Thanksgiving Garlic Herb-Butter Turkey

Garlic Herb-Butter Turkey

Prepare a juicy, herb-infused smoked turkey perfect for Thanksgiving. Begin by stuffing a 13-lb butterball turkey with fresh vegetables, citrus, and garlic, then generously apply seasoned butter under and over the skin. Using Z Grills 7052B with cherry pellets, smoke the turkey at 300°F for approximately 4 hours, rotating every hour. Start basting in the third hour, cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the dark meat. Let it rest, then slice and enjoy this rich, smoky, holiday centerpiece.
Servings 8 people
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 5 hours

Equipment

  • Z Grills Pellet Smoker
  • Roasting Rack

Ingredients

  • 13 lbs Butterball Turkey
  • 3 Sticks Butter Softened
  • 1 tbsp Thyme, Rosemary, Sage Chopped
  • Kosher Salt
  • Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
  • Garlic Powder

Vegetable to stuff the bird

  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Carrot
  • 3 Celery stalks
  • 1 Orange
  • 1 Lemon
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Crushed

Instructions

  • Cutting up your vegetables you can stuff the bird. Over-stuffing is ok.
  • Once stuffed loosen the skin away from the breast. Grab your semi-melted butter and season with Salk, pepper, and garlic powder also add some chopped rosemary and thyme.. Incorporate together.
  • Using a gloved hand begin to massage the bird under the skin. Make sure you get plenty of butter. The more butter the better
  • Also, add butter to the outside of the bird. You can also put some in the bird's cavity.
  • Let rest. (20-40 mins)
  • Fire up your ZGRILLS and set the temp to 300f.Once that temp is reached, add in the bird.
  • Roast/smoke for 1 hour and rotate.
    Roas/smoke for another hour and rotate.
    At hour number 3, you can start basting the skin.
    Cook to the proper temperature of 165 breast, 175 dark meat.
  • Let rest for 20-30 minutes, slice and enjoy!!

Notes

Thawed, packaged turkey ready for Thanksgiving preparation
A fully thawed, packaged turkey just taken out of the refrigerator, ready to be prepared for Thanksgiving.
Turkey with loosened skin, prepared for seasoning before cooking
A turkey with loosened skin, cleaned out and ready for seasoning, a crucial step for a juicy and flavorful Thanksgiving meal.
Prepared vegetables including carrots, potatoes, and oranges for turkey stuffing
An assortment of fresh vegetables—carrots, potatoes, oranges, and more—prepared for stuffing the Thanksgiving turkey.
Three sticks of butter being seasoned for turkey preparation
Three sticks of softened butter seasoned with herbs and spices, ready to be applied to the turkey.
Seasoned turkey stuffed with vegetables on a rack, ready for roasting
A fully seasoned turkey, stuffed with fresh vegetables, placed on a rack and ready to go into the oven for Thanksgiving.
Golden turkey being basted in the third hour of roasting
A beautifully golden turkey being basted with juices in the third hour of roasting, enhancing its flavor and moisture.
Golden smoked turkey with crispy, flavorful skin for Thanksgiving
A beautifully smoked turkey with golden, crispy skin—ideal for your Thanksgiving feast.
Cost: 30
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Thanksgiving, Turkey

About The Author

Picture of Z Grills

Z Grills

Z Grills is a grill manufacturer with over 30 years of experience within the industry. With over 650,000 pellet grills sold and 85 million cooks made, trust us.

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