The Best Spice Rub For Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey

If you’re thinking about making a smoked turkey for Thanksgiving this year, you’re going to need a good rub.This is the best rub for smoked Thanksgiving turkey. It combines sweet, savory, and spicy flavors to create a delicious crust on your smoked turkey.

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Are you ready to embrace the aromatic, flavorful essence of a smoked Thanksgiving bird? If so, you’ve come to the right place! This year, elevate your Thanksgiving feast with a turkey that’s bursting with flavor, thanks to this best-ever dry rub for smoked turkey.

This isn’t just any ordinary turkey seasoning. It’s the perfect combination of bbq flavors, a carefully crafted blend of sweet, savory, and spicy notes that will infuse your holiday turkey with incredible depth and create a mouthwatering crust.

Grill Masters—Start Here

Have you always dreamt of smoking your Thanksgiving turkey but felt intimidated? Or perhaps you’ve tried it before and were left wanting more? The secret to smoked turkey perfection lies in the rub.

This smoked turkey rub recipe is your starting point for a Thanksgiving masterpiece. It’s the perfect harmony of salty, sweet, and a touch of heat, infused with the classic Thanksgiving flavors of sage, thyme, and oregano. It’s warming, comforting, and surprisingly easy to make. All you need are a few pantry staples, a bowl, and a spoon!

And the best part? This versatile rub isn’t just for Thanksgiving. Once you experience its incredible flavor, you’ll find yourself reaching for it to season everything from beef skewers to chuck roast. It’s a true kitchen essential!

Why You’ll Love This Rub

• Simple: Forget complicated turkey rub recipes and hard-to-find ingredients. This rub comes together in minutes with easy-to-source spices.
• Mega Flavor: This rub is full of flavor, with the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy notes.
• Smoked Turkey Perfection: Combined with the magic of smoke, this rub creates an unforgettable Thanksgiving turkey.
• Versatility: Don’t limit yourself to turkey! This rub is amazing on steak, roast pork shoulder, and even vegetables.
• Aromatic blend: The combination of herbs and spices creates an intoxicating aroma that will fill your kitchen with Thanksgiving cheer.

Ingredients To Make The Best Spice Rub

• Light brown sugar. Not too much, but the perfect amount to add balance.
• Smoked paprika. Adds to the smokey flavor.
• Kosher salt. The larger crystals season better than sea salt or table salt.
• Onion powder. For well-rounded flavor.
• Garlic powder. Not garlic salt, but garlic powder.
• Freshly ground black pepper. Adds kick and a nice heat.
• Ground mustard. This is an essential BBQ ingredient that adds spice and backbone.
• Dried thyme. Fresh herbs don’t have the same impact as dried in this rub.
• Dried oregano. Lovely fragrant oregano is so nice here but you could also use dried rosemary leaves.
• Dried sage: Not ground sage but dried sage leaves.
• Ground cumin. Undertones with a base layer of lovely aromatic cumin.
• Cayenne pepper. Not too much to make it “spicy” but have a nice subtle heat.

How To Make It

It couldn’t be easier! Simply combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly until well combined. That’s it! You now have a flavor-packed rub ready to transform your Thanksgiving turkey.

Tips for Using the Rub

• Dry the skin: Pat turkey with paper towels to dry the skin of the turkey for an extra crispy skin.
• Generous application: Don’t be shy with this easy smoked turkey rub! Be sure to coat your entire turkey thoroughly, getting into all the nooks and crannies, even the turkey cavity.
• Overnight magic: For maximum flavor, apply the rub to the outside of your turkey the night before smoking. This allows the flavors to penetrate the meat and create an even more delicious crust.
• Rub with olive oil: Before smoking, drizzle olive oil over the whole bird. You can also use melted butter.
• Storage: Store any leftover rub in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.

Smoking Your Turkey

While this post focuses on the spice rub, here are a few tips for your smoked turkey recipe:

• Dry brine: Consider using the spice rub as a dry brine on your turkey before smoking to ensure it stays juicy and flavorful. Season the turkey skin with the dry rub and leave it uncovered in the fridge for 2-3 days before smoking. This turkey brine will give it enough time to penetrate.
• Wood choice: Experiment with different types of wood chips for smoking, such as hickory wood, applewood, or cherrywood, to create unique flavor profiles.
• Temperature control: For best results for a perfect smoked turkey maintain a consistent temperature in your smoker for even cooking.
• Meat thermometer: Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure your turkey dinner is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Beyond the Turkey

Don’t let this amazing rub go to waste after Thanksgiving! Here are some other ways to use it:

• Chicken: For the best flavor, rub it on a whole chicken or individual pieces before grilling, roasting, or use it in my easy fried chicken recipe.
• Pork: Use it to season pork chops, tenderloin, or ribs.
• Vegetables: Toss root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes with the rub before roasting. Or try on grilled eggplant.
• Beef: Add it to your favorite ground beef recipe for burgers or meatloaf.

This Thanksgiving, impress your guests with a smoked turkey that’s bursting with flavor. This easy-to-make spice rub is the key to unlocking a whole new level of deliciousness. So fire up your smoker, grab your ingredients, and get ready to create a Thanksgiving feast that will be remembered for years to come!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Don’t Forget The Sides

Here are a few of my favorite Thanksgiving sides to serve with your smoked turkey.

• Easy Whole Wheat Olive Bread
• Sweet and Sour Braised Cabbage
• Miso-Maple Roasted Beets & Carrots
• 11 Of Our Favorite Mashed Potatoes Recipes