Spatchcock Smoked Cherry Habanero Turkey

Unlock the secrets of a pitmaster with decades of experience! This easy, super juicy, sweet heat smoked turkey recipe is designed to elevate your grilling game and help you become the pitmaster of your backyard. Perfectly smoked and packed with flavor, it’s a recipe your guests will love!

My expertise comes from years of trial and error as both an Engineer and Chef, along with a deep understanding of how to bring out the best flavors in each cut of meat. Smoking turkey can be tricky, but today I’m sharing a foolproof method that ensures your bird comes out tender, juicy, and packed with a perfect combination of sweet and smoky heat. It’s the result of years of fine-tuning and perfecting the smoking process, and now you can enjoy the same level of deliciousness at home with minimal effort.

Become Your Backyard Pitmaster

This recipe isn’t just about cooking a great turkey; it’s about mastering a skill that will elevate your entire grilling repertoire. Whether you’re an experienced griller or just getting started, my method will make you feel confident and ready to tackle any turkey recipe. With simple ingredients and easy steps, you’ll be able to serve up a juicy, flavorful turkey that will impress your guests and have you feeling like a seasoned pitmaster in no time!

Spatchcock Smoked Cherry Habanero Turkey Ingredients

• Wet Brine Kit (ask your local BBQ place for it

  • Contains: Sweetwater Spice Smoked Habanero BBQ Bath Brine Concentrate, R Butts R Smokin’ Cherry Habanero Rub, and Firebug Grilling Sauce Hot BBQ Sauce
• Thawed 12-pound turkey ( neck, giblets, and all pouches removed)
• Water
• Sliced Oranges
• Butter

How to Spatchcock Turkey

You only need a few things – gloves, if you don’t like touching raw meat, a non-wood cutting board, and poultry shears. No, not kitchen shears but actual poultry shears that are curved.

1. Using poultry shears, cut along each side of the turkey’s backbone, staying as close to the bone as possible.
2. Cut about 1/2 way down the turkey, then turn the turkey 180 and cut the other end. It’s really difficult to cut straight through in a single stroke.
3. Using a sharp knife, make a small incision in the breastbone before flipping it over. *Note: you can remove the wishbone entirely if you want, making carving it easier.
4. Flip the turkey over, breast side up. Using the palms of your hands, give a forceful compression on the upper part of the breast (in the middle) until it’s flattened. It may take a few compressions to crack it fully.

How to Wet Brine Turkey

To a large plastic bag and or large bucket, add the Brine, followed by the oranges and water. Give it a mix. Place the spatchcocked turkey into the solution and cover more water if needed until fully submerged. Close the lid or bag and place in the fridge for 12 hours.

Brining Rule Of Thumb

The rule of thumb is to wet brine your turkey for 1 hour for every pound. Do not brine it for days on end or go over the timing rule. Over brining will result in super salt meat with a very unpleasant texture.

How to Make a Smoked Spatchcock Turkey

After the 12 hours, you want to dry out the turkey in the fridge now. We do this as this will help to crisp up the skin. Normally, when you do this, you’ll add salt to the skin, but since we already wet brined it, we don’t want to add any more salt.

1. Drain, and lay the turkey on a cooling rack in a rimmed pan. Gently lift the skin from the flesh to separate. Pop in the fridge uncovered overnight or at least 2-3 hours.

1. Preheat The Smoker

1. When you’re ready to smoke the turkey, light up your Yoder Smokers 640S to 275F.

2. Prepare The Turkey For Smoking

1. Remove the bird from the fridge. In a bowl mix together the softened butter and the Cherry Habanero seasoning.

2. Pat the bird dry and, using a clean (or gloved hand), place 1/2 of the butter mixture between the skin and the flesh of each breast and thigh. Spread it out as best as possible.

3. Take the remaining butter mixture and spread that all over the skin.
4. Sprinkle the entire bird liberally with the Cherry Habanero seasoning.

5. Place the bird directly on the top rack and place a rimmed baking sheet underneath. Smoke for 1 hour, then insert a MEATER probe into the thickest part of the bird, avoiding the bone. *I also put tin foil underneath it on the lower rack to catch the drips. You can also use a foil pan for the drippings to create gravy.

3. Baste The Smoked Turkey

1. When the turkey temperature reads 150F, using the Hot BBQ Sauce (I used 1 cup and added 1/4 cup maple syrup to it as it was a bit too hot for me), brush the skin liberally with the BBQ sauce.
2. Once it reaches 165F, carefully remove it from the smoker, loosely tent it with foil, and allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Smoked Spatchcock Turkey Time Per Pound

Here’s a little chart to help you plan out your smoking time when it comes to smoking a spatchcocked turkey. Keep in mind that things like ambient temperature, wind, and elevation can factor into your smoking time.

For a spatchcocked bird, the rule of thumb is ~10-12 minutes per pound.

Spatchcock Turkey in the Oven

Many said that you didn’t have a smoker but still wanted to make this in the home oven. You can follow the same recipe, but bake it in the oven with a few adjustments.

1. You want to follow the brining and butter rub steps (under and over the skin) and the seasoning. *To give it a smoky flavor, add 3/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika to mimic the ‘smoked’ flavor, OR add 1/2 teaspoon of Hickory Smoke Powder (my choice).
2. When you’re ready to bake, place the turkey on a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet in a 450°F oven. Cook for about 30-35 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 400°F and bake for another 25-40 minutes, or until the meat registers 165°F. For birds larger than, say, 15 pounds, start at 425°F, then reduce to 375°F.

*Note if your bird is getting too dark too fast, reduce the heat to 350°F. I always rely on a MEATER Meat Thermometer for accurate temperatures.

What to Serve With a Spatchcock Smoked Turkey

What I love about this recipe is that it’s good all year long. Yes, it’s amazing for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it is perfect for summer cookouts and gamedays!

• The best Cranberry Relish… ever! No really, like EVER!
• Homemade Green Bean Casserole From Scratch
• Baked Creamy Corn Casserole
• Grilled Italian Parmesan Asparagus
• Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Filling (Dressing)

Spatchcock Cherry Habanero Turkey (Smoker)

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With simple ingredients and easy steps, you’ll be able to serve up a juicy, flavorful turkey that will impress your guests and have you feeling like a seasoned pitmaster in no time!

• Author: Lori
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 2-3 hours
• Total Time: 3.5 hours
• Yield: 1 whole 12 pound turkey
• Category: cherry habanero, game day foods, grilling, holiday meals, smoked poultry, smoking, summer bbq, sweet heat, thanksgiving, turkey
• Method: smoker/grill/oven
• Cuisine: cherry habanero, game day foods, grilling, holiday meals, smoked poultry, smoking, summer bbq, sweet heat, thanksgiving, turkey

Ingredients

• 12 lb turkey, spatchcocked
• 1 Sweetwater Spice Smoked Habanero BBQ Bath Brine Concentrate
• 1 gallon water plus extra if needed
• 2 oranges, sliced into 1/2” rounds
• 8 Tablespoons softened butter, unsalted
• 6–8 Tablespoons R Butts R Smokin’ Cherry Habanero Rub (divided)
• ~1 cup Firebug Grilling Sauce Hot BBQ Sauce

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Instructions

1. To a large plastic bag and or large bucket, add the Brine followed by sliced oranges and water. Give it a mix. Place the spatchcocked turkey into the solution and cover more water if needed until it’s fully submerged. Close the lid or bag and place in the fridge for 12 hours. The rule of thumb is 1 hour brine per lb.
2. Drain, and lay the turkey on a cooling rack in a rimmed pan. Gently lift the skin from the flesh to separate. Pop in the fridge uncovered overnight or at a minimum of 2-3 hours.
   When it’s time to smoke, fire up the Yoder Smokers YS640 to 275F.
3. Remove the bird from the fridge. In a bowl mix together the softened butter and 2 Tablespoons of Cherry Habanero seasoning.
4. Pat the bird dry and, using a clean (or gloved hand), place 1/2 of the butter mixture between the skin and the flesh of each breast and thigh. Spread it out as best as possible. Take the remaining butter mixture and spread that all over the skin. Sprinkle the entire bird liberally with at least 2 heaping Tablespoons of Cherry Habanero seasoning. *You want the bird covered in the seasoning!
5. Place the bird directly on the top rack and place a rimmed baking sheet underneath. Smoke for 1 hour then insert a MEATER probe into the thickest part of the bird, avoiding the bone. *I also put tin foil underneath it on the lower rack to catch the drips. You can also use a foil pan to use the drippings to create gravy.
6. When the turkey temperature reads 150F, using the Hot BBQ Sauce (I used 1 cup and added 1/4 cup maple syrup to it as it was a bit too hot for me), brush the skin liberally with the BBQ sauce.
   Once it reaches 165F, carefully remove from the smoker, tent with foil loosely, and allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Notes

*Time does not include brining or dry resting.

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