Smoked Spatchcock Turkey is a great option any time of year or for your next holiday feast. This Traeger turkey recipe is easy to follow and results in a juicy, flavorful bird that will be the centerpiece of your meal.
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, BBQ
Keyword smoked, spatchcock, traeger, turkey
Prep Time 1 dayday
Cook Time 4 hourshours
Total Time 1 dayday4 hourshours
Servings 8
Calories 1578kcal
Equipment
Wood Pellet Choices: Apple, Pecan, Cherry
Ingredients
Turkey
Whole turkey 12-14 pounds
4tablespoonspoultry rub
Maple Whiskey Brine Ingredients
1medium onionpeeled and quartered
3bay leaves
3sprigs fresh rosemary
1tablespoonwhole peppercorns
1cupsea salt or kosher salt
½cupmaple syrup
1cupbourbon whiskey
1lemonsliced
1orangesliced
2cupsof water at room temperature
6cupswaterchilled
Instructions
Thaw the turkey ahead of time if frozen. Remove any giblets or neck sections and set them aside for stock if desired.
Make the brine:
Add the brining ingredients into a stock pot large enough to hold the turkey.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a separate pot.
Add the boiling water to the stock pot and whisk until the salt is dissolved.
Add the 6 cups of chilled water to the finished brining solution and set aside.
Spatchcock the turkey:
Place the turkey breast down on a cutting board and with a chef’s knife or kitchen shears cut along both sides of the backbone.
Next slice the cartilage separating the breasts.
Turn the turkey over and press the turkey flat.
Clip the wing tips off with your kitchen shears.
Add the turkey to the stock pot with the brining solution and place in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours.
After brining, remove the turkey from the solution and lay on a baking rack and allow it to drain while the smoker comes to temperature.
Cooking
Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
Pat any remaining moisture from the skin of the turkey and generously season the turkey with your favorite poultry rub.
Lay the turkey flat directly onto the grill grates and close the lid.
After 2 hours increase the temperature to 350°F and cook until the breast meat is 165° F read with an instant read thermometer. (Usually 1 ½ to 2 more hours)
Remove the turkey from the smoker and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let rest for 20-30 minutes.