Category: Holiday

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Pellet Smoked Jerk Turkey

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Pellet Smoked Jerk Turkey


Get ready to elevate your Thanksgiving or holiday feast with a bold and flavorful twist — pellet smoked jerk turkey! This recipe takes the traditional roast turkey and infuses it with the vibrant, spicy, and aromatic flavors of Jamaican jerk seasoning. The turkey, cut in half for even marination, absorbs the mouthwatering jerk marinade made with fresh green onions, fiery Scotch bonnets, fragrant thyme, zesty citrus, and a medley of spices like cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.

The marinade not only penetrates the turkey meat for deep, bold flavor, but also helps to tenderize it, ensuring a juicy and tender bite in every slice. The combination of soy sauce and brown sugar creates the perfect balance of savory and sweet, while the fresh grated ginger adds a hint of warmth and zing to each bite. Once coated with this rich marinade, the turkey is smoked at 275°F for 3 hours, infusing the bird with a kiss of smoky flavor from the wood pellets.

After the smoke, the heat is cranked up to 375°F to crisp and tighten up the skin, giving the turkey a beautiful, golden-brown finish. The result? A juicy, tender turkey with layers of complex jerk seasoning and a perfectly crisp exterior.

Whether you’re serving this for a special occasion or just craving an island-inspired meal, this Pellet Smoked Jerk Turkey is sure to be a standout dish at any gathering. Each bite is a fusion of smoky, spicy, and sweet flavors that will keep everyone coming back for more!

Ingredients

  • 13 lb whole turkey
  • 6 green onions
  • 4 scotch bonnets
  • 8 sprigs thyme picked from the stem
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 peeled lime
  • 1 peeled lime
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

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Directions

Start by spatchcocking the turkey, which means removing the backbone so the turkey can be flattened. Then, split the turkey completely in half, by cutting through the breast plate and wish bone.
If the turkey is still partially frozen (even after 3 days in the refrigerator), you may encounter some ice in the cavity. Be cautious when splitting the turkey; a cleaver is ideal for breaking the breastbone. Avoid using a chef’s knife unless you have experience with this technique.


In a blender or food processor, combine green onions, scotch bonnets, thyme, garlic, lime, orange, white wine vinegar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, kosher salt, brown sugar, black pepper, and fresh ginger. Blend until smooth.


Pour a small amount of the marinade onto the skin side of the turkey. Then, flip the turkey halves over and coat the inside (flesh side) generously with the remaining marinade. Ensure the marinade is well-distributed, especially in all the crevices.
Place the turkey halves in the refrigerator to marinate for up to 4 hours. The 4-hour marinade provides optimal flavor without causing the meat to become too tough from the citrus acids.


Set up your pellet smoker with apple or pecan wood and preheat to 275°F. Place the marinated turkey halves on the smoker with the skin side up. Smoke the turkey at 275°F for approximately 3 hours until the breast meat reaches 150F.


Keep an eye on the turkey’s internal temperature:
After about 1.5 hours, the breast should reach around 100°F, and the skin will begin to take on some color.
At around 2.5 hours, the temperature should approach 130-140°F. The skin will darken further, and the jerk marinade will develop a deep, rich color.
Monitor closely as the temperature rises at around 20°F per hour.


Once the turkey reaches 150°F in the breast (after about 3-3.5 hours), increase the smoker temperature to 375°F. Continue cooking the turkey for an additional 30-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thighs


Remove the turkey from the smoker at 165°F (breast temp). Allow it to rest for 20 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute within the meat.


Slice the turkey and enjoy!

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Pellet Smoked Cream Cheese

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Pellet Smoked Cream Cheese

If you’re looking to elevate your appetizer game, our Pellet Smoked Cream Cheese recipe is a must-try. This simple yet incredibly flavorful dish takes your favorite cream cheese and transforms it into a smoky, savory delight that will have your guests coming back for more.

We start with two 8-ounce blocks of Philadelphia cream cheese, taken straight from the refrigerator for ease of handling. Each block is carefully scored on top with a crosshatch pattern, allowing the seasonings to fully penetrate and creating an eye-catching presentation. For seasoning, one block gets a generous coating of everything bagel seasoning, bringing in a burst of sesame, poppy seeds, and garlic, while the other is dusted with Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning, infusing it with a spicy, savory kick that’s full of Southern charm.

Once seasoned, the cream cheese blocks are placed in the smoker, where they’ll absorb the delicate, sweet flavors of apple and pecan wood. Over the course of two hours at 225°F, the cream cheese slowly softens and takes on a rich, smoky flavor, while the seasonings form a slightly crispy crust on the outside.

The result is a creamy, indulgent spread with a perfect balance of smokiness and bold seasoning, ready to be paired with crackers, fresh veggies, or even spread on a warm baguette. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or simply want a unique snack to enjoy at home, this Pellet Smoked Cream Cheese is sure to be a hit.

Ingredients

  • 2 8oz block cream cheese
  • 2 tbs everything bagel seasoning
  • 2 tbs Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning

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Directions

Remove the two blocks of cream cheese from the refrigerator and place them on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, lightly slice a crosshatch pattern on the top surface of each cream cheese block. This allows the seasonings to penetrate and creates an attractive presentation.


Generously season one block of cream cheese with everything bagel seasoning, ensuring all sides are well-coated. Generously season the other block with Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning, again covering all sides evenly.


Place a sheet of butcher paper on top of a cooling rack. The butcher paper will prevent the cream cheese from sticking, while the cooling rack allows smoke to circulate around the entire block, including the bottom. Position the cooling rack with the cream cheese blocks on top of a cookie sheet to catch any drippings and make it easier to transfer in and out of the smoker.


Preheat your pellet smoker to 225°F. Use a combination of apple and pecan wood pellets for a mild, sweet smoke flavor.


Place the cookie sheet with the cooling rack and cream cheese blocks into the smoker. Ensure there’s space around the cheese blocks so smoke can circulate evenly. Smoke the cream cheese for 2 hours at 225°F. During this time, the cheese will soften and absorb the smoky flavors, while the seasoning forms a flavorful crust.


After 2 hours, carefully remove the cookie sheet from the smoker. Let the cream cheese cool slightly before serving. The smoked cream cheese should be soft, spreadable, and infused with rich, smoky flavors.

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Pellet Smoked Snack Mix

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Fire Grilled Salsa

Get ready to elevate your snacking game with our irresistible Pellet-Smoked Snack Mix, a medley of crunchy goodness infused with smoky flavor and bold seasoning. This addictive snack is perfect for gatherings, game nights, or anytime you’re craving a satisfying munch.

Imagine a tantalizing blend of Cheez-Its, pretzel sticks, Bugles, rice Chex, wheat Chex, and mixed nuts, all coming together to create a symphony of textures and tastes. But what sets this snack mix apart is the flavor sauce—a concoction of melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Frank’s hot sauce, honey, brown sugar, Lawry’s seasoned salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.

As you cook this flavor-packed sauce over medium heat, the kitchen will be filled with the enticing aroma of savory spices and sweet honey, creating an anticipation that’s almost as satisfying as the snack itself. Once the sauce is perfectly blended, it’s poured over the mix of crunchy ingredients, coating each piece with a luscious layer of flavor.

But the real magic happens when the snack mix hits the pellet smoker, where it’s bathed in the gentle embrace of hickory smoke at 250°F for one hour. As the smoke infuses every nook and cranny of the mix, the flavors meld together, creating a snack that’s not just crunchy and savory, but also irresistibly smoky.

Whether you’re enjoying it as a midday pick-me-up or serving it as an appetizer at your next gathering, our Pellet-Smoked Snack Mix is sure to be a hit. So fire up the pellet smoker, grab a handful of this addictive snack, and get ready to indulge in a flavor-packed experience that’s sure to leave you craving more.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cheez its
  • 2 cups pretzel sticks
  • 2 cups Bugles
  • 2 cups rice chex
  • 2 cups wheat chex
  • 1 cup mixed nuts
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons worcestershire
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon frank’s hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

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Directions

First combine all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan and set it on the burner on medium. When the butter melts down stir the sauce together and turn the burner on low. Keep the saucepan on low until you are ready to use it otherwise the sugar will solidify.


Next, in a large mixing bowl or foil lasagna pan, combine the dry ingredients together.


Next slowly pour some of the sauce over the dry mix. Use a heat glove and stir around the mixture by hand. Continue these steps until all the sauce is incorporated into the dry ingredients.


Spread the snack mix over 2 foil lined cookie sheets. Place the cookie sheets on a pellet smoker burning hickory pellets at 250 F.


After 1 hour taste a sample and determine if you are happy with the smoke flavor. If you are, remove the cookie sheets and allow the snack mix to cool down for a few minutes. Otherwise, rotate the cookie sheets around on the smoker and continue to smoke for up to 1 more hour.

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Pellet Smoked Prime Rib

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Pellet Smoked Prime Rib

In this recipe, we’re diving into the world of sumptuous flavors and savory indulgence with our Pellet Smoked Standing Rib Roast. This 7-pound marvel, featuring three glorious rib bones, is about to take center stage in a masterful symphony of smoke, fire, and seasoning.

As we fire up the smoker, this rib roast will undergo a transformation that’s nothing short of spectacular. Over the course of four tantalizing hours, it will absorb the smoky essence from the gentle, controlled heat of the pellet smoker, infusing it with a depth of flavor that’s simply unmatched.

But the magic doesn’t end there. A bold and aromatic rub, crafted from a blend of salt, pepper, dry rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and paprika, will enrobe this beautiful cut of meat. This ensemble of seasonings will work in perfect harmony, setting the stage for a taste experience that’s rich, fragrant, and utterly delicious.

After its slow dance with the smoker, we’ll crank up the experience even further. The reverse sear over the fiery heat of the BBQ grill will put the final touches on this culinary masterpiece. The intense heat will create a beautiful crust, encapsulating all the juicy tenderness within, and imparting a delightful char that’s the epitome of flavor.

The Pellet Smoked Standing Rib Roast isn’t just a dish; it’s an experience. Whether you’re planning a festive gathering, a holiday feast, or simply seeking to create a culinary delight that will leave a lasting impression, this roast is your ticket to an unforgettable dining experience.

Ingredients

  • 6 – 7 pound standing rib roast
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp sage powder
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary
  • 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce

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Directions

First, use a chef’s knife and remove the rib bones by cutting along the bones to separate them from the roast. Keep the bone plate in one piece so they can be tied back in place after applying rub on all sides of the roast and rib plate.


Next, carefully and lightly shave off any hard fat from the fat cap and remove any surface silver skin. This is an optional step as most roasts will be cleaned up by the butcher. But if you do trim, leave at least 1/4 inch of fat cap on the top of the roast. Next, carefully slice a cross hatch pattern in the fat cap by only slicing the fat and not the meat.


Next generously apply kosher salt on all sides of the roast. Place the roast on a cooling rack on a cookie sheet to allow for airflow underneath the roast. Place this in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours and up to 4 days. This will dry brine the roast adding flavor to the meat while also tenderizing it.


After 24 hours of dry brine, remove the rib roast from the refrigerator and keep it on the cooling rack. Prepare the dry rub by combining all the spices and seasonings listed. Apply a thin layer of Worcestershire sauce on all sides of the roast and the detached rib plate. Generously apply the dry rub on all sides of the roast and rib plate.


Place the roast back on top of the rib bone plate. Using butcher twine, tie the rib plate back in place with a loop between each rib bone. The rib plate will act as a heat shield while the roast is on the smoker. This will help roast cook more evenly and they can be quickly detached for the reverse sear step.


Preheat your smoker to 220 F using lighter blended pellets such as competition blend. When the smoker reaches temp, place the rib roast bone side down in the center of the smoker, on the bottom rack. Insert a temperature probe directly into the center of the roast. Set the temperature alarm to 125 F. Smoke for roughly 4 hours until the temp alarm triggers or the roast center reaches 125 F.


Remove the roast from the smoker and loosely cover it with aluminim foil. Allow it to rest for 30 minutes so that the juices settle in the roast and it’s temperature lowers. While the roast is resting, preheat your grill with the burners on high or for charcoal, light one starter chimney of charcoal or lump.


Cut the twine and remove the rib plate from the roast. Sear it for 3 – 5 minutes per side on all sides. Do not close the grill lid and do not walk away. Judge the sear doneness by color and if you need to sear one or more sides longer do so to your desired doneness. Place the rib plate on the grill and cook it 3 – 5 minutes per side. After searing, let the roast rest 5 – 10 minutes then slice and serve. Slice between the rib bones to separate them and enjoy them along with delicious slices of prime rib.

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