Smoked turkey (or chicken)
Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday but turkey has never been the star of that show. In fact, none of us really like turkey that much even though it's the most work. This year we decided to shake things up with a smoked turkey and it was a big hit! The key to this recipe is spatchcocking the turkey which means removing the back bone and flattening the turkey so it cooks faster and more evenly. Google it.
Ingredients:
- 1 spatchcocked turkey
- 2 sticks of butter
- Cajun seasoning (like Tony Chachere's) or any other seasoning you like
- Charcoal and wood chips
Preparation:
Day before: spatchcock turkey, dry off well and season all over with cajun seasoning. Melt 1 stick of butter and mix in 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning. Inject butter mix into several places of the breast, thighs, and legs of the bird. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit overnight in the refrigerator to dry brine.
Day of: Remove turkey from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Soak 2 cups of wood chips in a bowl for at least 30 minutes and drain. Once charcoal is hot and white, spread on one side of grill only. Place 1/2 stick of butter under the skin of each breast and re-season outside of bird. Place bird on grill side that doesn't have the coal underneath. Place a drip pan under the bird to prevent flare ups. Add some wood chips over the coals to create smoke. Be sure the bottom vents are open and the top vent is open and over the turkey to draw the smoke over the bird.
Cook about 2-2 1/2 hours adding wood chips over the coals every 45 minutes so it smokes. Use a thermometer to check breast temp and remove once reaches 165. Let turkey rest at least 20-30 minutes before carving.
