Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe - brined with sweet tea, spatchcocked, injected and seasoned with Texas flavors, then smoked over mesquite wood for a flavorful, beautiful, juicy, smoked turkey.
Mesquite Smoked Turkey
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Ingredients
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12lb Whole Turkey
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2 Gallons Sweet Tea
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3-4 Lemons Halved
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1 Bottle Malcom’s Bird Brine
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12oz Turkey Injection
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1/4 Cup Peanut Oil
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1/4 Cup Meat Church Holy Gospel Rub
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2 Tablespoons Killer Hogs TX Rub
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Meat Bags (used to brine bird)
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14oz Can Chicken Broth
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1/4 Cup Melted Butter
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2 Tablespoons Killer Hogs Hot Sauce
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1 Teaspoon Meat Church Holy Gospel Rub
Turkey Injection
Directions
Place turkey in a large container and add the full bottle of bird brine and the lemons. Pour in the sweet tea and make sure the turkey is fully submerged in the brine. Place in the refrigerator or a cooler with ice for 24 hours.
Remove turkey from brine and pat dry. Spatchcock the turkey by flipping it over breast side down. Use kitchen shears to cut along the back bone on each side removing it from the bird. Cut the breast bone with a chefs knife and press down on the bird until it pops. Flip the turkey over breast side up and tuck the wing tips behind the neck.
Brush peanut oil over the skin and season with Holy Gospel Rub followed by a light layer of TX Rub. Inject the breast, thighs, and legs with the injection.
Prepare stick burner pit for indirect smoking at 275°F using lump charcoal and post oak splits for fuel. (Do not add the mesquite wood at this point)
Place the turkey on the pit and add 2-3 chunks of mesquite wood to the fire for smoke flavor.
At the 1 hour mark insert a probe thermometer into the breast of the turkey. Set the thermometer to 160°F. Add a couple more chunks of mesquite to the hot coals.
Monitor the internal temperate of the turkey and hold the pit at 275° the entire cook. Once the thermometer alarm sounds carefully remove the turkey from the pit and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
