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Thanksgiving: Wine-Smoked Turkey

Source of Recipe


Sunset, November 1997






List of Ingredients



• 4 to 6 cups wine-infused wood chips or shavings, lightly packed
  
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh sage or 2 tsp dried rubbed sage
  
• 1 Tbsp minced parsley
  
• 2 tsp minced fresh marjoram or ½ tsp dried marjoram
  
• ½ tsp pepper
  
• 1 turkey (16 to 18 pounds)
  
• 1 Golden Delicious apple
  
• 1 onion
  
• Sprigs of fresh sage and marjoram
  






Instructions



1. Soak wine-infused chips or shavings in water at least 20 minutes; set aside. (If you are unable to find them, soak mesquite or apple wood chips in equal parts red wine and water instead.)
   
   
2. Mix oil with minced sage, parsley, marjoram and pepper; set aside. To prepare turkey, remove and discard leg truss. Pull off and discard lumps of fat and remove giblets. Rinse bird inside and out; pat dry. Rinse giblets, drain and reserve for gravy (recipe follows). Insert a meat thermometer straight down through the thickest part of the breast to the bone (if using an instant-read thermometer, insert later). Brush turkey all over with 2 tablespoons oil mixture. Cut apple and onion into 1-inch chunks, and mix with remaining oil mixture; place mixture in turkey cavity.
   
   
3. On a large charcoal barbecue with a lid:
   Mound and ignite 40 charcoal briquets on firegrate. When coals are spotted with gray ash in about 20 minutes, push equal portions to opposite sides of firegrate. Place a metal drip pan between coals. To each mound of coals, add 5 briquets and ½ cup soaked wood chips or shavings now and every 30 minutes while cooking. Set grill 4 to 6 inches above coals. Set turkey, breast side up, on grill over drip pan.
   
   
4. On a gas barbecue:
   Turn gas heat to high. Place 1 cup wood chips in the barbecue's metal smoking box or in a small, shallow foil pan set directly on heat in a corner. Close lid until barbecue is hot, about 10 minutes. Adjust gas for indirect cooking (no heat down center), and set a metal drip pan in center. Add another 1 cup wood chips or shavings, if they have burned away. Set grill in place. Set turkey, breast side up, on grill over drip pan. When chips have burned up, add another cup of chips (sprinkle through grill spaces, or lift grill to add shavings) to pan, about every hour.
   
   
5. Cover barbecue (open vents for charcoal) and cook turkey until thermometer registers 160 degrees -- 2½ to 3 hours. Because temperature, heat control, and size and shape of the bird all can vary, start checking doneness after 2 hours. If parts of the turkey begin to get dark before the bird is done, drape those areas with foil. Drain juices, apple and onion from turkey cavity; reserve for gravy. Transfer turkey to a large platter; let rest 15 to 30 minutes. Remove drip pan from barbecue; skim and discard fat from juices. Reserve pan juices for gravy; if burned, discard. Garnish platter with sprigs of sage and marjoram.
   
   Makes 10 to 12 servings, with leftovers.
   
   ............
   
   Serve with:
   
   ZINFANDEL GRAVY
   
   • Giblets and neck from a 16- to 18-pound turkey
   • 2 onions, quartered
   • 2 carrots, cut into chunks
   • ¾ cup sliced celery
   • 3½ cups chicken broth
   • 2 cups Zinfandel
   • 2 strips (each 3 inches) orange peel (orange part only)
   • ½ tsp pepper
   • 1/3 cup cornstarch
   • Salt
   
   Rinse giblets and neck. Reserve liver for another use. In a 5- to 6-quart pan, combine giblets, neck, onions, carrots, celery and ½ cup broth. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat 20 minutes. Uncover; cook over high heat, stirring often as liquid evaporates, until giblets and vegetables are browned, and browned bits stick to pan -- about 5 minutes. Add another ½ cup broth; stir to loosen browned bits. Repeat cooking and browning, uncovered, as directed.
   
   Add remaining broth, 1½ cups Zinfandel, peel, and pepper to pan. Cover; simmer gently over low heat 1½ to 2 hours. (If making ahead, cool, cover and chill up to 1 day. Reheat to simmering.) Add reserved turkey pan juices (if juices are burned, omit) and apple mixture from cavity; bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, 3 to 5 minutes.
   
   Pour broth mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl; reserve giblets for another use and discard remaining contents of strainer. Measure broth; if needed, add water to make 4 cups. In pan, mix cornstarch with ¼ cup water until smooth. Stir in remaining ¼ cup water until smooth. Stir in remaining ½ cup wine and broth mixture. Stir over high heat until boiling, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
   
   Makes about 4½ cups.