Citrus Wojapi Smoked Turkey: The Thanksgiving That Won Over the Whole Family

After the smoked chicken blew us away, we knew what was happening for Thanksgiving. We were putting Citrus Wojapi on the turkey. The only question was whether Melody's whole family would be on board — you don't mess around with Thanksgiving turkey. When that bird came off the Traeger on butcher paper with a deep, dark crust and the whole kitchen smelled like smoke and citrus, nobody said a word. They just started eating. That was it. Citrus Wojapi is now the official Thanksgiving rub.

Why This Works for Thanksgiving

Turkey can be bland. Everyone knows it. Most of the time you're really just eating it for the sides and the gravy. But a whole turkey smoked on the Traeger with Citrus Wojapi is a completely different thing. The berry and citrus blend builds a bark on the skin that's savory, a little sweet, and bright from the lemon peel. The smoke from the pellets layers in underneath. For the first time, the turkey was the thing people were talking about — not the stuffing, not the pie. The turkey.

What You Need

• A whole turkey — keep it 15 lbs or under for best results
• Citrus Wojapi Blend™ — you'll need a good amount for a whole turkey
• Butter — softened, for under the skin
• Pink butcher paper
• A reliable meat thermometer — we use Meater

The Day Before

1. Prep the bird: Pat the turkey completely dry inside and out. This matters more than you think — moisture on the skin is the enemy of crispy results on a pellet grill.
2. Butter under the skin: Mix softened butter with a generous amount of Citrus Wojapi. Carefully loosen the breast skin and spread the butter mixture underneath, covering as much of the breast meat as you can reach. This is your insurance policy against dry breast meat — it bastes from the inside the entire cook.
3. Season the outside: Coat the entire bird — top, bottom, legs, wings, everything — with a heavy layer of Citrus Wojapi. Don't hold back. A turkey has a lot of surface area and the rub needs to cover all of it.
4. Into the fridge: Set the turkey on a wire rack over a sheet pan, uncovered, in the fridge overnight. The cold air dries the skin out while the rub works its way into the meat. This overnight dry brine is the single most important step for both flavor and crispy skin.

Cook Day

1. Pull it out early: Take the turkey out of the fridge about an hour before cook time to take the chill off. Fire up the Traeger to 225°F with cherry or apple pellets.
2. Smoke phase: Put the turkey on the grates breast-side up. If your Traeger has Super Smoke, use it. Let it ride at 225°F for about 2 hours. This is where you're building all that deep smoke flavor. The turkey won't look like much yet — be patient.
3. Crank the heat: After the smoke phase, bump the Traeger to 350°F. This is where the skin starts to crisp and the Citrus Wojapi sugars caramelize into that deep mahogany bark. From here it's about 2–3 more hours depending on the size of your bird.
4. Watch two temps: You need the breast at 160°F and the thighs at 175°F. If the breast gets there first, you can loosely tent just the breast with a small piece of foil while the thighs catch up. A dual-probe thermometer makes this a lot less stressful.
5. Rest it right: When it's done, pull the turkey and let it rest for at least 20–30 minutes before carving. You can tent loosely with foil during the rest. The breast will climb about 5 more degrees from carryover, bringing it to a perfect 165°F.
6. Carve and serve: Only slice what you're going to eat right then. The breast stays juicier if you refrigerate it as a whole piece and slice it cold for leftovers later.

A Few Things We've Learned

• Keep the turkey at 15 lbs or under. Bigger birds spend too long at low temps and you risk food safety issues. If you need more food, cook two smaller turkeys — they'll both turn out better than one giant one.
• Don't skip the butter under the skin. On a brisket or ribs you can get away with just a rub, but turkey breast dries out fast during a long smoke. The butter is what keeps it juicy.
• Put a disposable pan underneath the turkey on the grill to catch drippings. Add some chicken broth, quartered onion, and fresh herbs to it. By the time the turkey is done, you've got the base for the best gravy you've ever made — naturally smoky from the drippings.
• The leftover smoked turkey makes incredible sandwiches. The Citrus Wojapi flavor actually gets better the next day.

Ready to try it? Grab a jar of Citrus Wojapi Blend™ →