Ingredients:
1 15-20 lb turkey
1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
2 cups water [You can substitute 1 bottle of beer, or ale of your
choice, & enough Jack Daniels to make 2 cups liquid. This
is my substitution. Guinness Stout works well, too. At the very
least, it does not seem to hurt it, PWD]
1 cup soy sauce
2 garlic cloves
2/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp pepper
Directions:
Combine non-turkey ingredients & reserve 1 cup for basting. Pour remaining marinade into a 2 gal. resealable plastic bag. Add the turkey and seal the bag. Turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight, turning several times.
Drain and discard marinade. Heat grill to 325°. Tuck wings under turkey and place breast down on the grill. Cover and grill for 1 hour.
Add 10 briquettes to coals; turn turkey breast side up. Brush with reserved marinade.
Cover and cook for 2 hours adding 10 briquettes to maintain heat every 30 minutes until meat thermometer reads 185°. Cover and let stand 20 minutes before carving.
Yield: 8+ servings
Notes:
I have done this recipe at least once a year since 1995, sometimes twice, once at Thanksgiving and sometimes again at Christmas. It hasn't failed yet. It does need some planning though. You should anticipate using at least 10 lbs. of charcoal. And I add some soaked pieces of mesquite or hickory. If you have it, oak firewood is a good substitute/addition to the charcoal. It seems to burn hotter. The turkey requires a smoker large enough to contain it without placing it directly over the fire. At 325°, cooking takes about four hours for a 19 pound turkey. Of course, controlling the temperature on a smoker over that period is not precise, so the estimated time is just that. If the turkey finishes before the planned meal time, there is no problem. Just take it off and set it aside until time to eat.
Although the whole process needs someone committed enough to get up early in the morning on Thanksgiving/Christmas and go outside and start the cooker, the result is worth it. The skin will be crisp tender, and the meat will be moist. Trust the meat thermometer. PWD
Source:Taste of Home. October/November 1995