Wild In The Kitchen: Perfect Apple Smoked Wild Turkey

Are you looking for a break from frying that wild turkey? I tried this last year, and it was incredible. Brining makes the turkey juicy. The stuffing makes the turkey incredibly flavorful.

1 large turkey, brined
1 red apple, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 red onion, quartered
6 red potatoes, quartered
3 large carrots, chopped
5 large garlic cloves, shaved
zest from one orange
Vegetable oil

Make brine by mixing 3 cups kosher salt to 3 gallons of water. Brine turkey in 5-gallon bucket for 24 hours. Remove and pat dry. Mix all the above ingredients in bowl. Stuff the turkey with this mixture.  Rub the outside of the turkey with vegetable oil. Build fire in smoker using apple wood, and set to 225 degrees. Place turkey on a rack with an aluminum half pan below to catch drippings. Smoke turkey with indirect heat for about 3 hours. A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees. Test with thermometer on the inner thighs.