Go rogue for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter by making a Bacon Bourbon Smoked Turkey. Stuff it with bacon, bathe it in bourbon and smoke it on the Big Green Egg.
4.50 from 300 votes

By Christie Vanover | Published October 11, 2015 | Last Updated February 16, 2023

smoked turkey on white plate with white background

This beauty is a little untraditional, not because it’s smoked, but because it’s stuffed with bacon and bathed in bourbon.

Although this turkey is smoked, it’s actually cooked hot and fast over indirect heat. For the Big Green Egg, you’re able to cook indirectly using the plate setter.

It’s a ceramic disk that sits over the coals. This allows the harshest heat to reflect back down, instead of scorching your meat.

After you stuff the bird with aromatics of jalapenos, onions, apple, garlic and bacon, you’ll lay it on the grill grate over a pan of the same goodies and some apple cider.

As the bird smokes, these flavors will be infused inside and out.

partially smoked turkey on Big Green Egg

Start this bird at a high temp (vents pretty wide open) with the breasts down. After 30 minutes, give her a flip.

partially smoked turkey on Big Green Egg

Reduce the heat of the Big Green Egg by closing down the vents a bit. Continue cooking until she reaches an internal temperature of 165 F degrees.

Be sure to check the temperature in different parts of the bird. The thighs usually take the longest to cook.

smoked turkey on white plate with white background

The color is pretty magical. Don’t you agree?

smoked turkey on white plate with white background

Bacon Bourbon Smoked Turkey on Big Green Egg

Go rogue for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter by making a Bacon Bourbon Smoked Turkey. Stuff it with bacon, bathe it in bourbon and smoke it on the Big Green Egg.
4.50 from 300 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Servings 12

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup whiskey smoke chips
  • 11 lb turkey
  • 1/4 cup poultry rub
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 2 tbsp bourbon
  • 1 red onion chopped
  • 2 jalapenos quartered
  • 5 cloves garlic smashed
  • 1 apple cubed
  • 6 slices bacon chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp bourbon
  • 2 cups apple cider

Instructions
 

Prep

  • Soak the whiskey smoke chips in water.
  • Rinse the turkey and pat it dry. Be sure to remove the neck and giblets. Place it in a large pan.
  • In a bowl, combine the rub, butter and 2 tablespoons bourbon. Rub it all over the turkey – inside, outside and under the breast skin.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the onion, jalapenos, garlic, apple, bacon, olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon bourbon. Stuff half of the mixture into the cavity of the bird. Place the other half in a shallow aluminum pan. Add the apple cider to the pan.
  • Add the platesetter into the Big Green Egg, feet up. Close the lid, and adjust the vents to get the temperature to 450 F degrees.

Smoke

  • Place the pan of vegetables and cider on the platesetter. Add the grill rack. Add the turkey, breast side down. Close the lid. Smoke for 30 minutes at 450 F degrees.
  • Open the lid and drop soaked smoke chips down the sides of the egg through the gaps in the platesetter. Flip the turkey over. Close the lid, and reduce the temperature to 350-400 F degrees. Continue cooking until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 F degrees.
  • Remove the turkey to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest 30-60 minutes before carving.

Nutrition

Calories: 581kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 65gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 229mgSodium: 633mgPotassium: 773mgSugar: 6gVitamin A: 355IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 3.2mg

This estimate was created using an online nutrition calculator

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