Traeger Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
This Traeger Spatchcock Smoked Turkey without brine will give you a holiday turkey that is tender, juicy, and full of unbelievable smoky flavor. Read below to find all the instructions you need to spatchcock a turkey and how to smoke it to perfection in a delicious dry rub!
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 472kcal
Ingredients
- 8-10 pound whole turkey neck and giblets removed
- ½ cup butter melted
- 7-9 tablespoons dry spice rub ingredients below
Turkey Dry Rub
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tsp rosemary crushed
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker. Preheat your smoker to 275℉.
- Spatchcock the turkey. Remove the giblets and turkey neck from inside the turkey. Place the turkey breast side down on a large cutting board. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, remove the backbone by cutting along the sides of the backbone, then remove it entirely. Once the backbone has been removed, open up the turkey like a book and locate the center of the breast bone. Remove the breastbone by cutting the meat off around it and removing it with your hand. Flip the butterflied turkey over so the skin side is up. The turkey should be flattened out completely. Cut off any excess skin.
- Season. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the dry rub until combined. Sprinkle the rub liberally on the entire turkey, being sure to get underneath the legs and on the sides of the bird. Let the rub sit for 10 minutes to adhere to the bird.
- Smoke the spatchcocked turkey. Place the turkey into the preheated smoker, directly on the grill grate, breast side up. Insert an internal meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast (making sure not to touch any bone). Close the lid and smoke the turkey for 2 hours at 275℉.
- Drizzle butter. After the turkey has been smoking for 2 hours, melt butter in a small saucepan. (I did this on the smoker). Drizzle butter over the turkey using a basting brush, covering the entire top of the bird. Do not brush it on; just let the butter run off the brush onto the turkey. This will help the turkey skin crisp up.
- Continue smoking. Close the lid, and continue to smoke the turkey at 275℉ until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees F. This will take approximately one more hour. You can also check the internal temperature of the thigh; it should be 175 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the grill and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Let the turkey rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
- Carve and serve. Place the turkey on a cutting board, breast side up. Using a sharp knife, cut along the inside of the thigh, removing it and the leg. Next, locate the joint between the leg and the thigh and cut through it with a sharp knife. Next, cut on the inside of the wings to remove the wings. Next, use a sharp knife to slice in between the two breasts. Lift it off the carcass while simultaneously cutting it underneath. Repeat with the other breast. Slice the breast meat thinly with a sharp knife. You can also remove the bone from each turkey thigh and slice the thighs into thin slices if desired. Arrange the turkey meat on a serving platter, and serve with your favorite side dishes!
Video
Notes
- The cook time depends on the size of the turkey. A large bird will take longer to cook than a smaller bird.
- When buying your turkey, plan on 1.5 pounds of turkey per person. This will ensure everyone gets enough to eat.
- Avoid lifting the lid to check on your turkey; this will prolong the cooking time.
- Use the turkey carcass to make smoked turkey soup.
Nutrition
Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 221mg | Sodium: 829mg | Potassium: 695mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 579IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 4mg
