Instructions: Want to smoke a turkey at home? You have a couple of options.

You can do a quick smoke cook for the flavor in a covered grill. Use indirect heat and add wood chips periodically to the fire. (Or wrap soaked chips in foil packets, poke some holes in the foil, and place the packets on the grill rack next to the turkey.)

Indirect heat simply means that the burning coals are banked on either side of the grill with a drip pan separating them; the turkey is placed over the drip pan. Buy a turkey small enough to fit in your grill; 14 or 15 pounds will fit in a standard Weber kettle-type grill.

For the real thing, you need a smoker. They usually have a water pan that uses steam to keep the inside temperature low and even. This keeps the turkey moist as it absorbs the flavor of the smoke.

Many people brine a turkey before smoking it. Use your favorite brine recipe, or soak turkey in a cool place for 4 to 6 hours in a solution of 2 cups kosher salt (or 1 cup table salt) to 1 gallon of cold water. After turkey is brined, rinse and pat dry, then refrigerate overnight, uncovered, to dry.

Start a charcoal fire according to directions for your smoker. Put water in water pan and place turkey onto cooking rack. Smoke at 170 to 200 degrees for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 180 degrees.

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