The real star of this Maple Butter Turkey is the injection, a warm blend of unsalted butter, Tapped Maple Syrup, apple juice, and fresh ginger that is gently simmered so the ginger can steep for half an hour. Injected deep into the meat with an All Things Barbecue Pistol Grip Injector and brushed over the surface, it delivers rich, buttery sweetness with a subtle hint of spice in every bite. A generous coating of Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All-Purpose Seasoning, rubbed both over and under the skin, balances the maple with savory depth. Once the breast reaches 155ºF, a 20-minute rest under loosely tented foil lets the juices settle, giving you tender, flavorful slices with crisp, golden skin.
Maple Butter Turkey
Chef Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Dinner
Cuisine
American
Servings
8-10
Prep Time
1 hour
Cook Time
2 hours
Calories
620
This Maple Butter Turkey turns the holiday centerpiece into a smoky, sweet, deeply seasoned showstopper that serves eight to ten. The process starts with an overnight soak in Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House Brine, which seasons the bird all the way through and keeps the meat juicy. The turkey is then spatchcocked by removing the backbone and flattening the breast, so it cooks faster and more evenly, and left uncovered in the refrigerator overnight so the skin dries out and crisps beautifully on the grill. Roasted on a Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill at 400ºF, a 15-pound bird is ready in about two hours, a fraction of the time a traditional whole roast takes.
Ingredients
-
15 lb whole turkey
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5 quarts water
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Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All-Purpose Seasoning
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1 lb Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House Brine
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1 cup apple juice
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1 cup water or chicken stock
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1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter
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1/2 cup Tapped Maple Syrup
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1/2 cup apple juice
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2” knob of ginger, peeled, sliced
Injection
Directions
Combine the Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House Brine and water. Whisk well to dissolve the salt.
Place the turkey in a large All Things Barbecue Brine Bag. Set the bag and turkey in a large,deep pan. Pour the brine into the bag. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air. Place the pan with the turkey in the refrigerator and brine for one hour per pound (15 hours for a 15 lb turkey).
Remove the turkey from the brine. Spatchcock the turkey by cutting out the backbone. Cut along each side of the backbone with kitchen shears and remove the backbone. Snip the top tip of the breast bone and press down on the breasts to flatten them. Pat dry with paper towels. For best results, place the turkey on a rack over a foil lined sheet pan. Do not cover. Refrigerate overnight to dry out the skin.
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 400ºF, set up for indirect cooking (diffuser plate installed).
For the injection, combine the butter, maple syrup, apple juice and sliced ginger in a small pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let the ginger steep in the liquids for 30 minutes.
Place the turkey in a collapsible food prep tub.
Load the injection liquid into an All Things Barbecue Pistol Grip Injector. Inject the meat all over. Spread any remaining injection over the surface of the turkey.
Season the turkey with Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust Seasoning all over, under and over the skin.
Return the turkey to the rack over the foil lined sheet pan, placed skin side up. Transfer to the grill. Roast the turkey until the internal temperature in the breasts reaches 155ºF, about two hours.
Remove the turkey from the grill. Let rest, loosely covered in foil, for 20 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Note
FAQ
Why should I spatchcock the turkey?
Removing the backbone and flattening the turkey lets it cook faster and more evenly, so the breast and thighs finish at the same time. A 15 lb spatchcocked turkey roasts in about two hours at 400ºF, much faster than a whole bird, and more of the skin is exposed to heat so it crisps all over.
How long should I brine the turkey?
Brine the turkey in the refrigerator for one hour per pound. For a 15 lb turkey, that is 15 hours. Brining seasons the meat all the way through and helps it stay juicy on the grill.
Why do I refrigerate the turkey uncovered overnight?
Leaving the turkey uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator dries out the skin after brining. Dry skin browns and crisps much better on the grill, giving you a golden, crackly finish instead of soft, rubbery skin.
What temperature should the turkey reach?
Remove the turkey from the grill when the thickest part of the breast reaches 155ºF, then let it rest loosely covered in foil for 20 minutes. The temperature continues to rise as it rests. The USDA recommends 165ºF for poultry, so if you prefer to follow that guideline, pull the turkey when the breast reaches 160ºF to 165ºF.
Can I make the maple butter injection ahead of time?
Yes. Make the injection up to two days ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator. The butter will firm up as it chills, so rewarm it gently on the stove until fully melted, and strain out the ginger slices before loading the injector so they don’t clog the needle.
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 8 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 620
- Fat
- 35 grams
- 45%
- Saturated Fat
- 16 grams
- 80%
- Trans Fat
- .5 grams
- Cholesterol
- 245 milligrams
- 82%
- Sodium
- 800 milligrams
- 35%
- Carbs
- 10 grams
- 4%
- Sugar
- 17 grams
- 16%
- Protein
- 65 grams
- 130%
- Iron
- 3 milligrams
- 17%
- Potassium
- 660 milligrams
- 14%
