Cajun Smoked Turkey

Ingredients

• For the injection:
• 1 12-ounce bottle beer, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 6 large garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoon Creole seasoning
• 1 tablespoons liquid crab boil
• 1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 12-14lb natural turkey, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels
• For the rub:
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 fist-sized chunks of apple wood or other light smoking wood

Directions

1. Make the injection first: add the beer, melted butter, garlic, Worcestershire, Creole seasoning, crab boil liquid, hot sauce, salt, and cayenne pepper to a blender, then blend until there are no little bits left. Fill a meat injector and work the mixture throughout the turkey, spacing the injections about 1-inch apart.
2. For the rub, stir the paprika with garlic powder and onion powder, then mix in the thyme, oregano, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Coat the turkey with the spice mixture, getting both the cavity and the outside. Tuck the wings underneath, tie the legs together, and brush the whole turkey lightly with vegetable oil.
3. Heat your smoker or grill to 325 degrees F, adding the smoking wood chunks once it reaches temperature. When the wood has caught and is giving off smoke, set the turkey in the smoker or grill and cook until an instant-read thermometer shows 165 degrees F in the thickest area of the breast, about 2 to 3 hours.
4. Take the turkey out of the smoker and let it sit uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Carve it and serve.