Canada Day Recipe: Maple & Herbs Smoked Spatchcock Turkey

Canada Day is right around the corner, and we found the perfect recipe to serve a big family or your bubble. Maple & Herbs Smoked Spatchcock Turkey is THE dish you will want to celebrate Canada Day with. Who doesn’t love our national staple – maple syrup? Try cooking this recipe on a bbq or for the best flavour, use the Big Green Egg – the best and most versatile kamado-style grill. Celebrate Canada’s birthday in a big way this year.

Serves: 12

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2.5-3 hours

Ingredients:

For the BBQ Turkey Rub:

-½ tsp cumin seed

-1 tbsp paprika powder

-1 tbsp fine sea salt

-1 tbsp garlic powder

-1 tbsp brown castor sugar

-½ tbsp onion powder

-½ tbsp dried thyme

-½ tbsp lime zest

-1 tsp chilli flakes

-½ tsp cayenne pepper

For the herb butter:

-1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, chopped

-1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, chopped

-1 teaspoon of Kosher salt

-1 14-16 pounds whole turkey

-1 cup of maple syrup

Directions:

Set the Big Green Egg for indirect cooking with the convEGGtor at 300°F and one apple wood chunk on the charcoal.
Make the dry rub. Finely crush the cumin seeds in a mortar and mix thoroughly with the other rub ingredients.
Mix the herb butter:In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme and Kosher salt. Set aside.
Spatchcock the Turkey: Remove the backbone by using kitchen shears or a good knife. Snip along each side of the turkey’s spine, until it’s completely detached. Once you remove the backbone, open up the bird, flip it over and push the palm of your hand to flatten it out as much as possible.
Butter and rub: Use your hands to spread the herb butter all over the turkey, between its skin & meat. Sprinkle a generous coating of the dry rub on both sides of the turkey, starting with the skin down.
Smoke the Turkey: Place the turkey with breasts facing up and centered on the grill. Brush maple syrup all over the outsides of the turkey every 30 minutes. Cook until internal temperature of the breasts reaches 165°F and thighs about 170° This will take about 2h30 to 3 hours.
Rest the Turkey. Remove from the BGE and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before carving. Enjoy!