Smoked Turkey with Apple Stuffing

1. Thaw turkey if frozen. Cover wood chips with water and soak for at least 1 hour before grilling. (For gas grills, follow manufacturer's directions for using wood chips.) Rinse turkey; pat dry with paper towels. Rub skin of turkey with oil. Skewer neck skin to back. Twist wing tips under back. Tuck ends of drumsticks under band of skin across tail, or tie drumsticks to tail.

2. Drain wood. In a covered grill, arrange medium-hot coals around sides of grill. Test for medium heat where turkey will cook. Sprinkle about 1 cup of the wood chips onto hot coals. Insert a meat thermometer into thickest part of turkey, without touching bone. Place turkey over drip pan. Cover and grill for 1-3/4 hours; cut band of skin or string between drumsticks so thighs cook evenly. Cover and grill for 1 to 1-3/4 hours more or until drumsticks move easily in their socket and turkey is no longer pink (180° degrees F).

3. Or, preheat gas grill. Adjust heat for indirect cooking. Test for medium heat where turkey will cook. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan; set the pan on the grill rack over unlit burner. Cover and grill as above.

4. Meanwhile, for stuffing, combine bread cubes, apple, almonds or hazelnuts, green onion, apple juice, melted butter, and thyme in a large bowl. Tear off two 24x18-inch pieces of heavy foil. Divide mixture in half. Spoon stuffing down the center of each piece of foil. Bring up two opposite edges of foil and seal with a double fold. Fold in remaining ends to completely enclose the stuffing, leaving space for steam to build.

5. Place foil packets directly over medium-hot coals, and grill for the last 20 minutes of turkey grilling time or until stuffing is heated through.

6. For glaze, combine apple jelly, water, and ground ginger in a small saucepan. Cook and stir until jelly is melted. Set aside and brush glaze on turkey the last 15 minutes of grilling.

7. Remove turkey from grill, and cover with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with stuffing. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Smoker Method:

Use 10 to 12 wood chunks in place of chips. Prepare turkey as above. In a smoker arrange preheated coals, half of the drained wood chunks, and the water pan according to the manufacturer's directions. Pour water into pan. Place turkey, breast side-up, on grill rack over water pan. Cover and smoke about 5 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees F. Add coals, wood chunks, and water as needed. Cut string between legs after about 3-1/2 hours of smoke cooking. Prepare stuffing as above but place in a covered casserole. Bake in a 350 degrees F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until heated through.

Turkey Breast Option:

Place a 2 to 2-1/2-pound bone-in turkey breast half on a rack in a roasting pan. Place the pan on grill rack not directly over coals. Cover and grill for 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours or until thermometer in meat registers 170 degrees F, brushing with glaze the last 15 minutes. Add coals and wood chips every 30 minutes or as necessary to maintain medium heat. Prepare 1/2 of the stuffing recipe and heat over coals the last 20 minutes of grilling. Makes 8 servings.