The holiday turkey recipe to end all turkey recipes - they will be asking about your secret for the rest of the year!
There are two secrets to this amazing recipe. The first one we'll give you right away: it's brining the turkey! No other method results in a bird as juicy and flavorful, and it's stupid simple to do. All you need is a brine bag (or large enough food grade container), a bag of Turkey Brine, and a few hours prior to cooking.
Before you begin, take note of how much the raw turkey weighs. This will come in handy later.
Mix 2 cups of Turkey Brine with 2 gallons of water, and blend well. Then put the turkey itself in the brine bag, breast side down, and pour in the mixture. You want the bird to be completely submerged - make some more if necessary.
Place the brine bag in a container to avoid spillage, and put in the fridge. Refrigerate for 1 hour per pound of meat - for example, a 15 lb turkey will need 15 hours. So plan ahead!
After refrigerating, remove from the liquid, rinse, and let air dry in the fridge covered with paper towel for 4-6 more hours.
When the time comes, preheat your smoker to 325ºF (163ºC). Apply a light coat of olive oil to the skin of the turkey, and sprinkle on some Dirty Bird rub. Don't be stingy!
When the smoker is hot, place the turkey on the cooking rack, breast side facing up. Target temperatures are 165ºF (74ºC) in the breast and 180ºF (82ºC) in the thigh.
About 2/3 way through cooking, cover the breast and wings with a loose piece of tin foil. This will help with moisture retention.
When internal temperature in both the breast and thigh hit their targets, bring the smoked turkey inside.
It is time for the second secret: Pour some Cherry Habanero rib glaze on the turkey, and brush it on evenly. As the meat is still hot, the thin layer of glaze will set on the skin, turning it into the best part of your festive menu. Rest the bird for 15 minutes like this, then serve.
We hope you enjoyed this smoked holiday turkey recipe! Be sure to let us know what you liked and what you'd do differently in the comments or on social media.
Catch you on the next recipe!
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