How I smoked a turkey on a kamado grill. Cooking it at a higher temp than traditional "low and slow" will still give it a nice amount of smoke and still get the crispy skin. For a really great bird, apply the dry rub under the skin and let the turkey sit in the fridge for 12-18 hours to "dry brine" and then smoke.
1. Make the injection liquid. Mix the stock, butter, honey and sea salt in a small sauce pan over medium heat and stir until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Make the seasoning. Mix the seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl.
3. Spatchcock the turkey. Remove the turkey from the packaging and remove the neck and giblets, if included. Place the turkey breast side down and using a pair of poultry sheers, cut up along the sides of the back bone. Remove the back bone, which can be used with the neck to make stock. Flip the turkey over, place the palm of one hand in the center of the turkey breast and forcibly push down (like a CPR compression) until you hear the rib bones crack and the turkey flattens out. Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders of the turkey.
4. Inject the turkey. Stir the injection once more and use a meat syringe to inject the solution into the legs, thighs, breasts and wings. We inject 15ml (about half a syringe) into each wing, 30ml in each leg & thigh, and 30-45ml in each breast half. When injecting, move the needle in a few locations so all of the solution doesn’t go to just one spot.
5. Season the turkey. Flip breast side down and liberally season the exposed back cavity with salt and pepper. You almost can’t over-season this part, because it won’t end up on the plate but the flavors will infuse into the meat above. Flip the turkey to breast side up. Pat the turkey dry and then lightly apply oil all over the skin side of the turkey. Sprinkle the seasoning mix all over the skin side of the turkey, making sure to get the back of the legs and wings.
6. Optional treatments. For a crispier skin, place the turkey on a tray and let it air dry in a refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before cooking. If you’re squeamish about dark meat, you can place zip top bags of ice above and below the turkey breast for 2 hours before cooking. This gets the breast colder and lets the thighs cook to a higher internal temperature by the time the breast gets to 160°f.
7. Preheat the smoker to 325°f. For the Char-Broil Kamander kamado grill, I loaded the fire bowl with Char-Broil Centercut Lump Charcoal and 3 fist sized chunks of wood. Bury the wood chunks at the top of the coal, near where you light the coal. Place the drip pan/heat diffuser in the grill and the main cooking grate above that. Close and allow the temperature to stabilize before adding the meat.
8. Smoke the turkey. Place turkey on the main cooking grate, skin side up. Foil wrap the tips of wings and legs and remove these after an hour in the smoker. Close the lid and cook until the turkey breast reaches an internal temperature of 150°f, about 2 to 2 ½ hours.
9. Meanwhile, make the Honey Bourbon Glaze. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat and allow to simmer lightly until thickened, about 10 minutes.
10. Glaze the turkey. Once the turkey hits 150°f brush the glaze onto the skin side of the turkey a few times while the turkey finishes cooking.
11. Remove the turkey when it reaches internal temperatures of 160°f in the breasts and 175-180°f in the thighs, a total cooking time of 2 ½ to 3 hours. Let the turkey rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Notes/Substitutions
• Tubinado sugar is a less processed sugar that has a higher burn point. It may also be labeled as raw sugar. If you can’t find it you can substitute light brown sugar.
• Bourbon can be substituted with vanilla extract.
View line-by-line Nutrition Insights™: Discover which ingredients contribute the calories/sodium/etc.
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Serving Size: 1 Recipe (613g) | ||
Recipe Makes: 1 Serving | ||
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Calories: 1283 | ||
Calories from Fat: 875 (68%) | ||
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Amt Per Serving | % DV | |
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Total Fat 97.2g | 130 % | |
Saturated Fat 59.5g | 297 % | |
Monounsaturated Fat 26.4g | ||
Polyunsanturated Fat 4.5g | ||
Cholesterol 253.7mg | 78 % | |
Sodium 4617.1mg | 159 % | |
Potassium 698.4mg | 18 % | |
Total Carbohydrate 94.8g | 28 % | |
Dietary Fiber 5.1g | 20 % | |
Sugars, other 89.7g | ||
Protein 12.5g | 18 % | |
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition. |
Calories per serving: 1283
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