North Carolina-Style Smoked Grilled Turkey

Ingredients:

Brine

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup coriander seeds
• 5 cm ginger root, thinly sliced ​​(about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 liters of ice
• 1 turkey weighing 7-8 kg, wash, remove giblets

Barbecue sauce

• 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
• 1.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Turkey

• 2 stalks celery, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 lemon, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 onion, cut into 4 pieces
• 4 fresh sprigs of parsley
• Special equipment: Soak 4 cups of wood chips, such as hickory or mesquite, in water for 30 minutes and drain.

Preparation:

1. Spicy brine

   
   In a large saucepan, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil, add 1.5 cups of salt, brown sugar, coriander, ginger, and bay leaf. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve the salt and sugar. While the brine is simmering, fill a bucket (or saucepan) large enough to hold the turkey with ice. Pour the brine over the ice. Once the brine has cooled, add the turkey. Place a heavy object, such as a plate or lid, on top of the turkey to keep it submerged. Refrigerate the brine for 8 hours.

2. Barbecue sauce

   
   In a medium saucepan, heat the vinegar and granulated sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the ketchup, honey, 1/4 cup salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Set aside 1.5 cups of the sauce for serving.

3. Smoked grilled turkey

   
   Preheat an outdoor grill, preparing direct and indirect heat. Place a drip pan under the grate in the indirect heat zone. Season the turkey cavity with salt and fill with celery, lemons, onion, and parsley, then truss the legs. Place the turkey breast-side up over the drip pan. Drop 1 cup of soaked wood chips onto the coals. Cover the grill and rotate the lid so the vents are directly above the bird. To maintain a medium-low heat, add up to 10 more coals and 1 cup of wood chips as the fire begins to die down. Turn the turkey about every 45 minutes to prevent the side closest to the coals from overcooking.
4. After an hour, begin basting the turkey every 20-30 minutes with the remaining 2.5 cups of sauce. Remember to close the grill lid after basting. Smoke the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh, away from the bone, registers 165°F (74°C), 2-3 hours. Transfer the bird to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.