Rotisserie Turkey with Citrus and Anise

INSTRUCTIONS

24 hours ahead

In a small mixing bowl, combine the finely ground toasted anise seed, kosher salt, dark brown sugar, orange zest, garlic, rosemary and cracked pepper.

To prepare the turkey, remove giblets and save if making gravy or stock. Under cold water, rinse the bird and pat dry with paper towels. Line a roasting pan with a rack and set the bird, breast side up on top. Generously rub the dry rub mixture over the exterior surface of the entire bird, carefully including all the nooks and crannies around the legs and wings.

Place the bird, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight. This technique is great for flavour and texture with rich citrus and herb notes and crispy skin.

Day of

The next day, carefully pull the turkey from the fridge, drain the juice in the bottom of the pan, and rinse off the dry rub mixture under cold water. Pat the bird dry and place it on a solid work surface.  Generously stuff the cavity at random with orange, lemon, onion, garlic and herbs.

Insert the turkey into the Firemagic Turkey Baskets, noting the side with two small circles to catch the drumsticks.

Place the counterbalance on the rotisserie rod and drive the rod through the basket and bird, leaving about 8” on the top end that mounts into the motor.  Tighten the basket bolts down firmly on the flat surface of the hexagonal rod to ensure a secure rotation.

To prepare for grilling, remove the back burner cover and cooking grids.  Affix the rotisserie motor and plug in the unit.  Mount the rotisserie rod into the motor.  The turkey should be centred evenly in front of the back burner. Place a drip pan onto of cooking grids directly beneath the turkey. Test the alignment by turning on the motor using the switch and look for an even consistent rotation of the turkey.  Adjust bolts and counterbalance accordingly.  With the motor turned on, fire up the back burner using the one-touch ignition.  Start with the heat on medium and adjust based on performance and preference.  Check every 30 minutes to baste and adjust the temperature, if necessary.

Turkey takes about 15 minutes per pound to reach the desired 160* internal temperature.

When the turkey is fully cooked, turn off the heat and rotisserie motor.  Use oven mitts to remove the rod from the grill and lay it across the clean work surface.  Allow the meat to rest on a cutting board for 20 minutes before removing the rotisserie, and baskets and breaking them down for serving.

Chef Tips:

In a small pan, keep herb-infused butter warm and melted on the side of the cooking deck, not in use for basting.

40 minutes before finished cooking, swap out the drip tray with a tray loaded with lightly seasoned hearty root vegetables, potatoes or squash. Utilize the convection-like air flow in the FireMagic to roast the sides and benefit from the delicious drippings of Turkey.