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Cajun honey butter smoked spatchcock turkey cut into pieces with golden-brown skin on a wooden cutting board

Smoked Spatchcock Turkey with Cajun Honey Butter Injection

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A 12 lb turkey with the backbone removed and pressed flat, skin dried and dusted with Cajun seasoning, injected with melted Cajun honey butter, and smoked at 300°F until the breast and thigh read 165°F. The reserved butter is brushed on at the end for the glaze.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Rest 20 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, BBQ, Cajun
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Turkey
  • 1 whole turkey about 12 lb, thawed
  • paper towels for drying the skin
  • Cajun seasoning a dusting for the skin
For the Cajun Honey Butter Injection
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
For Smoking
  • apple cider optional, for the water pan

Equipment

  • Smoker Any smoker that holds 300°F, with a water pan if you are using the cider.
  • Kitchen Shears For the backbone.
  • Meat Injector
  • Small Saucepan For the butter.
  • Basting brush For the glaze.
  • Meat Thermometer Breast and thigh, away from the bone.

Method
 

Prep
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Using a meat injector, inject the Cajun honey butter into the breast, thighs and legs in several spots each.
Smoke
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
Rest
  1. Remove from the smoker and rest at least 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Notes

Doneness: USDA minimum for poultry is 165°F. Check both the breast and the thigh, away from the bone.
Glaze: Only the butter that never touched the raw turkey goes on at the end. Set it aside before you start injecting.
Cider: Keep it in the water pan, not on the turkey.
Timing: Cook time is an estimate for a 12 lb bird. Servings are an estimate.
Storage: Fridge 3 to 4 days, freezer 3 months sliced with drippings. Reheat covered at 300°F with broth.

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