Ingredients
- 10 to 14 pound whole turkey, thawed
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil or melted butter
- 1/2 cup chicken broth, water, or liquid of choice
- 1 lemon
Sage Compound Butter
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
Herb Citrus Salt
- 1/4 cup Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat pellet grill to high smoke.
- Remove turkey giblets and neck. Trim extra skin around the neck and any extra fat. Rinse turkey with water, then pat dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, mix together the butter, sage, rosemary, parsley, garlic, and ground thyme for the sage compound butter.
- In a small food processor or something similar, blend together the kosher salt, fresh thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, lime zest, and garlic for the herb citrus salt.
- Work the sage compound butter all over under the skin of the turkey, gently separating the skin from the breast and legs without tearing the skin. Spread in an even layer. Then rub the oil over the entire outside of the turkey and season with the herb citrus salt, reserving about 1 tablespoon of the herb citrus salt for the liquid, if desired.
- Fill the Turkey Cannon with 1/2 cup liquid (water or chicken broth), or you can use a disposable aluminum pan filled halfway with liquid, placed beneath the cooking grate and turkey. Add half of a lemon and reserved tablespoon of herb citrus salt to the liquid. If possible, place other half of lemon over the hole where the neck was to help retain moisture.
- Place the turkey breast-side up on the Turkey Cannon or onto the cooking grate of the pellet grill. If desired, place a large disposable aluminum pan beneath the Turkey Cannon or grate to catch the drippings.
- Cook for 1 hour on high smoke setting, checking after 30 minutes. After the first hour or once the skin is browned enough for you, turn the pellet grill to 350 degrees F and cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees F. If turkey starts to brown more than you would like, tent it with foil for remainder of cooking time. Cooking time will vary depending on your pellet grill/smoker, weather, size of turkey, if you use a Turkey Cannon, etc.
- When turkey is done, remove from grill, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for about 20 minutes before carving and serving.
Notes
Cooking time will vary depending on your pellet grill/smoker, weather, size of turkey, if you use a Turkey Cannon, etc.