This Juicy and Tender Jerk Smoked Turkey is a flavorful turkey infused with bold jerk seasonings, then smoked to perfection. Ideal for holiday meals, family gatherings, or any special occasion, this jerk turkey promises a memorable dish that’s both smoky and packed with vibrant spices.
While you're here be sure to try these Smothered Turkey Wings and this Cajun Herb Butter Turkey Breast too!
Jerk Smoked Turkey Recipe
Smoked turkey is already delicious, but take the flavors up a notch by adding the jerk seasoning and marinades to the mix! The vibrant flavors from jerk seasonings help elevate the flavor profile of this turkey so much.
Ingredients
- Whole Turkey: you will need an 10-12 pound turkey to serve about 10 people. A good rule of thumb is one pound per person.
- Jerk Marinade: the jerk marinade can be homemade, or you can buy a premade version from the store.
- Jerk Seasoning: a good jerk seasoning dry rub is important to help enhance and lock in flavors for the smoked turkey.
- Butter Injectable: use an injector to get a flavored butter into the membranes of the turkey so that you have a juicy turkey.
How to Make It
See recipe card for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
The most important step of cooking a turkey is making sure that it is COMPLETELY thawed out. Place the turkey in the refrigerator for 2-3 days prior to cooking it to ensure it is no longer frozen.
Now start by preheating your grill or smoker to 325ºF.
Thoroughly clean and dry the turkey. Be sure to remove everything from the cavity of the turkey including giblets, turkey neck, and gravy packets.
Use the injector to inject the marinade under the skin and into the meat of the turkey.
Add your jerk marinade and jerk seasonings to a bowl.
Rub your jerk marinade all over the turkey, including the inside of the cavity. Follow up by sprinkling the jerk seasoning all over the turkey.
Put the turkey on the Smoker
Now that you've added all of your jerk marinades and seasonings, it is time to take this jerk turkey outside. Place the smoked turkey directly on the grill, and close the lid. Let it smoke for 4 hours, untouched.
After 4 hours, take the turkey off of the grill and bring it in the house to wrap it in butcher grilling paper. Before you wrap it, slather it down with a coat of jerk butter marinade. Once it's wrapped, place it back on the grill for another 4 hours.
Pro Tips
- Use a flavored butter injectable to get a super moist turkey.
- Take the turkey off of the grill half-way through smoking to wrap it in butcher grilling paper.
- Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving it.
Let the smoked turkey rest
It is important to let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before you carve it. After you take it off the grill, it will continue to cook. So you want to give it time to let the juices settle.
How to make the Turkey without a smoker
You can make this Smoked Jerk Turkey in the oven and it will be just as delicious! Follow the instructions in the recipe card exactly the same, except you want to place the turkey in a roasting pan with a rack - and slather the turkey down with the jerk marinade and jerk seasonings as well as a whole stick of BUTTER!
Once the turkey is covered in the seasonings and marinades, pour 2 cups of chicken broth in the bottom of the baking dish (just to add more liquid and steam), wrap the dish tightly with foil and place it in the oven at 350ºF and bake it for 6-8 hours, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF at the thickest part of the bird (the turkey breast).
Pro Tips for cooking it in the oven
- Remove the turkey from the oven every hour and baste it with the juices from the bottom of the dish.
- Add onions, carrots, celery, fresh herbs, and a citrus like lemons or oranges to the bottom of the roasting pan for more flavor
- Cover roasting pan VERY tight with foil to keep the steam in while the turkey is cooking
- Use about ½ tablespoon of liquid smoke in the jerk marinade mixture to get that smoky flavor that the grill would have provided!
This will seriously be THE BEST smoked turkey you have ever had! It is super juicy, and full of flavor!
FAQ
Why is my turkey so dry?
You may have overcooked the turkey. Just cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF at the thickest part (the breast).
How do I make a super moist and flavorful turkey?
Make a flavored butter sauce to inject into the meat of your turkey prior to cooking it. This will help lock-in the juices.
What can I stuff the turkey with to add flavor?
You can add apples, lemons, oranges, grapefruits, pears, onions, carrots, or celery to the cavity of the turkey to help enhance the flavor.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
After you try this Smoked Jerk Turkey recipe, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Comment below and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for more delicious recipes!
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 11 pound Turkey defrosted
- 1 bottle Injectable marinade
- 1 jar Jerk marinade mild, reserve 1 tablespoon
- 4 tablespoons Jerk seasoning mild
- 4 tablespoons Butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker or grill to 325ºF. While the grill is heating up clean the inside of your defrosted turkey, removing any neck bones, giblets or gravy packets that may be inside the cavity.
- Place the whole clean turkey into a large aluminium pan, wing side down. Make sure the legs are tied together with a piece of butchers twine, or the skin of the bird. Use paper towels to pat the turkey dry.
- Fill the injectable syringe up with the garlic herb butter and penetrate the turkey under the skin and into the meat. Inject the turkey all over- into the legs, wings, and on the breast side of the turkey.
- Reserve one tablespoon of the walkerswood mild marinade and set it aside. Spread the rest evenly to coat every surface, including inside the cavity of the turkey. Next, sprinkle the jerk seasoning right over the top and inside the cavity.
- Place the turkey directly on the grill (not in the aluminum pan) and close the lid. Allow it smoke, untouched for 4 hours. After 4 hours, remove the turkey from the grill and bring it the house to wrap it.
- Melt the butter in a bowl and mix-in the reserved jerk marinade. Once the turkey is cool enough to handle (or wear kitchen mitts), place it on butcher grilling paper to wrap it.
- Brush the jerk marinade butter all over the turkey before you tightly wrap it in the butcher paper. If you don't have butcher paper, you can use aluminum foil. Once it is tightly wrapped, place it back on the grill and continue to smoke for an additional 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, take the turkey off the grill and allow it to rest for at least one hour before carving it.
Video
Kierra says
How can this be made without a smoker?
Tamara J. says
You can make it on a regular grill, or in the oven. Updating the post now!