Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
User Reviews
5
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Description
Starting with a large turkey, the recipe details preparing a brine with salt, brown sugar, vegetable stock, black peppercorns, ground ginger, and allspice, which is heated to dissolve and then cooled. The turkey is submerged in this brine for 12-24 hours to enhance moisture and seasoning. After rinsing, the backbone is removed to flatten the bird (spatchcock), promoting faster, even cooking in the smoker preheated at 275°F.
Smoking the turkey skin side up yields a smoky crust while cooking the meat through without drying it out. The recipe notes emphasize watching temperature rather than time due to variability in smokers and bird sizes. This technique results in a richly flavored turkey with tender meat and a crispy, smoky skin.
The instructions include tips for thawing, brining, and equipment considerations, and suggest serving along with complementary sides or sauces. Leftover turkey from this recipe can also be repurposed into other dishes.
Ingredients
For the Brine
- 1 cup table salt
- ½ cup brown sugar tightly packed
- 4 quarts vegetable stock 16 cups
- 1 TB black peppercorns whole
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- ice plenty of
- water plenty of
For the Turkey
- 2 TB garlic powder
- 2 TB black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 15-18 lb turkey neck and giblets removed
Instructions
For the Brine
- In a very large stockpot, add all brine ingredients, except for ice and water. Heat over high heat and stir until dissolved. Allow to cool.
- Gently submerge turkey into the brine. Cover the top with ice. Pour in enough cold water to completely submerge turkey in liquid. Stir the liquid to combine. Store in fridge or cool location (keep below 40F) for 12-24 hours.
For the Turkey
- Preheat smoker to 275F. Remove turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly. Discard brine.
- Place turkey breast side down on cutting board. Using heavy duty kitchen shears, cut alongside the entire length of one side of the back bone from the neck to the tail. Cut along the other side to fully remove the backbone. Rinse bird again to flush away any bone fragments.
- Return turkey to cutting board and spread it skin side up. Press down firmly between the breasts with your palm to crack/flatten the breast bone. If necessary, use a large chef or butcher knife to score the middle of the wishbone to make it easier to crack.
- Dry both sides of turkey with paper towels and lay on rack to allow it to come to room temperature. After 1-2 hours, dry both sides of turkey again.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 TB kosher salt, 2 TB freshly ground pepper, and 2 TB garlic powder. Sprinkle generously over both sides of the turkey.
- Insert oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and place turkey (skin side up) in smoker and smoke until thermometer reads 158F.
- Remove turkey from smoker. Cover with foil and let rest for 20-30 min before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Plan for 12-24 hours of brining; active prep time differs from passive brine time.
- Use disposable nitrile gloves when handling raw poultry for safety and cleanliness.
- Fully thaw frozen turkey in the refrigerator ahead of time, allowing about 6 days for a large bird.
- To cool brine quickly, boil half the stock before combining with the rest cold.
- If lacking a large stockpot, use a clean bucket to brine the turkey safely.
- Removing excess fat from a very cold turkey can reduce drippings without affecting flavor or tenderness.
- If using a pellet grill with uneven heating, use foil to balance temperatures across the cooking surface.
- Base doneness on internal temperature rather than time, since smoker models and bird sizes vary.
- Leftover turkey works well in recipes like Turkey Tetrazzini or served with cranberry sauce.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 496 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 496kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 129g | 258% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.04g | 2% |
| Cholesterol | 80mg | 27% |
| Sodium | 860mg | 36% |
| Potassium | 1391mg | 30% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 853IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 86mg | 9% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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