Smoked Garlic And Orange Turkey Recipes

SPATCHCOCK SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat the turkey dry and turn it breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears or a knife, cut the backbone out of the turkey, reserving it for stock. Flip the turkey so it's breast-side up, then press down on it with your hands to flatten the bird.
• Whisk together the orange juice, oil, maple syrup and garlic in a large bowl. Reserve half of the marinade and set aside. Season the turkey on both sides with salt and pepper and place the turkey into the bowl with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator an hour before grilling, so it can come to room temperature.
• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only on medium-high heat.
• Place the turkey skin-side up over indirect heat and cover the grill. Maintaining a temperature of 375 to 400 degrees F, smoke the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 90 minutes. Baste the turkey with the reserved marinade every 30 minutes during cooking.
• Remove the turkey from the grill and rest, tented with aluminum foil, for at least 20 minutes before carving.
• (Alternatively, you can bake the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet in a 375 to 400 degrees F oven for 90 minutes.)

ORANGE TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Combine the orange juice concentrate, orange slices, lemon slices, lime slices, thyme, pepper, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and water in a large stockpot; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Wash and dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place the bucket in the refrigerator. Allow turkey to marinate 1 to 2 days before cooking. Remove the turkey carefully. Drain and discard the excess brine and pat dry.
• Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster.

HAPPY ORANGE TURKEY

Steps:

• Finely grate zest from oranges. Cut the fruit into wedges. Combine softened butter and orange zest. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from the turkey; rub butter mixture under the skin., Pat turkey dry. Combine the garlic powder, salt and pepper; rub over the outside and inside of turkey. Drizzle with melted butter. Place the oranges, onion, rosemary and thyme inside the cavity. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together., Place flour in oven bag and shake to coat. Place oven bag in a roasting pan. Place turkey, breast side up, in bag. Pour Champagne and orange juice over turkey. Cut six 1/2-in. slits in top of bag; close bag with tie provided., Bake at 325° for 3-3/4 to 4-1/4 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°. Remove turkey to a serving platter and keep warm. Let stand for 20 minutes before carving. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy.

TURKEY IN A SMOKER

Steps:

• Preheat smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F (110 to 120 degrees C).
• Rinse turkey under cold water, and pat dry. Rub the crushed garlic over the outside of the bird, and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Place in a disposable roasting pan. Fill turkey cavity with butter, cola, apple, onion, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper. Cover loosely with foil.
• Smoke at 225 to 250 degrees F (110 to 120 degrees C) for 10 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) when measured in the thickest part of the thigh. Baste the bird every 1 to 2 hours with the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan.

SMOKED GARLIC AND ORANGE TURKEY

Steps:

• At least 1 hour before cooking, soak wood chunks in enough water to cover.
• Preheat coals.
• Rub the turkey cavity with salt.
• Cut oranges into 2-inch chunks.
• Place the cut oranges, sage and garlic in the cavity.
• Loosen the breast skin and spread the cheese spread underneath.
• Tuck the wings under the back and tie legs together.
• Rub the turkey with oil, juice from an orange, chopped sage, salt and pepper.
• In a smoker, arrange preheated coals, half of the drained wood chunks and the water pan according to the manufacturer's directions.
• Add water and orange juice to water pan.
• Cover and smoke for 5 - 6 hours until thermometer registers 180°F when inserted in the breast.
• Throughout, add more coals, wood chunks, and water/juice as needed.
• Remove turkey to platter.
• Cover with foil to keep warm.
• Rest at least 5 minutes prior to carving.
• Reserve any drippings for Orange Turkey Gravy with Sage.

SMOKED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat the turkey dry. Put 2 tablespoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, the sugar, paprika, rosemary and orange zest in a food processor and pulse until combined. Carefully loosen the skin from the breast and legs with your fingers; rub the salt mixture under the skin, inside the cavity and all over the turkey. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare the grill, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Soak 2 to 3 cups apple, cherry and/or pecan wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes; drain. Heat a grill to 325˚ F to 350˚ F and prepare for indirect cooking: On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to the sides of the grill; on a gas grill, turn off half the burners. Place a large drip pan under the grates on the cooler side of the grill.
• Gently drizzle and pat the vegetable oil all over the turkey. If using a charcoal grill, scatter about half of the wood chips over the coals; for a gas grill, fill a smoker box with the wood chips and use according to the manufacturer's directions. When the wood chips start to smoke, place the turkey, breast-side up, over indirect heat so that the legs are closest to direct heat.
• Cover the grill and smoke the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165˚ F, 3 to 4 hours, adding the remaining wood chips to the grill about halfway through; add more charcoal or adjust the vents as needed to maintain the temperature.
• Carefully move the turkey to direct heat and grill, uncovered, until the bottom of the turkey crisps up a bit, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 to 45 minutes before carving.

HONEY, BUTTER, AND ORANGE INJECTED SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan, add the shallot and the garlic to the melted butter. Simmer on very low for about twenty minutes stirring occasionally. Add the sage, thyme, salt, pepper, orange zest, and white wine. Let simmer for fifteen more minutes to cook off the alcohol, stirring occasionally. Add the orange juice. Strain this into a bowl. Wipe out the sauce pan and return mixture to the pan. Add the honey. (When I added the honey, I just added a little, and kept stirring and tasting until the honey taste just barely started to come through.
• I stored this in the refridgerator overnight. The next morning I reheated it just until it was liquified, then injected it into the turkey. Smoke or bake as you normally would.