Cooking your turkey on the barbecue keeps your oven free for other dishes. For best results,
do not use a bird larger than 6 kg on the barbecue. You’ll need about 2½ cups applewood
chips; soak them in water for an hour before using.
HANDS-ON TIME
50 minutes
TOTAL TIME
16 hours
MAKES
12 to 15 servings
INGREDIENTS
BRINED TURKEY:
1¼ cups coarse salt
½ cup packed brown sugar
5 cups boiling water
1 orange
1 lemon
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp whole allspice
1 tbsp black peppercorns
6 bay leaves
11 cups ice water
1 whole fresh turkey (4.5 to 6 kg)
3 tbsp olive oil
GRAVY:
chicken broth (optional)
unsalted butter (optional), melted
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup dry white wine
pinch pepper
DIRECTIONS
BRINED TURKEY: In large saucepan, dissolve salt and sugar in boiling water.
Peel zest from orange and lemon; squeeze juice into bowl. Add orange
and lemon juices and zest to pan. Add garlic, allspice, peppercorns and
bay leaves. Let cool slightly. In large stockpot placed inside cooler or
large bucket, combine brine mixture with ice water. Let cool completely,
about 1 hour. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.)
Remove neck and giblets from turkey; set neck aside for gravy. Discard
giblets. Add turkey to brine; cover and refrigerate for 12 to 15 hours.
Heat 1 burner of 2-burner barbecue or 2 outside burners of 3-burner
barbecue to medium. Seal soaked applewood chips in heavy-duty foil;
poke several holes in top. Place over lit burner(s) or directly on coals.
Remove turkey from brine and rinse in cold water. Discard brine. Pat
turkey dry inside and out. Place on greased rack in roasting pan; add
reserved turkey neck to pan. Brush turkey all over with oil. Place pan on
grill over unlit burner with legs facing centre of grill.
Close lid and cook, basting occasionally and covering loosely with foil
if browning too quickly, until instant-read thermometer inserted in
thickest part of breast reads 170°F (77°C) and juices run clear when
meat is pierced, 2½ to 3 hours. Transfer to cutting board; cover loosely
with foil and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
GRAVY: Remove neck from pan; set aside. Pour juices in cavity into
heatproof liquid measure. If necessary, add enough chicken broth to
make ¾ cup. Drain all but ¼ cup fat from pan, adding butter if not
enough fat remains; cook over medium heat for 1 minute, scraping up
browned bits from bottom of pan.
Add flour; cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes. Add
wine and reserved turkey juices. Stirring constantly, slowly add 2½ cups
water and bring to boil. Add neck and pepper; cook over medium heat,
stirring constantly, until thickened, 7 to 10 minutes, adding more water
to thin, if desired. Strain and serve with turkey.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION, PER EACH OF 15 SERVINGS: about 263 cal, 44 g pro, 12 g
total fat (3 g sat. fat), 3 g carb, trace fibre, 152 mg chol, 463 mg sodium, 583 mg
potassium. % RDI: 2% calcium, 9% iron, 2% vit C, 9% folate.
VARIATION
OVEN-ROASTED BRINED TURKEY
Roast turkey in 325°F (160°C) oven, basting occasionally and covering
loosely with foil if browning too quickly, until instant-read thermometer
inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°F (77°C), 2½ to 3 hours.
