Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
This smoked spatchcock turkey is a 12 lb turkey with the backbone removed and the bird flattened, injected with Cajun honey butter and smoked at 300°F until the breast hits 165°F. The injection is 2 sticks of butter, 1/2 cup of honey and Cajun seasoning I melt together on the burner. Some of it goes into the turkey with the injector. The rest I brush on toward the end of the smoke so the skin comes off glazed. Flattening the turkey is what makes it cook evenly. Your breast is as done as your thighs, and nothing dries out waiting on another part. If you want the same turkey with an herb butter rubbed under the skin instead, check out my Spatchcock Cajun Herb Butter Smoked Turkey.
Quick Look: Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
- Method: Pat dry, remove the backbone, flatten, season the skin, melt the injection, inject breast, thighs and legs, smoke skin side up, baste and glaze with the remaining butter, rest
- Turkey: 12 lb whole turkey
- Injection: 2 sticks unsalted butter, 1/2 cup honey, 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- Smoker temp: 300°F
- Time: About 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours
- Pull temp: 165°F in the breast and the thigh. USDA says 165°F for poultry
- Rest: 15 to 20 minutes minimum
- The one thing that matters most: Dry the skin completely with paper towels before anything else happens
Everything in this recipe is about the skin and the inside of the bird. The paper towels and the Cajun dusting are for the skin. The injection is for the meat. The glaze ties the two together at the end. I do not put anything else on it, and I do not need to.
Why This Recipe
- Spatchcocked. Removing the backbone and flattening the turkey lets it cook evenly. Smoke a whole turkey standing up and the breast dries out waiting on the legs.
- Flavor from the inside. Injecting the Cajun honey butter puts the flavor in the meat. Every bite of turkey has it, and so does the skin. I would rather season a turkey from the inside than count on a rub to get through the skin.
- One butter, two jobs. The Cajun honey butter is the injection and the glaze. Set some aside before the injector touches the turkey.
- 300°F. Smoking at 300°F lets the skin crisp up and take on color while the bird still picks up smoke. Lower than that and a turkey this size sits on the smoker all day with soft skin to show for it.
- Dry skin. Paper towels and a dusting of Cajun seasoning. That is all I put on the skin before the glaze.
This is the turkey I would put on a Thanksgiving table. Juicy meat, golden skin, a sweet Cajun glaze on top, and it comes off the smoker in about 3 hours instead of taking the whole day. For the rest of the table, my Smoked Baked Beans with Bacon and Hot Dogs can run on the smoker next to it, and my Baked Mac and Cheese on the Grill goes on once the turkey comes off to rest.
Key Ingredients
A short list. One turkey, three things in the injection, and apple cider for the smoker if you want it. All of the amounts are in the recipe card.
For the Turkey
- Whole turkey, 12 lb. If it was frozen, thaw it completely.
- Paper towels. To dry the skin. I am listing this as an ingredient because the skin has to be dry for any of this to work, and it takes more towels than you think.
- Cajun seasoning. A dusting over the skin before it goes on. Same seasoning as the injection.
For the Cajun Honey Butter Injection
- Unsalted butter, 2 sticks. Unsalted, because the Cajun seasoning already has salt in it.
- Honey, 1/2 cup. Balances the Cajun seasoning and gives the glaze its shine.
- Cajun seasoning, 2 tbsp.
For Smoking
- Apple cider. In the water pan if you want it. It adds moisture to the smoker and a little flavor to the bird.
My Brown Butter Garlic & Herb Injected Fried Turkey uses the same injector with a different butter, and then it goes in the fryer instead of the smoker.
Substitutions or Additions
The spatchcock, the 300°F and the injection stay. What goes in the butter and what the turkey sits in are open.
- Hot honey. In place of the honey, in both the injection and the glaze.
- Herb butter. Garlic, parsley and thyme in the butter instead of Cajun. That is closer to my Garlic Butter Truffle Spatchcock Turkey.
- Smaller turkey. A 10 lb bird smokes faster. Start checking it an hour sooner. A bigger one goes the other way, and the thermometer is still what decides it.
- Oven. Same temp, on a rack with a pan underneath to catch the butter. No smoke, same injection and glaze, same juicy bird.
- Brine first. Brine the turkey, dry it well, then inject it. The injection already does most of what a brine does for moisture, so this is extra, not required. My Brown Sugar Brined Smoked Turkey Breast has the brine.
- Leftovers. Smoked Turkey Sliders.
How to Make Smoked Spatchcock Turkey (Step by Step)
Dry it and remove the backbone. Pat the whole turkey dry with paper towels, skin especially. Then set it breast side down and cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears. Lift the spine out.
Flatten it and season the skin. Flip the turkey breast side up and press down on the breastbone until it lays as flat as it will go. Shake Cajun seasoning over the skin.
Melt the injection and set some aside. In a small saucepan on the burner, melt the butter. Add the honey and the Cajun seasoning and stir until it is combined. Keep it on low. Pour some into another bowl for the glaze before the injector goes anywhere near the turkey.
Inject. Breast, thighs and legs, in multiple spots on each, so the butter spreads through the whole turkey instead of pooling in one place. Go slow on the plunger and pull the needle out as you push so the butter lays in a line instead of a pocket.
Onto the smoker. Skin side up, 300°F. Apple cider in the water pan if you are using it.
Smoke until the breast is 165°F. About 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, depending on the smoker and the turkey. Leave the lid down and let it work.
Baste. Toward the end of the smoke, brush the reserved Cajun honey butter over the whole turkey. Warm it back up first if it has set in the bowl.
Glaze. Keep brushing as it finishes. The honey in the butter sets on the hot skin and that is the color you see coming off the smoker.
Check both spots. 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and 165°F in the thigh, probe away from the bone. Both have to be there.
Rest and carve. Off the smoker and rest at least 15 to 20 minutes. Then take the leg quarters off, lift the breasts, and slice.
I pulled this turkey when it reached 165°F in the breast and checked that the thigh was at 165°F too. That is the USDA number for poultry. Injecting the turkey with butter and honey does not change that number. It changes how much moisture the meat holds on the way there. Always probe away from the bone, because the bone reads wrong. On a flat bird the breast and thigh land close together, which is why I spatchcock in the first place. On a whole bird you are waiting on the thigh while the breast goes past done.
Tips From Miguel
A whole turkey is one cook you do not want to redo. These are the things that get it right the first time.
Dry the skin. Paper towels until nothing comes off on them. Wet skin does not crisp, and no amount of heat fixes it once it is on the smoker.
Set some of the butter aside. Pour some of the mixture into another bowl before the injector touches the turkey. That is your glaze at the end.
Inject all over. Not one spot per section. Several holes in the breast, each thigh and each leg so the butter spreads through the whole bird.
Do not keep opening the smoker. Every time the lid comes up you let the heat out and the skin stops crisping. Use a leave-in probe if you have one.
Use the apple cider. I put it in the smoker to give the turkey some flavor. It stays in its own pan, not on the bird.
Rest it. At least 15 to 20 minutes off the smoker. Cut it too soon and it lets go of all the juice the injection put in. Tent it loosely with foil if the kitchen is cold.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge: 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Carve it off the bone first so it cools fast and stacks flat.
- Freezer: Up to 3 months. Slice it first and store some of the drippings with it.
- Reheat: Covered, in a 300°F oven with some broth or drippings, until warm. The microwave works for a plate.
- Make ahead: The butter mixture can be made ahead and warmed back up when you are ready to inject. You can also spatchcock the turkey the night before and leave it uncovered in the fridge, which dries the skin even more. That is one less thing to do on the day.
I turn the leftovers into my Smoked Turkey Sliders, Thanksgiving Turkey Sliders or Rotisserie Turkey Birria Tacos.
More Turkey Recipes to Try
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey FAQs
How long does it take to smoke a spatchcock turkey?
About 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours at 300°F for a 12 lb bird. It depends on your smoker and the size of the turkey, so go by the thermometer. You want 165°F in the breast, and check that the thigh is at 165°F too.
What can you inject a turkey with?
For this one, butter, honey and Cajun seasoning, melted together and injected warm. The butter carries the Cajun seasoning into the meat and the honey adds sweetness against it. Set some aside first and it doubles as the glaze.
Should I spatchcock my turkey before smoking?
Yes. Removing the backbone and pressing the bird flat makes it cook evenly, so the breast is as done as the legs. It also puts all of the skin up where the heat and smoke can get at it.
How do I know when my smoked turkey is done?
When it reads 165°F in the breast and 165°F in the thigh, away from the bone. Then rest it at least 15 to 20 minutes before carving.
Do I need to brine a turkey if I inject it?
No. The injection puts butter and seasoning into the meat, which covers most of what a brine is for. You can brine first if you want, then dry the skin well before injecting. It is extra, not required.
Why is my smoked turkey skin not crispy?
The skin was not dry going on, or the smoker lid kept coming open. Dry the turkey with paper towels, cook it at 300°F, and try not to open the smoker.
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey with Cajun Honey Butter Injection
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels, skin especially. Place it breast side down, cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears and remove it. Flip it breast side up and press on the breastbone to flatten. Dust the skin with Cajun seasoning.
- In a small saucepan over medium low, melt the butter. Add the honey and Cajun seasoning and whisk until combined. Keep warm. Pour off a portion into a separate bowl for basting and glazing before injecting.
- Using a meat injector, inject the Cajun honey butter into the breast, thighs and legs in several spots each.
- Preheat the smoker to 300°F, with apple cider in the water pan if using. Place the turkey skin side up on the grates and smoke until the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F, about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.
- As the turkey gets close, brush the reserved Cajun honey butter generously over the skin and let it set into a glaze. Confirm 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh.
- Remove from the smoker and rest at least 15 to 20 minutes before carving.
Notes
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