The tangy-sweet Cranberry Syrup contrasts nicely with the rich smokiness of the bird. Smoking a turkey takes some of the burden off your stove, but you need to keep a few important points in mind. First, the turkey has to marinate for eight hours, so start it a day before serving. Next, while the turkey is smoking, you must closely monitor the grill to make sure the coals burn steadily, with continuous smoke. Finally, you should never stuff a turkey before smoking it, because the temperature inside the grill is less stable than in an oven.
To prepare turkey, remove and discard giblets and neck. Rinse turkey with cold water, and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Lift wing tips up and over back, and tuck under turkey. Place turkey on a jelly-roll pan. Combine the brown sugar and the next 7 ingredients (brown sugar through coriander). Rub seasoning mixture over and under skin. Cover turkey with plastic wrap; refrigerate 8 hours.
Soak wood chunks in water 1 hour, and drain well. Place a large, disposable aluminum-foil pan in center of bottom grill rack. Place 25 charcoal briquettes on each side of the pan; ignite briquettes. Place wood chunks over hot coals. Coat top grill rack with cooking spray; place over foil pan and hot coals. Uncover the turkey; remove from jelly-roll pan. Place on top rack over aluminum-foil pan. Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Cover and smoke turkey 2 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180°, adding 8 additional briquettes to each side of drip pan every hour. (Cover the turkey loosely with foil if it becomes too brown. Turkey will be a deep mahogany brown when done.) Discard skin. Serve with Roasted-Pear Stuffing and Cranberry Syrup.
NOTE: Try to resist checking the turkey too often. Lifting the grill lid decreases the temperature significantly.
Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2000
Yukon gold potatoes taste richer and whip up creamier than russets, but you can use either variety.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Remove white papery skin from garlic heads (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap each head separately in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.
Place potato and onion in a saucepan; cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Combine garlic, potato mixture, 1/4 cup cooking liquid, and remaining ingredients; mash with a potato masher.
Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2000
Photo by: Randy Mayor
Cook beans in boiling water 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse with cold water; drain and pat dry.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in pan; crumble bacon, and set aside. Add onions to drippings in pan; cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sugar and thyme; cook for 3 minutes or until onions are golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add the beans; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add vinegar, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Stir in crumbled bacon just before serving.
Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2000
Combine boiling water and sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl; let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and chop.
Preheat oven to 425°.
Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine all-purpose flour and next 7 ingredients (all-purpose flour through pepper) in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. (Flour mixture and butter can also be combined in a food processor; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.) Add tomatoes and buttermilk; stir just until moist.
Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface; knead lightly 5 times. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until golden.
Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2000
One way to serve these tassies (miniature tarts) during the holidays is on a dessert bar, with an assortment of winter fruits and hot drinks.
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare pastry, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and dash of salt in a small bowl. Combine cream cheese, butter, and milk in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until blended (mixture will be crumbly). Press flour mixture into a ball.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 3 to 4 times. Divide dough into 24 portions. Place 1 dough portion into each of 24 miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Press dough into bottom and up sides of cups, using lightly floured fingers.
To prepare filling, divide pecans evenly among muffin cups. Combine brown sugar and remaining ingredients; spoon about 2 teaspoons filling over pecans in each muffin cup.
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until pastry is lightly browned and filling is puffy. Cool in cups for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around outside edge of each tassie; remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2000
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A Seasonal Thanksgiving Menu
