Smoking Turkey - Step by Step

If you want to catch the drippings off your turkey so you can make gravy later you will need to place a pan underneath the turkey. I suggests a disposable aluminum pan that is bigger than the turkey. Pour about 4 cups of water into the pan to prevent the drippings from drying out and burning during the smoking time. Most of this water will evaporate during the process so check on it late in the cooking time to make sure there is still water in the pan.

If you are not using a smoker with a water pan, this pan of water will help add moisture to the smoking chamber. For poultry it is a good idea to smoke in a moist environment.