The way I do T-day birds is give the bird a good washing.
I will throw in a dry clean cooler with a brine. Remember that the brine works as a vehicle to introduce flavor that deep penetrate the muscle tissue. This is an important step for adding seasoning.
1 cup of sea or kosher salt to 1 gallon of ice water.
1 gallon of veggie stock ( can make by just adding rough chopped onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, leeks and any other root vegetable, salt and pepper)
4 sage leaves
4 crushed garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
one onion quartered
2 sprigs each of rosemary and oregano
1 orange halved and squeezed
1 apple
2 tbsp pepper
Baste and injection solution.
In a sauce pot pour in a couple tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Toss in the giblets and cook till browned. Add to that 1 chopped onion and saute for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Add 2 cloves chopped garlic and saute another couple minutes or till soft and fragrant. Pour in 1/2 cup of orange liquor (cheap triple sec is fine) Be sure to do away from flame as it should flame up when back on stove and burn out the alcohol or just light it. That step can be omitted if ya like and just add one cup of white which is trhe next step. Scrape the bottom of the pan after adding wine. A substitue to triple sec and wine both is to just use orange juice. Add 1 tbsp salt and 2 tsp pepper, 1 bay leaf and than add 4 cups of chicken stock. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours.
After liquid cools, strain. Discard giblets or save them for gravy.
Soften a stick of butter and mix in one tbsp of rubbed sage and 1 tsp of rosemary. Rub the entire outside of bird with the butter mixture.
Stuff the bird with large chopped onion, carrot, celery and apple.
Place the turkey in the smoker over a drip pan. Bird is done when you can shake hands with it, meaning when the leg feels loose in the socket.
Save the dripping for cornbread dressing.
For a southern kick add cayenne to the butter rub and crystal hot sauce to the brine.
For a southwesten flavor add cumin to the butter and add cumin and chile powder (homemade rocks) to the brine. Add some tapatio or cholula to the brine. And add chipotles to the aromatics stuffed in the cavity.
