Recipes

Smoked Turkey with Herbed Butter

:30 min

:8 1/2 hr to 9 1/2 hr

Serves 10 to 12

1 Longo’s Signature Fresh Young Turkey (about 14 lb/6.5 kg), neck and giblets removed

1 cup Longo’s Salted Butter, softened, divided

8 large cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp Longo’s Roasted Garlic and Shallot Grilling Oil

1/2 cup fresh Longo’s Sage, chopped

1/4 cup fresh Longo’s Oregano, chopped

2 tbsp fresh Longo’s Thyme, chopped

4 tsp kosher salt, divided

1 tbsp coarse ground pepper, divided

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 apple

•Place turkey on rack in roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours to help create a crispier skin on the smoker.
•Pat inside cavity dry after removing from refrigerator.
•Stir together butter, garlic, oil, sage, oregano, thyme, 1 tsp each of the salt and pepper, and lemon juice; set aside.
•Combine remaining salt and pepper; set aside.
•Carefully lift the skin from the turkey breast and legs to create a cavity between the meat and skin. Using your fingers, spread garlic herb butter all over, making sure to get all the way to the neck end. Flatten the skin evenly over the top once done. Sprinkle inside cavity with half of the salt and pepper mixture. Place apple in cavity.
•Truss legs of turkey with twine. Sprinkle remaining salt and pepper all over turkey; return to refrigerator for 30 minutes for butter to firm up.
•Place shallow foil pan under grill grate to collect drippings. Prepare grill or smoker for indirect heat at 250°F. Place soaked wood chips on hot side of grill. Place turkey in smoker for about 3 1/2 hours until thermometer reaches 170°F when tested in thickest part of thigh. Remove turkey to cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Oven Variation: Place turkey in roasting pan and roast in 325°F oven for about 3 hours or until meat thermometer registers 170°F.

Per serving (1/12th recipe): 430 calories