A Festive Smoked Turkey Recipe for an Aussie Christmas Feast

Let’s make this Christmas unforgettable with a succulent smoked turkey that’s the star of the table! Start by choosing a top-quality bird from a trusted supplier such as Queensland Country Meats – slow-grown turkeys bring unbeatable flavour and are prepped with care to ensure both safety and amazing taste. Believe it or not, when cooked properly, they can even have a hint of pink and still be perfectly juicy and safe.

Equipment

• Smoker
• Heatproof Glove
• BBQ Meat Thermometer
• Lump Charcoal – We recommend using some with a Maple flavour like Big Green Eggs Canadian Maple Lump Charcoal
• Drip Pan / Roasting Tin
• Roasting Rack

Ingredients

• 7kg Turkey
• Root Vegetables (such as celery, red onion and carrot)
• 250g Butter
• Season with
  • Sea Salt
  • Cracked Black Pepper
  • Rosemary
  • Sage
  • Thyme
  • OR use one of our recommended Rubs…

Recommended Rubs

• Suckle Busters SPG All Purpose Seasoning
• Denco Season-All Seasoning Gluten-Free
• Suckle Busters Lemon Pepper Garlic Rub

Add a little spice…

• Lambert’s Sweet Rub O’Mine Apple Chipotle Rub
• Lambert’s Sweet Rub O’ Mine Roast Garlic
• Loot N’ Booty BBQ Gold Star Chicken Rub

Or try something sweet…

• Eat BBQ Zero to Hero
• Denco GF Glaze Real Canadian Maple

Method

1. Light up your smoker (yes, your magical flavour-making machine). Set it up for indirect cooking and heat it to a target temperature of 180°C.
2. Prep time! Place your chopped veggies in a Drip Pan – these will be the aromatic foundation of your luscious gravy.
3. Season your turkey generously with your chosen herbs and spices or Rub. Remove any giblets and toss them into the Drip Pan. Now for the fun part – give that bird a buttery massage like it’s at a holiday spa.
4. Set a Roasting Rack in the Drip Pan and place your turkey on the rack breast-side down (this keeps it super moist and means no basting stress).
5. Pour cold water into the pan over the veggies and giblets. This will create a savoury stock for your gravy while keeping the turkey juicy.
6. When your smoker reaches 180°C, it’s showtime! Place the turkey in your smoker, positioning it toward the back. Let it roast for an hour.
7. After an hour, burp the smoker (open the lid carefully to release the heat) and remove the Drip Pan. Flip the turkey gently so it’s breast-side up, add more water to the pan if needed, and pop it back in.
8. Give it another 30 minutes, then start checking the temperature with a BBQ Meat Thermometer. Focus on the deepest part of the breast and the thickest part of the leg. Keep checking every 10-15 minutes until the leg reads 63°C.
9. When the turkey hits that sweet spot, remove it from the smoker and let it rest on a wooden board, uncovered.
10. Strain the Drip Pan contents into a saucepan and press the soft veggies through a sieve for extra flavour. Simmer over high heat until the gravy reaches your ideal consistency, then season to perfection.
11. While the turkey rests, its internal temperature will keep rising. You’re aiming for 63°C in the breasts and 70°C in the legs. Once it’s there, it’s carving time! For the juiciest slices, remove the entire breast and cut against the grain.

🎄 Serve with pride, because you’ve just mastered the art of an Aussie-style smoked turkey!