Here are directions for my spatchcocked and smoked turkey. I've only done this once before, at the beginning of this month. But it came out great so I'm doing it again for family.
I'm trying to be thorough, so please bear with the long thread.
Turkey, Smoked On Weber Kettle
Ingredients:
10-14 lb turkey, preferably fresh
kosher salt
poultry seasoning (Lawry's)
charcoal briquettes
pecan chunks
Directions:
The day before, prepare turkey with spatchcock method. Using a boning knife and poultry shears, remove the spine. Spread open and compress to flatten. Carefully remove the breastbone. Retain spine and breastbone along with neck and giblets to make stock.
Evenly sprinkle all surfaces of turkey with kosher salt. Set turkey skin side up on a wire rack and place in fridge uncovered to dry brine overnight.
Remove turkey from fridge at least 1 hour before cooking. Coat evenly with poultry seasoning. Insert a remote probe thermometer into thickest part of one of the breasts.
Arrange a 3x2 charcoal snake / fuse along 1/3 of the perimeter of the kettle. Set pecan chunks along first half of snake.
Turkey Stock
Ingredients:
Carcass of cooked turkey, sectioned
-OR-
Raw neck, organs, and spine (if spatchcocked)
2 onions
4 cloves garlic
4 ribs celery, with leaves
4 carrots
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp poultry seasoning
Fresh herbs - parsley, sage, rosemary
salt to taste
Directions:
Peel carrots and chop vegetables into large chunks. Smash garlic cloves; leave whole. Chop carcass or other turkey pieces.
Add all to large stock pot with herbs, peppercorns, and poultry seasoning. Add water to cover and cook on high until boiling. Lower to simmer and continue cooking for at least 3 hours, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface. Drain and cool.
Turkey Gravy
Ingredients:
½ cup fat from turkey drippings or from meat drippings, or unsalted butter*
[1 cup white wine for deglazing]**
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
3 to 4 cups liquid skimmed meat drippings and extra broth if needed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley and/or fresh herbs to taste, optional
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Once your meat is cooked, transfer it to a plate to rest. Use the moisture from the drippings to scrape any brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Strain the drippings through a fine sieve if desired.
Allow the drippings to rest for a few minutes so the fat and drippings separate. Spoon ½ cup of the fat into a medium saucepan, adding butter to make ½ cup if you don't have enough fat.
Stir in the flour and poultry seasoning and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat, while stirring, until the flour begins to brown slightly.
**If turkey was smoked, deglaze drip tray with 1 cup white wine over medium heat.
Gradually add the liquid (drippings and/or broth), whisking until smooth after each addition. The mixture will be very thick at first and will gradually thin out; you may not need all of the broth.
Bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking, and let boil for 1 to 2 minutes.
Taste the gravy, and season with salt & pepper as needed. Stir in parsley or other fresh herbs and serve.
@voltronic That's going to be *good* gravy!
@stueytheround
When I made it a couple weeks ago it was the best gravy I'd ever had. I got very few drippings off the bird from the smoker, but I just popped the foil tray right on a burner and deglazed with Pinot grigio. That went right in to my roux, and then adding stock little by little you get smokey gravy.
@voltronic I'm a purist when I make stock and avoid all forms of additional seasoning. Just the carcass and some aromatics, usually rough chopped onion, celery and carrots. Of course, I do add seasoning and a other ingredients if I'm making soup instead.
@MakerWerks
Not even salt?
I probably could do without the poultry seasoning if I put in more fresh herbs, but salt would be a must for me.
@voltronic I use my stock as an ingredient in other dishes I'm making. I will add salt to whatever it is I'm making without having to worry about the stock adding any.
@voltronic I just found this and I think it explains where I'm coming from.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/chicken-stock-vs-broth-pro-194540401.html
@MakerWerks
Thank you. Maybe I've been going about this wrong. But that explains why I didn't need any salt in my gravy.
Light 5-6 briquettes in chimney. When ashed over, add to beginning of snake. Add a large foil drip pan to other side. Put the lid on and leave both vents fully open.
When pit temp reaches 310° to 325° F, put the turkey on with the legs closest to the coals. Cook for 3-5 hours depending on size of bird, rotating slightly every 45 min or so to keep the lit coals on the leg side.
When internal temp hits 160°F, remove turkey and allow to rest for 30 minutes before serving.