Smoked Turkey
My Version of Thanksgiving
Buying:
Look for a whole Turkey. The key to a quality meal is to get quality ingredients. Make sure to get the meat from butchers you trust. Also, order early as turkeys sell out fast during the holidays.
Prepping:
First, 24 hours before smoking, remove anything in the cavity of the turkey. Then, using paper towels, pat the turkey dry. Liberally salt and pepper the turkey. Place the turkey back in the fridge, uncovered, for the night. This results in a crispier skin.
The next day, let the turkey come to room temperature. For most thawed turkeys in the fridge, this will take about 3-4 hours. Also, take out 2 sticks of butter and allow them to come to room temperature.
Then, take the softened butter and mix it with cinnamon, onion powder, garlic powder, rosemary, and thyme. Liberally spread this butter ALL over the meat and inside the skin of the turkey. GET THIS BUTTER EVERYWHERE!!
Lastly, put some aromatics in the turkey’s cavity. I use a quartered lemon, but any combination of onion, lemon, and celery works.
Smoking:
Light the charcoal, and allow the coals to heat. Once the smoker is at 250-270F temp, place the turkey in.
Smoke the turkey for 20-30 minutes per pound. The white and dark meat should reach 160 and 170 degrees respectively. Once the skin becomes dark brown, loosely tent with foil.
Once the turkey is smoked, allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients:
Turkey
Salt and pepper
Butter
Cinnamon
Onion powder
Garlic powder