Grilled Turkey
- 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- One 12- to 14-pound turkeyneck, wing tips and giblets reserved, cavity fat removed
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
- 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
- 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- In a large stockpot or plastic tub, mix 1 1/2 gallons of water with the salt and sugar; stir to dissolve the salt and sugar.
- Add the turkey to the brine, breast side down and refrigerate for 10 to 12 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Discard the brine.
- Light a charcoal grill using 5 pounds of charcoal briquettes.
- Rake the hot coals into 2 piles on opposite sides of the grill and replace the grill rack.
- Alternatively, turn the front and back burners of a gas grill to high and preheat to 400; leave the center burner off.
- Turn the burners down to medium (350) just before grilling the turkey.
- Meanwhile, place half of the onions, carrot and celery in the turkey cavity.
- Using kitchen string, tie the turkey legs together, then bring the string around the turkey and tie the wings at the breast.
- Scatter the remaining onions, carrot and celery in a large, sturdy, disposable roasting pan.
- Brush the turkey with the melted butter and set it in the roasting pan, breast side down.
- Pour 2 cups of water into the pan.
- Set the turkey on the grill.
- Cover and cook with the vents open for 1 hour; do not open the grill.
- (If using a charcoal grill, heat another 1 1/2 pounds of charcoal in a chimney starter after 45 minutes; then remove the pan and rack from the grill and stir the coals; add half of the new coals to each pile and replace the rack and pan.)
- Turn the turkey breast side up and baste with the pan juices.
- Continue to grill, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours longer; the turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in an inner thigh registers 170.
- Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Reserve the pan juices for making the gravy.
kosher salt, sugar, turkeyneck, onions, carrot, celery, unsalted butter
Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-turkey (may not work)