Smoked Honey Pecan Turkey Recipe on the Pellet Grill

January 10, 2023

Look no further for a unique, delicious holiday turkey. My Smoked Honey Pecan Turkey Recipe has super BBQ elements, including flavor, smokiness, and juicy meat. I love the holidays because it gives me an excuse to experiment in the kitchen. This is one of the best turkeys I’ve ever made! Give it a try, and I know you’ll agree. 

This turkey is a showstopper that is sure to wow friends and family. Serve it at your next holiday dinner and become the most popular guy (or gal) in the room. The only downside? You may not have any leftovers. 

Smoked Honey Pecan Turkey Recipe on the Pellet Grill

This turkey pulls out all the stops. Seasoning, injection..it’s got it all! The result is a turkey that’s juicy, rich, and bursting with flavor. If you’ve never tried honey notes mixed with pecan, you’re in for a treat. Three of my best-selling rubs take this turkey to a whole new level. 

The Ingredients

Although this turkey has a few steps; it still requires less than 10 ingredients. You won’t use all of my seasonings, so save the rest for another amazing recipe. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping list. 

The Smoker Setup

 This gorgeous setup has three racks so you can cook your entire holiday meal at once. You will smoke main dishes, sides, and desserts in no time. 

The Process for Making Smoked Honey Pecan Turkey on the Pellet Grill

There’s a detailed demonstration of this recipe in the video and recipe card near the bottom of this post. For now, enjoy this brief overview of how I pulled this amazing Smoked Honey Pecan Turkey together.

• Fire up the grill. I stoked the grill and fired it up to about 300℉. This temperature allowed my bird to cook low and slow, keeping the moisture where it belonged. 
• Fire up the grill. I stoked the grill and fired it up to about 300℉. This temperature allowed my bird to cook low and slow, keeping the moisture where it belonged. 
• Mix the injection. I took the turkey out of the package, removed the insides, and dried it off.  Then, I mixed melted butter, chicken stock, lemon juice, and a little of my Everyday Rub to create a custom-made injection. 
• Inject the turkey. Using a plastic injector, I injected the bird using a grid-like pattern. Pro tip: Plastic injectors can be finicky, so I recommend spraying the rubber insert with cooking spray. The inside of your injection tube will be greased, making for an easy injection process. 
• Season the bird. I dried off the bird, then sprayed it with Crisco Butter Spray. This spray was a great binder that allowed the seasonings to stick. For presentation's sake, I tucked the wings under the bird. Then, I added a good layer of Everyday Rub. 
• I mixed ½ cup of Honey Rub and ½ cup of Pecan Rub, then set the bird on a baking tray for easy seasoning. I seasoned the bird with my honey pecan mixture. I shook off any excess seasoning, then tied the turkey’s legs together with butcher’s twine. 
• Smoke the turkey. I put the bird on the Traeger and let it go for an hour. After that first hour, I sprayed it every 30 minutes with cooking spray. At the hour-and-a-half mark, I used tongs to rotate the cooking rack so the bird cooked evenly. 
• Rest and finish. Once the turkey breast hit 165℉ internally, I took it off the pit. I let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before slicing into it.

The Results

The turkey came off the grill with a gorgeous golden color. The bird had a total cook time of 3 ½ hours, giving it a beautiful crust with moist meat. Give this recipe a shot if you’re ready for a simple, easy-to-cook turkey. 

Serving Suggestions for Smoked Honey Pecan Turkey

If you’re making my Smoked Honey Pecan Turkey for the holidays, you’ll want a few sides to go with it. Here are some of my favorite suggestions. 

Storing Leftover Turkey

If you do have leftovers, my first recommendation is to make a turkey sandwich. If you still have turkey after that, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 4 months. 

Equipment and Tools

Pellet grill, wood pellets, butcher’s twine, Butter-flavored Crisco Cooking Spray, cooling racks, Thermapen Mk4, Yeti Cooler, and insulated gloves for handling meat.

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