Maple Bourbon Butter Turkey
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While you may think of turkey as a holiday food, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy it at other times of the year. We’re grilling this Maple Bourbon Butter Turkey (It actually sounds scrumptious and decadent). So get your turkey on, no matter the season.
One technique, which I will explain further in PitMaster’s Notes, is Spatchchocking the bird. In simple terms, you’ll grill the turkey flat, neatly improving even cooking and reducing time. Now, every cooking show you encounter will tell you about the “best” way to make your turkey. I gotta say, though, I really think you’ll love this.
Another word for spatchcock is butterflied. Because you’re doing this on the grill, you have more real estate available for prepping the rest of your meal.
Ingredients for Maple Bourbon Butter Turkey Injection Sauce
- 12-14 pound turkey
- 1 cup Maple syrup
- 2 cups Bourbon
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 8 oz Butter
- 1 tbsp Cuso’s Dust BBQ Rub
Other potential ingredients for the injection include Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and Worchestershire sauce.
Instructions
- Spatchcock your turkey, ensuring it’s flat when you finish
- Inject the bird with the injection sauce in every nook and cranny
- Rub Cuso’s Dust BBQ Rub all over the surface of the bird.
- Smoke the turkey at 300 until it reaches 160F internally. Try cherry or pecan smoking wood for the best results.
Ingredients for Maple Bourbon Butter Turkey Gravy
- ½ lb bacon, chopped
- 1 cup bourbon
- 18 oz Chicken gravy
- 3 minced cloves garlic **
Instructions
- Chop the bacon using a Chef’s Knife
- Put it in a pan and fry it up, keeping the fat within
- Add bourbon (carefully)
- Add garlic
- And finally, combine the turkey gravy.
- At this point, taste to adjust for any desired salt and pepper.
** A neat twist would be using black garlic
Pit Master’s Memo
Spatchcocking sounds imposing. but it’s not that hard. Turn the turkey so the breast is downward on your cutting board. Look at the backbone and clip it along each side using kitchen shears. Do not discard this. It makes great stock and gravy.
Now flip the bird over. Just behind the turkey’s breasts, you will find the breastplate. Use a hefty knife laid flat on the breastplate. Push down until you hear a resounding crack.
Start stretching the bird’s cavity completely open. Place the flattened turkey on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Pat the skin dry before applying the Dirt BBQ rub. If you want REALLY dry skin for crispiness, you can refrigerate it for 8 hours.
Sides
Black bean and corn salad
Balsamic braised green beans
Fruity couscous
Pomegranate pecan stuffing
Roasted squash
From The Bar
Apricot brandy
Brown ale
Darjeeling tea
Gin and tonic
Turkish coffee
Zinfandel
