SHIFTHEADS: Ted Reader and the BBQ Smoked Turkey: Great Flavour, Amazing Skin

Ted Reader and Shane Hewitt’s Pellet BBQ Turkey. The goal? A little smoke, juicy meat and crispy skin

BRINE INGREDIENTS
For a turkey weighing approximately 12 pounds:
• 6 litres cold water, or enough brine to submerge the turkey
• 1½ cups salt
• ¾ cup sugar, optional

For each additional litre of water, add ¼ cup salt and 2 tablespoons sugar. Ted did not specify the salt type for this wet brine.

TURKEY INGREDIENTS
• 1 fully thawed turkey, approximately 12 pounds
• Bone Dust barbecue seasoning
• Oil, enough to make the seasoning brushable

METHOD

1. Mix the water, salt and optional sugar until dissolved. Submerge the turkey in the cold brine and refrigerate overnight.
2. Remove the turkey and discard the brine. Pat the bird dry, then refrigerate uncovered overnight. Plan for one day of brining and one day of air-drying.
3. Preheat your pellet BBQ to 375°F / 190°C.
4. Mix the barbecue seasoning with enough oil to make a brushable rub. Brush an even layer over the turkey.
5. Roast at 375°F. This is Ted’s hotter pellet method: a quick hit of smoke, followed by roasting heat to render the fat and crisp the skin.
6. Use a meat thermometer to check doneness, keeping the probe away from bone. Health Canada recommends 180°F / 82°C for whole turkey, checked in the thickest breast and thigh.

Cook to temperature rather than a fixed time. Tent with foil like you would in an oven. Noted that a brief smoke of 1-2 hours at 225 to start (then increase to above recipe) the bird will add more smoke flavour, if preferred.

Thanksgiving turkey can smell incredible coming off the BBQ smoker and still disappoint at the first bite. Ted Reader offers a way to chase juicy meat and crispy skin without relying on gravy to rescue dinner.

The work starts before the heat goes on. But what if your fridge can’t fit a bucket big enough for the bird? There’s another route, and the preparation for smoking deserves its own place on your holiday schedule.

Feeling adventurous with a hot sauce injection? Getting playful doesn’t have to mean losing the turkey’s flavour. Before you reach for the bottle, there’s a mixture to consider and a question about who’ll be eating it.

Topics: Thanksgiving turkey, smoked turkey, wet brining, dry brining, turkey injections

GUEST: Ted Reader | http://tedreader.com | Instagram: Godfather of the Grill

Originally aired on2026-10-09