Buzz
I've cooked a lot of Thanksgiving turkeys, and roasted my share as well. From brining and rubbing the bird to buttering and salting it better than any spa treatment could do, I've done it all. While I love a good roast turkey, I never expected a smoked turkey to have such a profound impact on me. This year, I hosted Friendsgiving with a Diestel pecan smoked turkey, which not only simplified my meal prep but also left my friends in pure turkey bliss. It's not too late for you to place your order.
After years of roasting turkeys, this will be the year that tradition ends. I’m switching to smoked turkey for good. And coming from someone who finds mezcal margaritas too smoky, that’s saying something—but on meat, it works. The turkey was juicy, rich, incredibly tender, and the skin was perfectly crispy. No matter how hard I try, I can’t imagine returning to a regular roast turkey next year. I’m already missing the smoked one.
Diestel Family Ranch offers a variety of options for your perfect holiday bird this season:
Pecan smoked turkey
Hickory wood smoked turkey
Oven-roasted whole turkey
Brined and seasoned whole turkey
Free up your time and reduce stress.
Let me be honest: I barely had to lift a finger to make this turkey a star. The Diestel smoked turkey arrives fully prepared—trussed, cooked, and seasoned to perfection. It’s delivered frozen, so you’ll need to thaw it out, but once that’s done, it’s simply a matter of reheating. This gave me more time to focus on making the stuffing, baking pies, and setting up a charcuterie board. Plus, reheating is so much quicker than cooking from scratch. Not sure how to reheat it? The instructions are clearly labeled on the bird, detailing the temperature and cook time based on the size you’ve ordered.
I had a 10-pound turkey, so three days before, I set it up in the fridge on a wire rack over a sheet pan to catch any juices—none spilled, but better safe than sorry. The packaging said to heat the turkey at 325°F for an hour and 15 minutes. The moment I cracked open the package, the smoky, savory scent filled the room. Any doubts I had about this turkey disappeared right then. I placed it on the roasting rack, gave it a rub with neutral oil, and sprinkled some regular salt on top. This wasn’t part of the instructions, but I wanted that crispy skin. (And maybe, just maybe, I wanted to feel involved in some small way.)
Thanks to the short cook time, I had plenty of time to prep my side dishes before. I popped the turkey in the oven around 45 minutes before my guests were due to arrive. It’s usually when I change out of my “cooking clothes” and freshen up, so it was the ideal moment for a hands-off cooking approach.
The turkey turned out flawlessly. Every guest remarked on the delightful aroma and the stunning golden-brown skin when it emerged from the oven. There was an abundance of smoky, rich drippings left behind, perfect for making gravy. Carving the bird was a joy; the skin made a satisfying crackle as I sliced through it, and the meat was so tender that only a little pressure from my knife was needed to separate it. The turkey itself combined the best qualities of a smoked ham and a juicy brined turkey, complete with a crispy, flavorful skin.
How to purchase one
If you'd like, you can easily make your own smoked turkey on a charcoal grill or convert your oven into a smoker, but if that seems like too much effort, just head over to the Diestel Turkey Farm website and grab one today. If you place your order now, they'll still have time to get it to you by Wednesday. While I highly recommend their pecan smoked turkey, they also offer a hickory wood smoked turkey. For those who aren't into smoked turkey but still want to skip cooking a raw one from scratch, try their oven-roasted whole turkey instead.
Whether you're still figuring out your turkey strategy for Thanksgiving or you're getting a head start on your Christmas meal planning, having this turkey delivered to your door can be a game changer. It could revolutionize your holiday dinners!
