Honey-Smoked Turkey
Description
This honey-smoked turkey is sweet and light; it may be the best you've ever had! The breast meat is moist and juicy, and the honey makes a nice thin sauce. We never have leftovers!
Ingredients
•
1/2 pound mesquite wood chips
•
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
•
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
•
2 tablespoons celery salt
•
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
•
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•
1 (12 pound) whole turkey
•
1 (12 ounce) jar honey
Directions
1
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Soak wood chips in a pan of water and place them next to the grill.
2
Mix sage, pepper, celery salt, basil, and oil together in a bowl.
3
Remove and discard neck and giblets from turkey. Rinse turkey and pat dry; place into a large, disposable roasting pan and rub all over with herb mixture. Turn turkey so the breast is facing down and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
4
Place the roasting pan on the preheated grill. Throw a handful of wood chips onto the coals. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour.
5
Throw about two more handfuls of soaked wood chips onto the fire. Drizzle 1/2 of the honey over turkey and tent again with foil. Close the lid and continue cooking until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
6
Leave turkey on the grill. Remove the foil and carefully turn turkey so the breast is facing up; baste with remaining honey. Cook, uncovered, for 15 more minutes; cooked honey will be very dark.