Best 4 Spice Rubbed Smoked Turkey Recipes

SWEET AND SPICY SMOKED TURKEY WITH SMOKED GRAVY

Steps:

• Rub the Sweet BBQ Rub all over both sides of the turkey. Transfer to a disposable aluminum pan breast-side up and refrigerate overnight, uncovered, to dry brine.
• The day of roasting, let the turkey sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Add the carrots and peppers to the pan and put the turkey on a wire rack above the vegetables.
• Preheat a gas grill, charcoal grill or smoker to 350 degrees F. If using a gas or charcoal grill, set up a smoke box or small disposable aluminum pan with fruit wood chips. Once the smoke is rolling, put the turkey and vegetables on the grill in the pan, close the lid and smoke for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, rotate the turkey and add the stock to the pan to deglaze. Continue smoking until the breast meat registers 160 degrees F and the thighs hit 165 degrees F, another 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Let the turkey rest 45 minutes to an hour while you make the gravy. Remove the carrots and peppers from the pan and set aside. Strain the drippings from the pan using a fat separator.
• To make the gravy, melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk well to make a roux. Slowly add the strained drippings and whisk. Let simmer to reduce to the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
• Slice the turkey and serve over a medley of the smoked carrots and peppers with the gravy on the side.
• Combine the turbinado sugar, granulated sugar, salt, chili powder, paprika, granulated garlic, onion powder, cayenne, cumin and pepper in a bowl. Store in an airtight container.

SPICE-RUBBED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the first five ingredients. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from the turkey; rub half the spice mixture under the skin., Brush turkey with oil. Rub remaining spice mixture over turkey. Place lemons inside the neck and body cavity. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together., Arrange onions in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Place turkey, breast side up, over onions., Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thigh reads 180°, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving., Remove lemons from cavity. When cool enough to handle, halve lemons and squeeze juice over turkey if desired. Discard onions.

HOMEMADE TURKEY SEASONING

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. To use on whole turkey, rub under skin, over skin and in body and neck cavities before roasting.

SPICE-RUBBED SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Trim excess fat, then rinse turkey with cold water and pat dry. Loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Lift wing tips up and over back, and tuck under turkey. Place turkey on a jelly-roll pan. Combine the brown sugar and the next 7 ingredients (brown sugar through coriander). Rub seasoning mixture over and under skin. Cover turkey with plastic wrap; refrigerate 8 hours.
• Soak wood chunks in water 1 hour, and drain well. Place a large, disposable aluminum-foil pan in center of bottom grill rack. Place 25 charcoal briquettes on each side of the pan; ignite briquettes. Place wood chunks over hot coals. Coat top grill rack with cooking spray; place over foil pan and hot coals. Uncover the turkey; remove from jelly-roll pan. Place on top rack over aluminum-foil pan. Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Cover and smoke turkey 2 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180°, adding 8 additional briquettes to each side of drip pan every hour.
• (Cover the turkey loosely with foil if it becomes too brown. Turkey should be a deep mahogany brown when done. Closely monitor the grill to make sure the coals burn steadily, with continuous smoke, although don't check too often as lifting the grill lid decreases the inside temperature significantly).
• Serve with Roasted-Pear Stuffing (Recipe #194583) and Cranberry Syrup (Recipe #194648).