Smoked BBQ Turkey

Ingredients:

• 1 turkey weighing 4.5-5.5 kg, trim off excess fat, remove giblets
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 head of garlic, cut in half
• 1 medium onion, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons dry Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
• 2 tablespoons dry English mustard
• 2 tbsp. sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp. ground ginger
• 1 tbsp dried orange zest
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 cups wood chips, such as hickory or mesquite, soak in water for 30 minutes and drain

Preparation:

1. Dry the turkey thoroughly inside and out with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt and black pepper. Place the bay leaf, garlic, and onion in the cavity. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, Italian seasoning, garlic, mustard, paprika, ginger, orange zest, pumpkin pie spice, cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Grind in a spice grinder until finely ground. Rub the spice mixture all over the turkey.
2. Preheat an outdoor charcoal grill to medium-high heat, preparing both direct and indirect heat zones. Place a drip pan under the grate in the indirect heat zone of the grill.
3. Place the turkey breast-side up over the drip tray. Add 1 cup of wood chips to the coals. Cover the grill so the vents are directly above the bird. To maintain moderate smoking, add about a dozen pieces of charcoal and 1 cup of wood chips to the fire every time it dies down.
4. Rotate the turkey about every 45 minutes to prevent the side closest to the coals from burning. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F (74°C), 2.5 to 3 hours. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Before carving, remove the bay leaf, garlic, and onion from the cavity.