Brined Smoked Turkey

5 from 20 votes

This brined, smoked turkey is tender, moist and delicious with a lovely smoke flavor.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword smoked turkey, thanksgiving, turkey

Dietary Restrictions Low-Carb, Paleo

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 4

Resting Time 20

Total Time 5

Servings

Calories 186kcal

4 cups wood chips can use apple, cherry, pecan, hickory or other soft-flavored wood chips
smoking boxes or tin foil pouches pricked with holes for the smoke to escape

In a large stock pot, combine ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup kosher salt, ⅓ cup maple syrup, 10 whole cloves, 20 whole black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and 1 bunch fresh thyme.
Add 8 cups unsweetened apple juice and simmer over medium heat until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Stir in ½ cup bourbon, 6 cups cold water and 8 cups ice until the ice is melted.
Check temperature of the brine before brining the turkey -- it should be at room temperature or cooler <70°.
Find a receptacle large enough to hold the turkey and the brine -- could be a cooler, or I go to the restaurant supply store to get one of their large plastic food storage containers or brining bags.
Place 1 10-12 pound turkey in the receptacle and pour in the cool brine. The brine should cover the bird, but if it doesn't quite, add a few more cups of water and/or apple juice. Alternately, if your container just isn't big enough for more liquid. Let the turkey brine for half the time, then flip it over to brine with the other half fully submerged. Brine the bird for 12-24 hours.

1-2 hours before smoking, add 3-4 cups of wood chips to a large bowl and cover with cool water. Float a plate on top of the wood chips to help them stay submerged and absorb the water.
Remove the turkey from the brine and transfer to a baking pan. Pat completely dry with paper towels and discard the brine.
Place the turkey on a rack set over a baking pan (to catch drippings and prevent flare-ups). Use kitchen twine to tie the drumsticks together. Tuck the wing tips behind the bird. This will prevent them from drying out and give a nicer presentation.

In a 2 cup measuring cup or a mop bucket, combine 1 cup chicken stock from rotisserie chicken , ½ cup apple juice, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons bourbon, 2 tablespoons maple syrup and stir to combine.

Set up the gas grill for indirect heat. (The heating elements are on for one half of the grill while the turkey sits on the opposite side.) Heat that side to about 350°.
Fill 2-3 smoking boxes with the drained wood chips (or set up smoking pouches by filling aluminum foil with wood chips, sealing the pouches up by crimping the edges together and poking holes all over the pouch). Place the smoking boxes or pouches directly over the heating elements of the grill (below the grill grates) and heat until they start smoking a white smoke.
Reduce the heat so that you just maintain a steady smoke with the grill temperature hovering between 225°-275°.
Place the turkey on the opposite side of the grill and close the lid. After 1½ to 2 hours, begin basting the turkey every 20-30 minutes with the basting solution.
Start checking the turkey with an instant-read thermometer at about the 2-hour mark. You want to achieve a breast temperature around 155°-160°F for perfect doneness -- the turkey will continue to cook after you take if off the heat. Depending on the size of your turkey, this could take anywhere from 4-5 hours.

When the breast meat has achieved 155°-160°F, remove it from the heat and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Store leftovers well-wrapped in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also freeze turkey meat for up to two months.