TIP #15 Turkey Time!

The key to a great turkey is simple. Brine. Season. Cook. Rest.

So grab a good sized (16ish lbs), thawed bird and let’s get started.

BRINE:
In a large pot, mix one gallon of water, 1 cup of kosher salt, ½ cup of sugar. Stir to dissolve then toss in ¼ cup of Rufus Meat Rub and 1 sliced lemon. Submerge bird in the cool brine water and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

RINSE and DRY:
Rinse under cold water and dry completely with paper towels.

SEASON:
Rub the entire outside and inside of turkey with unsalted butter. (You can also add butter under the skin) Season the entire bird inside and out with Rufus Teague Chick N’ Rub. Toss a couple of sliced lemons and a few sprigs of rosemary into the cavity.

COOK: 
Roasting – Place turkey in roasting pan, breast-side up. Cook in oven for around 4 hours at 325 F. Remove when breast registers 160˚ F and thigh is 175˚ F.

Smoking – Dial in smoker to 250˚ F. Put turkey breast-side up in a large aluminum foil pan and loosely tent with foil. Place on smoker. Cook for roughly 30-40 minutes per pound basting every 1-2 hours with pan juices. (16lb = 10+hrs) Remove when breast registers 160˚ F and thigh is 175˚ F.

REST:
If you wanna juicy bird, make sure you allow for ample resting time after the cook. For smaller turkeys let rest for 30 minutes, and for large let sit for 40 min to an hour before carving.

PRO TIP:
While your turkey should turn out moist and delicious, it’s always a smart move to have some really great barbecue sauce handy in case it’s a bit dry. Believe it or not… we recommend THESE!