Honey Brined Smoked Turkey

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2004

Show: Food Network SpecialsEpisode: All Star Thanksgiving

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (153)

Cook Time:
4 hr 0 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
10 to 12 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 13 min
Cook: 4 hr 0 min
Total:: 4 hr 28 min

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Ingredients

1 gallon hot water
1 pound kosher salt
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 pound honey
1 (7-pound) bag of ice
1 (15 to 20-pound) turkey, with giblets removed
Vegetable oil, for rubbing turkey

Directions

Combine the hot water and the salt in a 54-quart cooler. Stir until the salt dissolves. Stir in the vegetable broth and the honey. Add the ice and stir. Place the turkey in the brine, breast side up, and cover with cooler lid.. Brine overnight, up to 12 hours.

Remove the turkey from the brine and dry thoroughly. Rub the bird thoroughly with the vegetable oil.

Heat the grill to 400 degrees F.

Using a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil, build a smoke bomb. Place a cup of hickory wood chips in the center of the foil and gather up the edges, making a small pouch. Leave the pouch open at the top. Set this directly on the charcoal or on the metal bar over the gas flame. Set the turkey over indirect heat, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat, and set the alarm for 160 degrees F. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour check the bird; if the skin is golden brown, cover with aluminum foil and continue cooking. Also, after 1 hour, replace wood chips with second cup.

Once the bird reaches 160 degrees F, remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 1 hour. Carve and serve.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Honey Brined Smoked Turkey
cheryl warner robins, GA 11-08-2009
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best turkey i have ever served!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

i love altons recipes because he is a southern cook like me.(paula too!) i tried this brine a couple of years ago and couldnt... believe how moist and tender it was. THE COLOR WAS BEAUTIFUL TOO.this now my go to never fail turkey recipe don"t hesitate to try it,you'll be so glad you did!Read more
recipe Honey Brined Smoked Turkey
Beverly Hampton, VA 10-22-2009
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MY FIRST REVIEW
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I had a frozen turkey for 10 months. Thought nothing would save it; but, I thought of this recipe. I brined the turkey. ... Didn't have vegetable broth, so I added some grated carrot, onion, and celery leaves to the hot water and used chicken broth instead. I didn't have my smoker with me; so, I stuffed the turkey with a filling and roasted it in the oven. Tented with foil until almost finished. Then removed the foil to brown. I didn't season the cavity like I normally do, just put on the vegetable oil. WOW!! The turkey was very flavorable and seasoned just right. The white meat was very moist. From now on, I will always brine the turkey, even if I don't smoke it. Read more
recipe Honey Brined Smoked Turkey
Tracy McDonough, GA 05-19-2009
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The only turkey we make
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

We saw the show in 2004 and decided to try this brine, we did make a small change and we add lemons and oranges to the brine... (just squeeze them and throw the whole thing in the mix). Instead of using a gas grill we use our smoker so the cooking time is a bit longer but this is the most delicious turkey you will ever eat. We love it so much that we don't just have it for Thanksgiving we also cook it at least 2 other times during the year.Read more
recipe Honey Brined Smoked Turkey
Michael Lilbourn, MO 01-09-2009
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brine not worth the trouble
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I do love smoked turkey and the turkey itself came out fine but I thought the brine was rather worthless. I did not think it... had a strong enough taste to compete with long term smoking so I would recommend finding a different turkey brineRead more
recipe Honey Brined Smoked Turkey
Brad Austin, TX 01-05-2009
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No more Dark Meat for ME!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

All I can say is WoW! Alton Brown gave me back Holiday Turkey! We used a 9 lb (bone in) breast for our Christmas Dinner.... Reduced the brine by half and added a little more water to cover the breast. 12 hours later I fired up my wood smoker and installed the bird. 2 hours later my digital thermometer reads 163 and I removed. The best Turkey I have ever experienced! It even beat the smoked Turkey from "The Salt Lick". ( Nationally known BarbQue ) Only one complaint from a reactionary guest : "Too moist" He can eat somewhere else next year! In fact, it was so good we will actually make Turkey some times OTHER then the Holidays. Thanks Alton! Read more
recipe Honey Brined Smoked Turkey
Samantha Milaca, MN 12-29-2008
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Excellent!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I don't grill the turkey, I just use the brine recipe and it turns out everytime! AB never disappoints!