Dilly, Dilly! Dub Shack BBQ Smokes a Whole Turkey

Because more and more people are eschewing pork but still have that burning desire to eat barbecue, turkey has become a more viable option throughout the year than simply what Grandma does on Thanksgiving Day: oven roasted and exceedingly dry with jellied cranberry sauce barely able to salvage the featured presentation. Once you have pulled turkey like this one, you’ll never want to go back to any other way and although the appearance doesn't matter as much as it would late November, a pretty bird is nevertheless a delectable bird.

INGREDIENTS

One whole turkey* (mine is 14 lbs.)

Fire and Smoke Society’s Sweet Peeper barbecue rub

Tony Chachere’s Cajun butter injection

*Any whole turkey is good enough. If yours is closer to the 20+ lbs. range, it simply means a longer thaw period. As a good rule of thumb, remember to factor 3 lbs. per day before cooking turkey to thaw from frozen; no one wants to eat icicles at the next cookout.

I figured I would keep the ingredients list short due to the fact I’ve smoked turkeys in a myriad of ways and styles. Also, a big thank you to Jessica for donating the feller for today’s cook. Whether or not it makes it to the plant is in the air – and the stomachs – around me but I certainly appreciate the offer.

STEP ONE. You definitely want to thaw the turkey hence plan ahead. If your whole turkey is ready after one day, you might have something to worry about so please take your time, reserve some space in the refrigerator, and almost forget about it. For example, if you pull your 14 lb. turkey out of the freezer on Saturday, it should be ready to go on Thursday if the 3 lbs./day logic is employed. This could be a really long week, but patience is awarded by a lifechanging experience and taste out of this world. 

STEP TWO. In the first miracle of time, those five days have passed, and the turkey has safely thawed in the refrigerator. At this point you can go one of two ways:

1)    Give it a wet brine and wait one more day; or

2)    Dress it by washing off the phosphates and cleaning it up as much as possible. That means get rid of the turkey neck and the giblet package, and since this one is being cooked whole, take out the kidneys and any other parts that reasonable people won’t eat.

Anyone following Option 1 can do the prep work from #2 the next day. I have a documented history of getting turkeys as moist as possible before smoking them; therefore, my direction is the former.

Using the Cajun butter, inject every inch or so to ensure a moist bite from every single piece of turkey – and don’t forget the wings and legs. They need love, too. Following that, spread that Sweet Peeper affection all over without missing a spot and set aside in the refrigerator to light the smoker. As a member of the poultry family, turkeys do not need to sit outside for too long since salmonella is not on the menu.

STEP THREE. Go light the smoker! Although smoking whole turkeys is not like pork butts and shoulders or briskets where low and slow is the ticket, a consistent temperature of 275-300 degrees guarantees an even cook over an unspecified period of time. We cook to temperature, not time. Place the bird with the legs and wings toward the firebox and chill out for a bit with a bottle of water, beer, or beverage of choice and watch the kids play outside. Every so often, feed the offset smoker with a pecan split and preheat the next one; as the turkey gets the desired color, tent it with aluminum foil to prevent getting any darker. One way to continue keeping it moist and desirable is to mop it hourly with a preferred liquid. Regardless of how the finished product ends up, our friends, family members, neighbors, and the people on the coveted meat list still eat with their eyes.

BBQ TURKEY MOP SAUCE

1 c white vinegar

1 c lemon juice

1 tsp Sweet Peeper rub

Yes, the meat list is a real thing: Only a select few land on it.

STEP FOUR. In the real miracle of time, the turkey is done. The breast is fully cooked at 165 degrees, and the legs and wings are finished a few degrees warmer at 175. Remove from the smoker and let it rest for at least half an hour before pulling it – we don’t need knives and meat claws and forks for this part only what God gave us in these two hands. Be careful to get all of the bones separated from the meat and throw away the carcass. If the turkey neck was smoked alongside the whole bird, share it with a fine citizen who knows good eatin’. Serve and enjoy with any of the Dub Shack 6-pack of barbecue sauces, brisket baked beans, Woo Pig mac and cheese, and other side items from the cookout – or eventual block party.

These days we want to eat healthier for not only ourselves but also our loved ones and for some, that includes to an extent ending what had previously been a lifelong affair with the swine in favor of turkey. As the Pork Patrol becomes an increasingly vocal group with its battle cry of “no pork on my fork”, keep in mind that as backyard (and for some, commercial) cooks are adjusting to a world which requires not only our best but also breaking out of the norms of only ribs, pork shoulder, briskets, and chicken every time we light up the grills and smokers. Everything is enjoyed best in moderation, and before I share my closing tagline, this is a reminder to reach out to people whom we haven’t seen or talked to face-to-face or even on Duo and FaceTime as sometimes the ones with the most even demeanors find ourselves becoming real tools.

Be blessed, be safe, be good to each other, and tell anyone out there that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ!