Our Family’s Smoked Turkey Secret: Bold Brine, Big Flavor, and Delicious Leftovers

Home-smoked turkey has become a beloved Glover Gardens staple. It’s smoky and juicy with a layered, herbaceous flavor thanks to our Zippy Sicilian spice mix. And it’s not just for the holidays—this is a turkey worth making any time of year.

After experimenting, we’ve found that cutting the bird into parts before brining and smoking makes all the difference. The brine penetrates more evenly, the smoke works its way into all the pieces, big and small, and you can pull pieces off the smoker as they reach their ideal done-ness. No more frustratingly dry breast meat because you were waiting on the thighs to get done, my friends!

This method has been tested and fine-tuned over several seasons, and it even works beautifully with other poultry. We recently tried it on game hens, which were spectacular.

Here’s the recipe.

Recipe: Glover Gardens Smoked Turkey with Apple-Cider Brine and Zippy Sicilian Spice Rub

Ingredients

Turkey

• 1 whole turkey, thawed and broken down into breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings (we typically use an 18-pound turkey)
• Zippy Sicilian spice mix, used liberally after brining
• Wood for smoking (we use oak)

Brine (makes 8 quarts)

• 6 quarts cold water
• 2 quarts apple cider or apple juice
• 1 ¼ cups kosher salt
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup Zippy Sicilian spice mix (see below)
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 yellow onions, quartered
• 3 lemons, halved – juice squeezed into brine, rinds added to the mixture

Zippy Sicilian Spice Mix

This blend of oregano, garlic, thyme, and a little red pepper is the backbone of the dish—and a Glover Gardens favorite. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cooking Instructions

Make the Zippy Sicilian: Combine all ingredients.

Brine the turkey: Combine all brine ingredients in a very large stock pot or food-safe container and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Add the cut-up turkey pieces and submerge completely. Brine in the refrigerator or a well-iced cooler for 16 to 24 hours.

Prep the turkey: Remove turkey from brine and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rub each piece generously with Zippy Sicilian spice mix, using the rest of the batch. Press the seasoning into the meat and skin. Let the seasoned pieces rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before smoking.

Smoke the turkey: set up your smoker according to the instructions for your type of smoker and preheat to about 220°F. Place larger pieces (breasts and thighs) on the bottom racks and smaller pieces (wings and drumsticks) on upper racks. Smoke to your desired temperature; we usually remove the turkey pieces when they reach ~155°, because the temperature will continue to rise as the turkey rests. Monitor internal temperature using a meat thermometer and pull pieces out of the smoker as they finish. Our total smoke time is usually approximately 3 hours: game hens, turkey wings, and legs typically take around 2 hours and 45 minutes at this temperature range and the rest of the pieces are done about 15 minutes later. Tent the turkey with foil and let all pieces rest for 15–20 minutes before serving.

Notes and Tips

• If you’re using a frozen turkey, be sure to buy it at least 3 to 4 days in advance to allow for proper thawing in the refrigerator. A large turkey, especially in the 18-pound range that we prefer, can take up to 3 full days to thaw thoroughly in a standard fridge.
• We go with a larger bird because this turkey is so popular—there’s never much left by the end of the meal, and we always want enough to freeze for future recipes.
• Ideally, rest your turkey after you tent it outside; otherwise, your whole house will smell like smoked turkey. For 3 days. Bring it in after the resting period and put the parts you won’t be using right away straight into the refrigerator.
• Don’t throw away the carcass or the neck and giblets. Freeze them all in freezer-safe bags to make super-rich smoked turkey stock later.
• After just a couple of days of using the different turkey parts for meals, whether you just serve it straight or use it in recipes, set aside 15-20 minutes to debone the turkey and freeze a portion of it for later use. You’ll thank yourself 1,000 times when you remember that you have smoked turkey leftovers.
• Don’t skimp on the Zippy Sicilian spice mix! It is a key ingredient. In fact, it’s so good that we recommend you make a bulk batch, because you’ll want to use it for many, many other things.

Smoked Turkey Leftovers Make Fabulous Meals – Now AND Later

One of our favorite ways to use leftover smoked turkey is gumbo. The depth of flavor it adds is unbeatable, and using the turkey bones to build a rich, dark stock only amplifies the flavor. Our recipe is below, and you’ll thank me if you make it. I promise. It’s that good.

The Glover Gardens Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Recipe – Finally!

Smoked turkey also fantastic in jambalaya, chili, or any kind of hearty stew. We also love it in a pasta dish we sometimes make after Thanksgiving, which The Grill-Meister has dubbed Pastalaya. It’s basically some of the gumbo ingredients like sausage and turkey, only in a penne pasta dish with a spicy cream sauce. I’ll be sharing that recipe after Thanksgiving.

And I’m sure you already know that smoked turkey makes superb sandwiches—pressed on a panini, toasted or or cold, with cheeses, pickled onions, avocado, or even a spicy aioli. We recently made a shaved smoked turkey sandwich on jalapeño cheese bread with roasted poblanos, arugula, red onion, sliced avocado, Fontina and mozzarella. It was, quite frankly, next-level.

Another sandwich benefited from very thick slices of smoked turkey, for a very different experience which was also quite tasty. We made the traditional turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and red onion, and put a big schmear of very simple guacamole on the bottom, serving it with a tangy chipotle aioli. Our bread choice, once again, was jalapeño cheese bread. YUM.

Final Thoughts

Every household deserves a smoker—and someone who knows how to use it! The Grill-Meister, who handles the smoking duties around here, has become a true master of his craft, using a smoker I gave him for Father’s Day one year. I shared this home truth with a colleague who’s also a foodie buddy, and her husband promptly received a smoker. It’s one of those investments that keeps on giving; we often swap stories on Mondays about what our husbands smoked over the weekends.

Also, I hope you agree with this foundational principle: smoked turkey doesn’t need to be reserved for Thanksgiving. Once you’ve tasted it done this way—with a fragrant brine, a bold spice rub, and perfectly timed smoking—it earns a place in your year-round cooking rotation. Serve it proudly for holidays, yes, but also for picnics, Sunday dinners, and those ordinary Tuesdays when something extraordinary is just what you need.

© 2025, Glover Gardens