Thoroughly defrost your whole turkey. If defrosting in the refrigerator this can take several days so start 3-5 days before you plan to smoke. Remove the turkey from the plastic and drain the juices into the sink. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. (Wash sink well!)

Place the turkey into the brine (we include our two favorite brines in the post... our smoked turkey brine and our cajun turkey brine.) Place the turkey breast side down in the brine, pop on the lid, and refrigerate or keep in a cold place for 24-36 hours. Even overnight is good if that is all the time you have.

Remove the turkey from the brine and place it on a sheet pan. Drain off the brine. Dry well with paper towels. Apply the compound butter (our turkey paint!) with a silicone basting brush. Place on the countertop to come to room temperature while you prep your pellet smoker.

Clean the pellet smoker as shown in the blog post, scrub the grates, reline with foil if preferred, and dump and clean the bucket. Refill the hopper with fresh pellets. Preheat to 250 degrees F.

Insert the probe thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey breast. Take the turkey out to the smoker and place it breast up. Insert a small water pan to encourage smoke penetration and moisture in the air. Plug the probe thermometer into the pellet grill computer, or the thermometer read-out device. Close the chamber and smoke 2 hours.

Spritz with pineapple juice (alternatives are given in the blog post) several times during smoking. Smoke the turkey until it hits 165 degrees, about 30-40 min per pound. Always smoke to temperature, not time. Time is listed to help you plan your day. Give yourself a safety of 1-2 hours for differences in outdoor climate and differences in pellet grills.

Remove the turkey and rest uncovered for 1 hour. Carve with an electric knife or sharp knife and serve.