Secrets to a Great Grilled Turkey

By Robert "Ernie" Adler, Smokemaster

Thanksgiving is almost here, and your best turkey will be made outside on the grill or smoker. The Pilgrims didn’t have a beautiful double range, they cooked over open fire or hearth, so you should too. This recipe and cooking method can be used with a whole turkey, a turkey breast, duck, capon, chicken, or just about any other poultry.

First, you’ll need to brine the bird starting about 40 hours before you want to eat. Brining is the process of immersing the turkey or whatever you are cooking in a seasoned solution. Brining does several things; it infuses flavor throughout the turkey, it is a tenderizer, and helps add moisture to keep the turkey juicy from grill to table. Next you will need a bucket or container large enough to hold your bird. Some local home improvement stores sell 5-gallon paint buckets which have a food grade sticker on them so it’s safe to use, and they will hold a 20-25 lb. turkey. Otherwise any big enough food-safe bucket or container.

To make the brine combine

2 quarts of apple cider, add in 1 lb. of brown sugar, ¾ cup coarse Kosher salt, 3 oranges quartered or ½ cup of orange juice, 4 ounces of ginger, 15 whole cloves, 6 bay leaves, and 6 crushed garlic cloves, heat up just to dissolve the sugar, then let cool. Pour into your container, clean your turkey and put in the bucket, and then add enough water so it’s fully immersed. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 24 hours. After 24 hours take out of the container and put in a pan uncovered back in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours. That will help crisp up the skin.

Now for the grilling. The same rule applies as in the oven, cook at 325 degrees and cook 15 minutes per pound. If you are using a gas grill, buy a smoker box so you’ll get some great smoke flavor (I recommend apple wood chips). Only smoke for one-hour total so you get a hint of smoke but not overpowering flavor. Take the turkey out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking, turn your grill on high until you get see smoke, then reduce to 325 degrees. Place the turkey in a roasting rack which are available

in local stores or on-line, rub all over with olive oil, and then put into 2 disposable aluminum pans. Add water to the bottom of the pan until it is just below the bottom of the turkey. Place the turkey on the grill and check every 30 minutes basting it. After one hour turn over so it’s breast side down and cook for one hour, then flip it back over. If the top side is darkening too much simply lightly tent it over with foil. It will be darker than an oven roasted turkey

due to the smoke and seasonings. Once the thickest part of the turkey is 165 degrees it’s done. DO NOT trust the popup thermometers since they frequently get stuck. Use an instant read thermometer and check it in several locations.

Once done let rest for 20 minutes lightly covered with foil. To carve first cut both legs off, then cut the wings, find the breast bone on the top and slowly use a knife to slice down the bone line through one

breast, then cut the bottom of the breast to meet where you cut from the top. The breast should fall right-off and you can then cut great slices from there. Remember to save the drippings for gravy.

Courtesy of Ernie's BBQ, Traditional and Upscale Outdoor Food For more information on Ernies BBQ: www.erniesbbq.com