Thanksgiving Turkey - Recipe

Difficulty:  Easy
Prep Time:  30-60 minutes
Cook Time:  Depending on temp you cook at, expect anywhere from 20-30 minutes per pound.
Smoker Temp:  225 - 250 F
Meat Finish Temp:  170 F


Ingredients 
2 quarts Apple Juice (you can use more or less if you'd like, you'll be diluting with water)
Rosemary
Thyme
1-2 Bay Leaves
3/4 cup of salt
15 lb Turkey
Grillmates Applewood Rub
Apple smoking chunks

Prep - Brine the Turkey
The night before, or at least 6 hours before the cook you will want to brine the turkey.  For this I used the ingredients above and put the bird in a food save bucket.  I used a 5 gallon water cooler, some use a 5 gallon bucket from the hardware store, but beware as these buckets aren't food safe.  I put the turkey in the water cooler and first poured in the Apple juice.  After that I added the spices (rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and salt) to get a thin layer at the top, when you've added all 3 spices you want it to look like you've just fed goldfish.  Then you'll want to stir in the spices and fill the bucket up with water until the turkey is fully immersed.  At this time I added ice to the cooler to keep the bird cool.  The water cooler wasn't going to fit in the fridge, so with it sitting out for a period of time you'll want to ensure the bird stays cool.

Prep - Seasoning the Turkey
Before seasoning the turkey be sure to take it out of the water cooler and place it in the sink.  Run the turkey under cold water to clean off any spices that may be stuck to the bird and then pat dry.  When rinsed and dried you are ready to apply rub.

I used the Grillmates Applewood rub.  I thought maybe it would be too much apple, with the apple juice, apple smoking chunks and apple rub, but it wasn't at all and the flavor was really good.  To season the turkey make sure you pour it on evenly on the bird.  The rub should stick pretty well to the bird, but if you find its not you can use your hands and get dirty and rub it in there.  (Faux Pas?)  It is recommended to season the turkey before starting the grill.  This allows the flavors to work its way through the turkey and sit for 15-30 minutes while you bring the grill up to temperature.

Cook
I didn't do this, but some like to take a flavored melted butter and let it drip over the turkey a couple times throughout the cook.  This is to again keep the bird moist throughout the cook.  I don't think this step is "needed", but I'm sure the bird tastes pretty good with it.

Check the temp of your bird a couple of times to check on progress.  If your bird comes with a pop up thermometer, please do not trust that. Use your thermometer and be on the safe side!

Post-Cook
It is important to let the bird sit 20-30 minutes after pulling it off the grill before carving.  This will allow the moisture to reabsorb and keep your bird moist.  These birds hold heat, so even after 30 minutes, you can expect that the meat might still be steaming when you cut into it, so be careful.  If it's not no worry, that's why they made gravy, if you're into that kind of thing.

Slice and enjoy!  Happy Thanksgiving!