Smoked Achiote Turkey
Tired of the same old turkey? Try smoking an incredible pasture-raised turkey marinated in achiote and served with green crema.
Servings: 18
Equipment
- Smoker
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 pasture-raised turkey
Achiote Marinade
- 265 g achiote paste
- 220 g citrus juice
- 100 g apple cider vinegar
- 85 g garlic cloves
- 16 g sugar
- 16 g salt
- 8 g black pepper
- 5 g dry oregano
- 1 g cinnamon
Green Sauce
- 45 g roasted green chile
- 45 g fresh green chile
- 45 g cilantro
- 115 g lime juice
- 210 g yogurt
- 110 g mayonnaise
Instructions
- We begin by firing up the smoker. For this cook, we are using my Yoder Smokers YS1500 pellet grill using a mixture of oak and cherry (the cherry wood help give a beautiful color to the meat) The idea is to maintain temps between 235-275 degrees.
- Next, it’s time to make the marinade! Place all of the marinade ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth. Set mixture aside. Achiote paste is not the same as powder. It is a perishable, artisan product that should be sourced accordingly. It is made from annatto, the same natural spice that gives cheddar cheese a yellow color, seasoned with other traditional herbs and spices. It should be dissolved in an acidic liquid. I like citrus juice mixed with vinegar. A word of caution: You may want to wear gloves when handling annatto as it often used as a dye to color clothes and could stain your hands for a couple of days.
- To spatchcock the turkey, run a sharp knife down one side of the spine, on the backside of the turkey. Spatchcocking a pasture-raised turkey or any bird allows smoke to penetrate from the inside and it will cook more evenly.
- Loosen the skin from the meat over the breasts, under the thighs, and down to the drums with your fingers. Pour achiote marinade under the turkey skin and massage it over the entire bird.
- This isn't impossible for one person, but it helps to have a friend to hold the skin open. Try not to be holding a camera at the same time.
- Flip your bird and get marinade all over the inside.
- Just before placing the bird into the smoker, using a pastry brush, paint the remaining marinade all over the turkey
- Smoke the turkey for several hours between 235-275 degrees. Use a probe thermometer on the thickest part of the breast. When it reaches exactly 155 F remove from heat and let rest at least 15 minutes (The final temperature to consume the turkey should be 165 degrees). Enjoy in pleasurable company with green sauce and warm tortillas.
