Savory Roast Turkey
Comments:
Long before that funny thing happened to Columbus on his way to India and long before that motley crew of malcontents gathered around the Plymouth rock, the turkey was held in high esteem among Native Americans. In addition to appreciating his tasty presence, his intelligence and wile, we respected him for saving fire.
Enjoy!
Contributed by:
Smoky
One medium size turkey - 12-14 lbs., preferably fresh. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Remove miscellany from cavity and wash thoroughly. Close the neck opening with the flap, and stuff the cavity with:
1 Cup chopped onions
1 Cup chopped celery with leaves
3 bay leaves
1 T. thyme
1 T. rubbed sage
2 cups apple sauce or chopped apples
Stop the opening with a hard French roll
or any other suitable, edible
Fire up the grill for 325 degrees for about 3 1/2 hours. Use white oak and apple wood for flavoring. But lightly. A small amount of smoke, over a 4 hour period, totals up to a heap.
Put the bird on the grill, breast up, and button down the lid. Go catch a football game. No need to even peek until the first half is over. Just make certain that the temperature is steady. Exhaust from the stack should not be less than 310 degrees.
After total Time On Grill is about 3 hours, insert the thermometer in the thigh without touching bone, and take a reading. If the temperature is not at least 150, crank up the heat a bit.
When the temperature reaches 165 degrees, remove the turkey and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes before carving. Be careful, when moving the bird, not to lose the stuffing. It is hot.
Enjoy!
