SMOKED TURKEY + GARLIC-HERB DRY BRINE

INGREDIENTS

1 batch Garlic-Herb Dry Brine (recipe below)
1 12-14 pound turkey, neck and giblets removed
1 medium onion, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved widthwise
A few sprigs of thyme, rosemary and sage
Special equipment: charcoal grill, charcoal, charcoal chimney, hickory wood chips (soaked in water), foil roasting pan, meat thermometer

INSTRUCTIONS

Rub the Garlic-Herb Dry Brine all over the turkey (top, bottom and inside cavity), and chill uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (or up to 24 hours).
30 minutes before smoking, take the turkey from the fridge, and rinse all the dry brine off under cold, running water. Pat the turkey dry; stuff the cavity with onion, garlic, and herb sprigs, and set aside.
Prepare a charcoal grill to smoke. Set a foil roasting pan in the middle of the lower rack. Surround the pan with hot charcoal, set the top rack, cover the grill, and preheat to at least 325°F*. Once the grill is preheated, place a thin layer of soaked wood chips over the hot coals (both sides)**, then set the turkey on the top grill rack so it’s completely over the foil pan (this will catch any drippings and avoid flare-ups). Cover the grill, and smoke the turkey until the internal temperature of breast meat is 160°F, rotating the turkey on the grill grate 180° every hour. (this took us about 2 1/4 hours, but timing can vary). Transfer turkey to a platter and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
As the turkey cooks, monitor the grill temperature, charcoal level and the smoke level. Keep the grill temperature around 325°F. If the grill has vents, open them to increase the temperature, and close them to lower the temperature. Also, add more lit charcoal as needed to keep the temperature stable (we did this once during the 2 1/4 hours). When the smoke dies down, throw more soaked chips on to the hot coals (we did this 4 times).***