Instructions
- Remove any neck or giblets that came with the turkey (save the neck and backbone for making stock!).
- Place the turkey, breast side down, on a solid work surface, and use kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone.
- Open the cavity and make a cut in the breastbone of the turkey and use your hands to spread the turkey open so it lies flat.
- Put the turkey on a sheet pan fitted with a wire rack and season the turkey on all sides with the salt. You should use about ½ tsp of salt per pound of turkey (there are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon).
- Place the turkey in the refrigerator, uncovered, to brine overnight.
- Prepare the grill for Indirect Medium Heat cooking, 375°–400°F and place a smoker box filled with apple wood chips over one of the lit burners if you’d like. Preheat for at least 15 minutes and brush the grill grates clean.
- Prepare the grill for Indirect Medium Heat cooking, 375°–425°F and place a few chunks of apple wood on the coals if you’d like. Preheat for at least 15 minutes and brush the grill grates clean.
- Set the grill to 400°F. Preheat for at least 15 minutes and brush the grill grates clean.
- Add the butter, herbs, and garlic to a grill-safe pan.
- Place the turkey and butter pan on the indirect side of the grill.
- After 30 minutes, baste the turkey with the butter every 15 minutes, until the internal temperature, when measured at the breast, reaches 150°F (See recipe tips below). This will take about 1 hour 15 minutes for a 12-pound turkey.
- Remove the turkey from the grill and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
