From Derrick Riches,
Your Guide to Barbecues & Grilling.
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For generations people have been dropping turkeys into the oven and roasting for hours. They use stuffings and little pop up timers. Guess what? You can make a great turkey this way. But wouldn't it be great to go one step better? Smoked turkey is more flavorful and is tenderer than oven roasting. Breaking away from tradition can be hard but I'm here to walk you through the process.

The Basics:

Here's what you are going to do. You are going to cook your turkey to an internal temperature must reach 165 degrees F. This means that the coldest part of the turkey is 165 degrees F. This isn't a suggestion. Test in at least two places and remember that turkey bones heat faster so keep the thermometer away from bone and white meat cooks faster than dark meat.

Run the smoker at temperature range of 220 degrees F to 240 degrees F. Plan on 30 to 40 minutes per pound.

What you need to smoke a turkey:

The first thing in you need for a great smoked turkey is a good turkey. Now whether you are going to hunt you own or buy one, you want a fresh turkey. A free range Turkey is what to look for. Now I know this isn't always cheap or easy but if you can then I recommend it. If you do pick up a frozen turkey always follow the instructions for defrosting. Also do not get too large of a turkey. A 20 pound turkey will take 10-14 hours and larger turkeys greatly increase food contamination risks. A 12-16 pound turkey will be good.

You also need a smoker, a good meat thermometer, a good hardwood like cherry or apple, and patience. For the smoker you can use a kettle style grill if you are familiar with low temperature cooking in it. Most people don't do turkeys very often so even if you are a master of smoked brisket or low n' slow barbecue ribs you should pay particular attention to what you are doing. Nothing can take the place of experience.

The good meat thermometer is a must. It should read fast and be very reliable. For the wood I recommend a fruit wood because the flavor works best with turkey. Something like a cherry or apple would be good, though hickory and oak can add a nice flavor as well. Be careful not to over smoke a turkey, especially if you are doing a long smoke.

Smoked turkey has a different color and texture than oven roasted turkey. The meat may appear pink and have a smoother texture. This is normal. The smoking process causes a chemical change in turkey that causes this color change. As long as the turkey registers a temperture of 165 degrees F. it is safe to eat no matter the color.