Dickey's Hickory Smoked Turkey

Hickory Smoked Turkey

Serves 8 to 10 people
Smoking temperature: 275 degrees F
Smoking Time: 35 minutes per pound
Kindling: Hickory Chips

1 (12-pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1 small orange
12 to 15 whole cloves
1 bunch green kale, for garnish

Place the hickory chips into a pan, cover with water, set aside.

Light the smoker and wait for the temperature of the smoker to come to 275 degrees F and the coals to burn to a white color.

Rinse the turkey under cold water, and pat dry.

Lightly oil the grate with vegetable oil or vegetable oil spray. (Do not spray the vegetable oil directly onto a great over an open flame.)

Place the turkey onto the oiled grate. Add 2 handfuls of the damp chips to the smoker at the start of cooking, then add a handful every couple hours during the cooking process.

Leave the lid closed during the smoking process, or you will let the heat out. Continue smoking until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 180 degrees F. You may need to add charcoal briquettes to the fire in order to maintain the temperature in the smoker.

Serve the turkey whole on a platter lined with leafy greens. Stud an orange with the whole cloves and place it into the cavity of the turkey before serving.