone and split the turkey in half, leaving it connected at the breast — this is called spatchcocking, and y'all, the results are unbelievable. The turkey lays flat on the smoker, which means shorter cooking time, incredibly even smoke penetration, and the moistest, most delicious turkey you have ever tasted. I'm doing my smoked turkey this way from now on, and once you try it, you will too! 🥳
All you need is a good pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife to remove the backbone. Your butcher can also do it for you if you ask!
Ingredients
For the Turkey Brine
- 1½–2 gallons water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 cup real maple syrup
- 1 cup bourbon
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 12 black peppercorns
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 (14–16 lb) whole turkey
For Smoking the Turkey
- 1 onion, cut into wedges
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 3 Tbsp melted butter
Instructions
Make the Brine
- In a very large pot (big enough to fit the turkey), combine the water, salt, maple syrup, bourbon, brown sugar, peppercorns, rosemary, and thyme. Bring to a boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.
- Once cooled, add the turkey breast side down. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Tip: No pot big enough? Place the cooled turkey in a 5-gallon food-safe bucket, pour the brine over it, cover, and refrigerate. Make sure the turkey is fully submerged.
Smoke the Turkey
- Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
- Optional but highly recommended: Spatchcock the turkey by removing the backbone and pressing the turkey flat. See Barbara's tip above — it's a total game changer!
- Stuff the cavity (or tuck around the bird if spatchcocked) with the onion, thyme, and rosemary.
- Brush melted butter over all sides of the turkey.
- Place in a smoker set to 225°–250°F and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 170°–175°F, approximately 7–9 hours whole, or 4–5 hours spatchcocked.
Pro Tip: Use a reliable digital meat thermometer — it's the only way to know for sure your turkey is perfectly done without guessing. No more dry turkey, ever.
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