There's no reason to wait until Thanksgiving to serve turkey, especially when it's this smoked Cajun turkey from the spice and dry rub experts at Spiceologist!

SMOKED CAJUN TURKEY

Ingredients

1 turkey (approximately 14lbs.), neck and giblet packet removed

1 jar Spiceologist Black Magic spice rub

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 stick melted

1 orange, quartered

1 apple, quartered

1 red onion, quartered

1 bag mesquite wood chips, soaked for 30 minutes in water

Instructions

Prepare your smoker/grill with charcoal (we used Kingsford Mesquite briquets).  

While the charcoal is getting hot, prepare the turkey.  Loosen skin over breast meat and divide one stick of butter in half and place under the skin, spreading it around as much as possible.  Fill the cavity with the quartered fruits and onion.  Sprinkle Black Magic over the entire exterior of the bird, including the underside.  

When the charcoal is ready, add some of the soaked wood chips around the perimeter of the charcoal.  Place the turkey on the grate above the coals and close the lid.  Check back often to make sure your coals are still maintaining 350º, and add more coals and wood chips as needed.  Baste the bird with the remaining stick of butter about 2/3 of the way through the smoking process.  Insert an instant read thermometer into the breast and cook until an internal temperature of 160º.  Remove and tent with foil for 10-20 minutes before slicing.   

Recipe courtesy of the spice and rub experts at Spiceology