Barbecue Spice – Brined Grilled Turkey

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons hot smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried savory
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup (packed) plus 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ½ cup kosher salt
• 1 12–14-pound turkey, halved (backbone removed, breastbone split)
• Vegetable oil (for grill)

Special Equipment

• A disposable foil pan and 1 cup wood chips soaked in water at least 1 hour (optional); oven thermometer

Recipe Preparation

Mix paprika, savory, cumin, mustard powder, cayenne, and ¼ cup brown sugar in a small bowl. Transfer 3 tbsp. of the spice mixture to a medium bowl; mix in salt and remaining 3 tbsp. brown sugar. Set the remaining mixture aside for the next day. Cover turkey with the dry brine, packing on until you’ve used it all. Chill on a rimmed baking sheet uncovered for 8–12 hours.

Thoroughly rinse turkey to remove brine; pat dry. Rub with the reserved spice mixture and let sit 2 hours to bring to room temperature.

Prepare grill for medium-high, indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off) and lightly oil grates. If using wood chips: scatter over coals for a charcoal grill, or place in a disposable foil pan set over a lit burner for a gas grill.

Place turkey skin side up over indirect heat, breast halves facing each other, with legs closest to direct heat. Place oven thermometer in the center of the indirect heat zone; cover. Grill 20 minutes, then rotate halves so the neck end is closest to the coals. Check the temperature inside the grill — the thermometer should register 325°F (open or close vents as needed). Continue to grill, checking for doneness after 20 minutes, then every 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 150°F, about 1 hour total.

If desired, carefully move turkey over direct heat and turn skin side down. Grill to lightly char the skin, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

– Source: Bon Appétit, Recipe by Claire Saffitz, Photos by Christopher Testani