First time smoking turkey

[Jim O]

Want to do a turkey and not brine it. Have a 10 # thawing. Suggestions please.

[Habanero Smoker]

You can smoke/roast without brining, but I feel that a brined turkey is preferable. A non brined turkey will definitely be drier. If the label has no other ingredients listed; other than water, that will help keep it moist during the cooking time. If it is a commercial processed turkey, chances are it is already brined. Read the label if it reads something like "Enhanced with up to 9.5% broth", or the label states salt and/or sodium phosphates have been added it is already brined. Kosher turkeys are always salt (dry) brined.

Since it is only 10 pounds, you may want to look into dry brining your turkey. It has been mentioned on this forum in the past.

How to Dry Brine A Turkey

If the turkey is non-brined and you don't want to dry brine it; google "roasting a non brined turkey", that will turn up plenty of help. Also you may want to look at Bobby Flay's roasted turkey recipes - he swears he never brine, or use an already brined turkey.