Smoked Spatchcock Turkey Recipe

Total Time: 1 4 30

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 4

Soak Time: 1

Servings:

Spatchcock Turkey is the way to go for an even cook and a turkey that isn't dry.

When grabbing the turkey from the store, ask the butcher to spatchcock it. Although its not very hard to do, it takes stress off you and most, if not all, stores will do this for free. Even neighborhood grocery stores will! If not, follow the pictures in this post to spatchcock the bird yourself.
24-48 hours before you want to smoke your turkey, brine it. In a large roasting pan, fill it up a little under halfway with cold water, stir in 1 cup of sea salt, and 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
Carefully place the turkey into the water inside the roasting pan. Add the 2 sliced oranges, springs of thyme and rosemary.
Add more water if there is room in the pan and cover tightly with foil.
Place in the fridge for 24-48 hours.

When ready to smoke the turkey, turn the smoker on and allow it to smoke before preheating to 275 degrees with the lid shut.
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of softened butter, 1 clove of minced garlic, fresh thyme, and pepper.
Take the turkey out of the brine, place on a pan like a cookie sheet, and pat down with paper towels.
Take a sharp knife and cut a small slit in the turkey's skin close to the legs.
Reach your hand up in-between the skin and the meat, carefully separating it from the meat, creating a pocket. Be careful to keep the slit small, you don't want to tear the skin off of the bird completely. You want to separate it from the breast and the legs.
Using your hands, spread the herb butter onto the meat under the skin. Then, gently press the skin down to help it all spread out.
Generously sprinkle Traeger rub all over the turkey. (skip this step if you are dry-brining)

Place a wireless thermometer like the MEATER into the breast of the turkey.
Put the turkey, with the pan (to catch drippings for gravy) on the smoker.
Smoke for 4 hours or until the turkey reaches 165 degrees. Start checking your turkey at 3 hours and keep an eye on it, you don't want it going over 165 degrees.
Remove and allow the turkey to rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing.