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Southern Style Smoked Turkey
This is a recipe for a delicious, mouth-watering, Southern Style Smoked Turkey!
This is a recipe for a delicious, mouth-watering, Southern Style Smoked Turkey!
Recipe by @An_Oregon_Family
Ingredients
- Whole Turkey
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups apple juice
- 1 orange, sliced, peel left on
- 1 1/2 cups kosher salt or 1 cup table salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 sprigs each rosemary, sage, and thyme
- 2 trays ice cubes
- 4 cups apple juice
- 1 large apple quartered
- 1 yellow onion quartered
Instructions
- Mix together all of the brine ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Cool the brine with ice cubes and submerge the turkey. Refrigerate for 8-12 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse with cool water. Dab dry with paper towels.
- Spatchcock turkey and lay bird flat on a cutting board, skin side down.
- Generously dust underside of turkey with Traeger Pork & Poultry Rub or your favorite rub.
- Flip the bird and carefully create space between the skin and the meat with your hand, making sure to keep it attached and in one piece. Using your fingers, coat the meat under the skin with a layer of softened butter that has been mixed with your rub.
- Then apply another layer of the rub to the skin of the bird.
- Cover the bird with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for an hour or so.
- When ready to cook, start your Traeger grill on smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4-5 minutes). Set the temperature to 225°F and preheat with the lid closed for 10-15 minutes.
- Place the turkey directly on the grill grate. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 100-110°F.
- Increase the temperature to 350°F and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F when inserted in the thickest part of the turkey. While you wait, spritz the turkey every 20-30 minutes with a mixture of melted butter and apple juice.
- Remove the turkey from the grill and let rest for about 15 minutes before carving.
- Enjoy!