SMOKED TURKEY WITH MAPLE COFFEE BUTTER MOP SAUCE

Mop sauces are thin basting liquids, hugely popular in American barbecue, that get liberally “mopped” over your meat as it cooks (you can buy barbecue mop brushes online, or use a basting brush). They add moisture and flavour as the meat gently smokes. Don’t worry, your turkey won’t taste remotely of coffee; it just adds a subtle depth of flavour and a glorious colour. This recipe begins by dry brining the turkey with a little salt rub 48 hours before you want to cook it. It takes a few minutes and is worth it for the extra succulence you get. Over time, the salt begins to dissolve some of the protein fibres in the turkey, so when you cook it the meat contracts less; this means less of the meat’s natural moisture gets forced out during cooking, so you end up with a far more juicy bird.

Serves 10, or fewer with

enough for leftovers

INGREDIENTS

1 x 5-7kg free range turkey, untrussed and giblets removed

but reserved

2 tbsp sea salt flakes Generous handful of woody herbs (thyme, rosemary and

bay)

For the gravy

Turkey giblets

1 large onion, peeled and

roughly sliced 2 carrots, halved

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

3 bay leaves

1 tsp peppercorns

500ml water 500ml cider (or extra water) 1-2 tbsp cornflour, mixed to a paste with an equal quantity of cold water

For the mop sauce 250ml strong fresh coffee 100g unsalted butter, melted

3 tbsp maple syrup

METHOD

Rest the untrussed turkey on a rack over a roasting tin. Flick just a few drops of cold water over the

skin to moisten it a little, then sprinkle over the salt, rubbing it lightly all over the bird and adding a little to the cavity too. Stuff the herbs into the cavity. Slide

the tin into the fridge, uncovered and well clear of any other food, and leave to dry brine for 48 hours. When you are ready to cook, set up your barbecue

ready for cooking indirectly. Remove the grill bars and set an upturned roasting tin in the centre of the base of the barbecue. Spread a little line of good quality lump wood charcoal

on either side of this tin, tucking a natural fire lighter into each and lighting it. Shut the lid and allow the temperature to stabilise for

a few minutes. With good-quality, sustainably produced British charcoal you can cook on it in five to

10 minutes. Meanwhile, take a large, deep roasting tin and put the giblets in it, along with the onion, carrots, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns. Set this tin on the upturned

tin in the barbecue, between the two fires. Pour

in the water and cider (if using). This will form your

gravy stock. Add the coffee, butter and maple syrup to a small metal tin or pan to have next to the barbecue along with a “mop” or basting

brush.

Place the grill bars back on the barbecue and place

the brined turkey in the centre, breast-side down, so it sits directly over the tin with the gravy stock in it, with a little fire to each side.

Brush a little of the mop sauce over the bird and shut the lid. Leave to cook for an hour, checking every 20-30 minutes and brushing a little more mop sauce all

over the turkey. After an hour, flip the bird over so it’s breast-side up and keep cooking, again mopping with sauce every 20-30 minutes. At this point

you can begin to monitor the internal temperature of

the turkey, inserting a probe deep into the thigh muscle. You are looking for

a reading of 68-70C. You want to try and keep the barbecue temperature itself fairly stable at around 170-180C, so every time you

mop and check the temperature, add a lump of charcoal to each fire to keep

it topped up. The gravy stock should have enough

liquid and need no attention, but if it starts to look a little dry, use a jug to pour a little water through the grill bars into the tin.

Once the turkey has reached temperature, lift it from the barbecue onto a clean roasting tray or large

platter. Cover with a generous sheet of baking parchment followed by a few clean tea towels. Take it into the kitchen to rest for 45-60 minutes before

carving.

You can make the gravy on the barbecue, or on the hob in the kitchen. Either way, set a sieve over a large

saucepan and carefully pour the stock from the tin into it, mashing a little with a wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as possible. Rest the saucepan over the heat and add the cornflour paste, whisking over the heat until thickened. Add a

splash of water to thin to your preferred consistency;

it should be really flavoursome. If you prefer a thick gravy be generous

with the cornflour.