A standout smoked turkey starts with a few well-chosen steps. Matt Pittman of Meat Church builds flavor with an overnight brine, a spatchcocked bird, butter under the skin, and a light honey glaze near the end. The method brings smoky flavor, juicy meat, plenty of protein to the dinner table—or even the Thanksgiving holiday table.
Matt Pittman’s turkey tips focus on a few practical moves that build flavor and make the bird easier to cook and carve.
Keep the bird manageable. Pittman recommends turkeys weighing 15 pounds or less for even cooking. Feeding a crowd? Cook two smaller birds. For the brine, dissolve Bird Baptism brine, brown sugar, and honey in water, then cool the mixture completely with ice before adding the turkey. Brine it overnight in the refrigerator, using a food-safe container or brining bag. You can spatchcock the turkey before or after brining.
Flatten it for easier cooking and carving. Use poultry shears to cut out the backbone, then remove the keel bone to help the turkey lie completely flat. Save the backbone and giblets for stock, gravy, or soup. Before seasoning, loosen the skin carefully and tuck softened butter underneath. A few toothpicks can hold the skin in place during cooking; remove them before serving.
Season from a little height. Pittman uses Honey Hog rub on both sides of the turkey. He sprinkles it from about 18 inches above the bird to help distribute it evenly. Season the underside first, then flip the turkey and coat the skin side.
Choose a steady smoking temperature. Set a pellet grill to 275°F and use pecan and cherry pellets. Pittman likes pecan for its mild smoke and cherry for its color. As the turkey cooks, drizzle melted butter over it a couple of times.
Glaze near the finish. When the breast is just over 150°F, Pittman adds a light drizzle of honey and lets it tack up for about 10 minutes. Continue cooking until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F. Rest the turkey before carving, then serve the breast and dark meat with the browned skin.
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Honey-Glazed Spatchcock Smoked Chicken
Serves: 4–6
Prep: 20 minutes, plus 8–12 hours brining
Cook: About 2–3 hours, depending on the bird and grill
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, about 4–5 lb
- 1 gallon cold water
- ½ cup kosher salt (or about ⅓ cup fine/table salt)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey, plus 2–3 tbsp for glazing
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 2–3 tbsp honey-forward barbecue rub, such as Meat Church Honey Hog
- Mild smoking pellets or wood, such as pecan and cherry
Directions
- Make and cool the brine: In a pot, warm about 2 cups of the water with the salt, brown sugar, and ¼ cup honey, stirring until dissolved. Add the remaining cold water and chill the brine completely.
- Brine the chicken: Place the chicken in a food-safe container, add the cold brine, cover, and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. Remove the chicken, discard the brine, and pat the bird very dry.
- Spatchcock: With sturdy poultry shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Turn the chicken skin-side up and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten the bird.
- Season: Carefully loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs. Spread the butter underneath, then apply the barbecue rub evenly over both sides.
- Smoke: Heat the grill to 275°F. Cook the chicken skin-side up until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F and the thighs reach at least 165°F (many cooks prefer thighs closer to 175°F for texture). Begin checking early; cooking time varies.
- Glaze: Lightly drizzle or brush honey over the chicken during the final 10–15 minutes. Let it cook until the glaze looks tacky.
- Rest and carve: Rest for about 10 minutes before carving.
Macros (roughly, per 6 oz serving)
Calories: 458
Protein: 46g
Carbs: 11g
Fat: 25g