Orange-Brined Smoked Turkey with Orange Glaze
This orange glazed smoked turkey is brined in an easy orange juice wet brine and smoked to perfection on the pellet grill. With sweet citrus notes from a marmalade glaze, this juicy and flavorful bird will be the star of your Thanksgiving table!
Servings: 8 people
Equipment
- brine bag or cooler
- basting brush
Ingredients
- 12-14 lb turkey fully thawed and spatchcocked
- Shake That All Purpose Seasoning *Or substitute your favorite all-purpose seasoning
- black pepper
- ½ cup orange marmalade
For the Orange Juice Brine:
- 6 cups orange juice
- 12 cups water
- 1½ cup kosher salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 sprigs rosemary leaves removed and rough chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme chopped
For the Herbed Butter:
- 1 stick melted butter
- zest of one large orange
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves removed and finely chopped
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves removed and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
Instructions
- Start brining the turkey 24 hours before you plan to start smoking it. Make sure that your cooler is clean and dry, and that your drain plug is inserted properly. Or clear space in your refrigerator if you plan on brining in the fridge. Spatchcock the thawed turkey.
- In a large pot, add 4 cups water, 1½ cup kosher salt, ¾ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, 3 bay leaves, and the fresh rosemary and thyme. Bring to a boil to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from the heat and add 6 cups orange juice and 8 cups cold water. Allow the brine liquid to cool completely.
- Place the spatchcocked turkey breast-side down in a brine bag in the bottom of a cooler. Pour in the cooled orange juice brine, and work it around so that the turkey is completely covered. Add ice around the brine bag - if cooler brining. Close the lid of the cooler and brine turkey for a full 24 hours. Or, place the brine bag inside a large pot or roasting pan and brine in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Preheat pellet grill or smoker to 225℉ with your choice of wood pellets. While grill is heating, prepare the turkey. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a wire cooling rack on top of a sheet tray. Season all sides liberally with Shake That All Purpose Seasoning. Then season with a lighter layer of black pepper.
- Make the herbed basting butter by mixing melted butter, orange zest, chopped rosemary and thyme, and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Smoke the turkey on the grill at 225℉ for one hour. After one hour, use a basting brush to baste the turkey with the herbed butter. Then adjust the grill temperature up to 325°F and continue to cook the turkey, basting every 25-30 minutes with the melted butter. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the herbed butter for the next step.
- When the internal temperature of the turkey breast reaches about 155℉, add the small bit of remaining herbed butter to a small saucepan with the orange marmalade. Heat briefly, and then use the orange glaze mixture to baste the turkey.
- Continue to cook the turkey, basting with the orange glaze every 15-20 minutes, until the internal temp of the thickest part of the breasts reaches 162℉. This allows for a few degrees of carryover cooking. (USDA recommends cooking to 165℉.)
- Remove turkey from the smoker and transfer to a serving platter or cutting board. Allow turkey to rest for 30-45 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Cooler Brine Notes - If the outside temperature is colder than your house, keep the cooler outside. You can also open the lid to make sure the ice has not melted all the way and the turkey is still cold (below 37 degrees F) periodically during the 24 hour brining process. Add more ice if needed.
- Cooking Times - Cooking times are approximate and will vary based on the size of your turkey, the temperature of your grill or smoker, the outside temperature, etc. Always check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the turkey breast and the innermost areas of the thigh and wing for doneness. For reference, my spatchcocked turkey took 4 hours to cook with the smoking temperatures in this recipe.
- Internal Temperature - The turkey is done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each breast reads about 162-163°F. This allows for a few degrees of carryover cooking while the turkey rests. The internal temp of the thighs should be a bit higher, around 175°F. *DISCLAIMER – The USDA recommends cooking turkey and other poultry to a minimum internal temp of 165°F.