Smoking your holiday turkey adds a layer of of distinctive flavor that adults and kids alike will appreciate. You don't need to add butter or oil to a smoked turkey to keep it moist, so you can serve your family a lean, healthy main course. Use one or more techniques that keep moisture from escaping while the turkey cooks to prevent it from drying out.

Brine your turkey to lock in up to 50 percent more moisture than you would without a brine. Place the turkey in a plastic turkey cooking bag and immerse it in water -- measure the water as you add it so you know how much it takes to cover the turkey. Add 1 cup of table salt or 2 cups of kosher salt per gallon of water. Close the bag and refrigerate the turkey 12 to 24 hours. Discard the brine, rinse the turkey with fresh water and pat it dry with paper towels.

Start the smoker with the humidity around 60 percent and the temperature at 140 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent moisture from escaping. After the turkey cooks at this temperature for four hours, increase the temperature by 10 degrees Fahrenheit every 20 minutes until you reach 190 degrees. Keep the smoker at this temperature until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees for a brined turkey or 175 degrees Fahrenheit for a turkey that wasn't brined. The total cooking time should be 10 to 12 hours.

Monitor the internal temperature of the turkey closely as it reaches the end of the cooking time; cooking too long dries out the meat. Either watch for the pop-up thermometer to pop up or insert an instant read thermometer at the inside of the thigh. When the turkey reaches the correct temperature, immediately remove it from the smoker.