Ingredients
Brining:
-
5.45 kg-6.8 kilogram turkey, spatchcocked
-
1-1/2 cups (350 milliliters) sea salt
-
4 garlic cloves, peeled
-
3 oranges, peeled, zested, and juiced
-
2 gallons (7.57 liters) water
-
2 sprigs rosemary
-
2 sprigs thyme
-
6 bay leaves
-
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) peppercorns
Cajun spice seasoning:
-
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) cayenne
-
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) mustard powder
-
2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) coriander
-
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) chili powder
-
2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) thyme
-
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) cumin
-
2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) ground black pepper
Herbes de Provence seasoning:
-
3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) dried thyme
-
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) dried savory
-
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) dried rosemary
-
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) dried marjoram
-
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) dried lavender
-
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) vegetable oil, to rub on the turkey
Gravy:
-
Turkey bones, from spatchcocking
-
Turkey neck
-
1 carrot, peeled
-
2 spears celery
-
1 medium onion, halved
-
4 cups (950 milliliters) unsalted chicken stock
-
4 sprigs fresh thyme
-
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
-
2 bay leaves
-
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) seed mustard
-
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) juniper berries
-
1/2 cup (120 milliliters) butter
-
1/2 cup (120 milliliters) all-purpose flour
-
Salt and pepper to taste
Special equipment:
-
4 cups (960 milliliters) Mesquite wood chips
-
Tinfoil for smoking pouch and tenting
Directions
Brine:
- In a large pot combine sea salt, garlic, orange peels, juice of the oranges, water, rosemary, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
- Bring mixture to a boil then set aside to cool.
- Immerse turkey in the chilled brine mixture and marinate for 24 hours in a fridge.
- Remove turkey from brine, pat dry, and let sit for one hour at room temperature before seasoning to cook.
Cajun spice:
- In a bowl combine cayenne, mustard powder, coriander, chili powder, thyme, cumin, and black pepper.
Herbes de Provence rub:
- In a bowl combine thyme, savory, rosemary, marjoram, lavender.
Turkey:
- Soak the wood chips for one hour, thoroughly drain, then make two smoking pouches.
- Preheat BBQ to medium or 350 F (175 C) with indirect heat.
- Rub the entire turkey with vegetable oil.
- On a tray set the turkey skin side down and season half the bird with Cajun spice and the alternate half with herb de Provence.
- Turn the turkey skin side up and liberally season the top of the bird with the Cajun spice on one half and the herb de Provence on the other, mirroring the nonskin side seasoning.
- Place the turkey on the direct heat side of the grill and cook for five minutes to char the skin.
- Place the smoking pouch under the grill on the lit side of the barbecue and replace after one hour with the second pouch.
- Move turkey to the indirect side of the grill to smoke for eighty minutes with the lid closed or until an internal temperature of 165 F (75 C).
- Rest turkey for half an hour, loosely tented with tinfoil, before carving.
Gravy:
- Preheat barbeque to medium or 350 F (175 C).
- Grill turkey bones, cook until charred.
- Grill carrot, celery, and onion cook until all sides are charred then chop to make mirepoix.
- In a pot combine cooked turkey bones, mirepoix, four cups water, chicken stock, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and juniper berries
- Simmer for ninety minutes or until reduced by half, then strain, set aside.
- In a medium pot, melt butter, whisk in flour, continue to whisk over low heat until smooth.
- Whisk the stock into the flour butter mixture, stirring often to prevent lumps.
- Simmer until a sauce texture is achieved, then add the mustard, salt and pepper.
To finish:
- Place turkey on a platter, carve and serve with the gravy.
- Note: Cooking times and temperatures will vary depending on the size and type of your barbeque.
