Apple Smoked Barbecue Turkey
Tom Jackson
Rated 4.4 stars by 5 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
8
Prep Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time
3 hours
Calories
299
Whether you’re preparing for a Thanksgiving feast or a summertime cook-out, this Apple Smoked Barbecue Turkey is just what you need! First brined in the fantastic Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House Brine with apple cider, then injected with apple infused butter, smoked over charcoal and apple wood in the Kamado Joe and served with a Cran-Apple BBQ Sauce. It’s juicy, smokey and packed full of flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 (15 lb) turkey
-
1 lb Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House All Purpose Brine
- 2 1/2 quarts cold water
- 2 1/2 quarts apple cider
-
R Butts R Smokin’ Cherry Habanero Seasoning
-
Cornhusker Kitchen Spray Duck Fat
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup apple cider
-
2 tsp R Butts R Smokin’ Cherry Habanero Seasoning
- 2 cups cranberries
-
1 cup Firebug Mild Grillin' Sauce
- 1 cup apple cider
-
1/2 cup maple syrup
-
ATBBQ Smoked BBQ Turkey Kits
For the injection:
For the Cran-Apple BBQ Sauce:
Get the kit for this recipe
Directions
Spatchcock the turkey. To take the backbone out, place the bird breast side down. Cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears, from one opening of the cavity to the other. Release the skin of the turkey from the flesh, leaving it attached at the edges, but exposing the meat for seasoning.
To prepare the brine, combine the 2 1/2 quarts each of apple cider and water in a 22 quart Briner Bucket. Add 1 lb Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House All Purpose Brine. Whisk well to dissolve the brine. Add the turkey to the brine. Lock the Briner Bucket’s plastic plate in place to keep the bird submerged. Transfer to bucket to the refrigerator. Brine the turkey for one hour for every pound of the turkey’s weight.
- Remove from the turkey from the brine. Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a wire rack over a sheet pan.
Combine the ingredients for the injection. Mix well. Load the injection into a pistol grip style injector. Inject the breasts, first. Then inject the thighs and wings, until the injection liquid is gone.
- Season the turkey modestly with the R Butts R Smokin’ Cherry Habanero Seasoning, only under the skin and on the flesh of the bird. Return the turkey (on the sire rack) to the refrigerator and let the skin dry out for 24-48 hours.
Stabilize your Kamado Joe Classic III Ceramic Grill at 300ºF, set up for smoking. Add two large chunks of Cattleman’s Grill Competition Smoking Apple Wood Chunks.
- Spray the surface of the turkey with the Cornhusker Kitchen Spray Duck Fat, to act as a binder for the seasoning. Season the backside and skin of the turkey generously with R Butts R Smokin’ Cherry Habanero Seasoning. Transfer to the grill. Place the bird directly on the grill grates, set at the highest setting of the Divide and Conquer System.
- Smoke the turkey until the internal temperature reaches 155ºF-160ºF in the breasts. The temperature of the thighs/legs should be over 170ºF.
While the turkey is cooking, prepare the Cran-Apple BBQ Sauce. Combine all ingredients in a Lodge 10” Cast Iron Skillet. Bring to a simmer. Cook until the cranberries are tender and their skins have burst open, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Remove the turkey from the grill. Cover loosely with foil. Rest at least 15 minutes before serving/carving. Serve the Apple Smoked Barbecue Turkey with the Cran-Apple BBQ Sauce on the side.
Recipe Note
You might also enjoy: Smoked Holiday Turkey
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 299
- Carbs
- 18 grams
- Protein
- 33 grams
- Fat
- 10 grams
- Sodium
- 189 milligrams
- Cholesterol
- 95 milligrams
- Saturated Fat
- 4.1 grams
