Spatchcock Turkey with Alabama White Sauce

A spatchcock turkey is a great way to prepare a turkey, because it cooks more evenly than a traditional whole turkey plus it presents beautifully! We are going to kick this turkey up a notch with this optional Alabama White Sauce, and trust us, it is so SO GOOD!

Bonus - Thanksgiving leftovers idea at the bottom of this recipe.

Meat Church How To YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/Q94MjstCyTw

Click here to get your Brine + Holy Cow: Turkey Combo.

Ingredients

• 1 12-15 lb turkey
• 1 stick of butter for melting
• Meat Church Holy Cow (sub Holy Voodoo Rub, Honey Hog, The Gospel or Holy Gospel) - Yes, this is our beef rub but the black pepper pairs great with the White BBQ Sauce

Brine

• 1 gallon water
• 1 package Meat Church Bird Bath Poultry Brine

Alabama White Sauce 

• 4 C Mayo (We prefer Duke's)
• 1/4 C cider vinegar
• 2 T fresh horseradish
• 2 garlic, mined
• 1 1/2 T sugar
• 1 t lemon juice
• 1 t balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 t cayenne
• 2 T Meat Church Holy Cow

Tools

• Instant Read Thermometer

Brine
Thoroughly mix entire contents of the package with at least 8 cups of water in a large stock pot. Warm this in the pot over medium heat to completely dissolve the contents. Be sure to allow the mixture to cool before proceeding to the next step.
Place the turkey in a food safe container. Fill the container with the brine and the rest of the water and refrigerate overnight or an average of 45 - 60 mins per lb for an all natural bird. 15 minutes per lb for a bird in a solution.

Spatchcock the turkey
This step can be done before or after the brine. Using a pair of poultry shears, cut along each side of the back bone of the turkey to remove it (I use the backbone to make gravy). Press the turkey flat. 
This Meat Church video shows exactly how to spatchcock poultry: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uunkTCJJb54

Prepare the Turkey
Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Season the outside of the turkey with Holy Cow.

Prepare your smoker
Prepare smoker at a temperature of 275 degrees F. I recommend a medium smoking wood or pellet such as hickory or pecan. I used the Meat Church pellet in the video above.

Cook the Turkey:
Smoke the turkey at 275 degrees, basting periodically with melted butter. 
This cook will take approximately 3 hours. The turkey in our video was 20# and took 3:40.

Using an instant read thermometer, the turkey will be done when the internal temperature reaches at least 165 in the thickest part of the breast. I pull the turkey at 160 internal temperature as the turkey will continue to carryover cook a few degrees after it's removed from the smoker. The dark meat will be a higher temperature and that is ok.

Optional Sauce
The turkey will need to rest at least 15 minutes before you carve. While it's cooling mix all the ingredients for the the Alabama white bbq sauce in a large bowl.

Ladle the White BBQ Sauce over the turkey thinly and let it run off.

As the turkey cools the sauce will thin further and somewhat run off. 

Let the turkey rest 20 minutes depending on size. Carve and serve!

 PS - Thanksgiving leftovers idea. Pulled turkey with White Sauce is fantastic. Think pulled pork sandwich style!