Barbecue expert David Wingo showed how to brine and smoke a turkey.
For the brine:
Combine 1 cup salt, 1 cup sugar, 3 tbsp black peppercorns, 5 bay leaves, a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary, five cloves of garlic, and 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temp or add ice to cool rapidly.
Place raw or thawed turkey in a cooler or large stock pan. Add one gallon of water and the concentrated brine. Then add enough water to cover the bird. Store below 42 degrees for 12-48 hours.
For the grill:
Soak a few handfuls of wood chips (I recommend apple or cherry) for a couple hours. Build your fire on one side of the grill and preheat to 250 degrees. Remove the turkey from the brine and pay dry. Rub down with a half stick of softened butter and season with fresh cracked black pepper.
Place a handful of pre soaked wood chips on the coals and place the turkey on the other side of the grill, away from the heat. Maintain a temperature of 250 by controlling the vents and adding charcoal and wood chips every hour.
Cook for 3-6 hours depending on the size of your turkey. After 2 or 3 hours, start checking the temperature of the bird in the thickest part of the thigh. The turkey will be ready when it reaches 165 degrees. Allow to rest for about 15 minutes and enjoy.
