Brine Recipe:

4qts water
2C Diamond Kosher (I used pickling salt equiv by weight)
2C sugar
2 red bell peppersm roasted black, peeled & diced
1 medium onion sliced
10 cloves garlic
5 stalks of celery
handful of celery leaves
1/4C Whole peppercorns, lightly toasted
3T Dry Basil leaves
3T Dry Oregano Leaves
2T Dry Thyme
8 Bay Leaves
1T gr white pepper
4T Zatarain's Crab Boil

Rub Recipe:

1/4 C Paprika and/or red mild ground chiles
1/4 C Turbinado sugar
2 T Black pepper, coarsely ground
1 T Basil, dried
1.5 T granulated Garlic
1 T Onion powder
2 tsp Oregano, dried
2 tsp Cayenne pepper
2 tsp White pepper
2 tsp Thyme, dried

Bring everything together in 2 qts of water, simmer 1 hour covered, mash veggies some with a potato masher, simmer another hour or so until the veggies look fairly spent.
Cool, add 2 qts cold water, once below 40ºF add skinned turkey and brine for 36 hours. Blot dry, apply salt, air dry an hour or so, lightly coat with oil. Apply light sprinkle of rub, get smoker going.

Smoke at 250ºF until done.


Brine put together:




Brine after simmer: