# Honey Brined Smoked Turkey



## Constance (May 22, 2005)

Honey Brined Smoked Turkey
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2004

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 13 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
User Rating: 5 Stars

1 gallon hot water
1 pound kosher salt
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 pound honey
1 (7-pound) bag of ice
1 (15 to 20-pound) turkey, with giblets removed
Vegetable oil, for rubbing turkey

Combine the hot water and the salt in a 54-quart cooler. Stir until the
salt dissolves. Stir in the vegetable broth and the honey. Add the ice
and stir. Place the turkey in the brine, breast side up, and cover with
cooler lid.. Brine overnight, up to 12 hours.

Remove the turkey from the brine and dry thoroughly. Rub the bird
thoroughly with the vegetable oil.

Heat the grill to 400 degrees F.

Using a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil, build a smoke
bomb. Place a cup of hickory wood chips in the center of the foil and
gather up the edges, making a small pouch. Leave the pouch open at the
top. Set this directly on the charcoal or on the metal bar over the gas
flame. Set the turkey over indirect heat, insert a probe thermometer
into the thickest part of the breast meat, and set the alarm for 160
degrees F. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour check the bird; if the skin is golden brown, cover with
aluminum foil and continue cooking. Also, after 1 hour, replace wood
chips with second cup.

Once the bird reaches 160 degrees F, remove from grill, cover with
aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 1 hour. Carve and serve.


----------



## Constance (May 22, 2005)

*Kim's brine roasted turkey...*

This is my husband's version of the above:

Ingredients:

Brine:
1 gallon hot water
1 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 oranges, quartered
1 tbl chopped jarred ginger
1 tbl whole cloves
1  7lb bag of ice

1  13 lb turkey

Seasoning for turkey:
salt, pepper, ground sage
olive oil
oranges, quartered
whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
bouquet garni of fresh herbs

Directions:
Disslove salt and brown sugar in hot water. Add honey, ginger and cloves, and allow to cool. Line a 54 quart round cooler (or the equivilent) with garbage bags and pour in brine. Squeeze the orange quarters into the liquid, then toss in the oranges. 
Add the turkey and drown him in the brine. Add ice, put lid on cooler, and set on porch or other cool place to marinate overnight.
One hour before roasting, remove turkey from marinade. Rinse off, drain and pat dry. Rub turkey well with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and ground sage, and massage into the entire turkey. 
Sprinkle salt and pepper into cavity, then stuff with orange pieces, garlic cloves (don't bother to peel), and a bouquet garni made from sage leaves, sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley, celery hearts with leaves...whatever you have on hand.
Heat grill or oven to 375 and put in turkey, uncovered. Reduce heat to 350 after one hour. Cook until internal temperature reaches160-165. Remove from heat, tent with foil, and allow to stand one hour before carving.

*Note: Turkey cooked this way melts in your mouth. Even the white meat is juicey.*


----------

