For quite a while, my wife, Judy, has been urging me to make turkey on the grill.

On a recent trip to Root's Country Market & Auction, I spied some great-looking boneless and skinless turkey breasts at Sensenig Poultry stand.

I picked a breast that was a little more than 2 pounds, and I asked the butcher for grilling suggestions. He told me to brine it with salt and water for at least four hours and to use a meat thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, it will be thoroughly cooked. He also said it would be OK to brine it overnight, which is what I did. A tablespoon of salt and enough water to cover the meat is all you need. Cover and refrigerate. Surprisingly, this does not make the meat salty. It simply helps to keep it moist.

After brining I patted the breast dry and applied about a tablespoon of rub. Use your favorite homemade or store-bought rub; I used one from Musser's Markets in Columbia. As far as I know, it's the store's concoction and and it doesn't have a name. You might have to ask for it at the meat counter. It looks like finely ground charcoal and it has a fantastic flavor. I also use it for pork and beef. Because turkey breast doesn't contain a lot of fat, I covered the top of the breast with bacon to help add flavor and to keep it moist. I cut bacon slices (about 1/4 pound) into 2-inch pieces and covered the top of the breast, attaching the bacon with toothpicks.

Preheat the grill to medium using all burners.

This was the first time I'd smoked a grill item from beginning to end. Normally, when I smoke, it's an item that needs to be cooked for a long period of time and two hours of smoke at the beginning is sufficient. In this case, I smoked with apple wood for the entire time, which was about two hours. It was just the right amount.

I used a handful of clippings, leaves removed, from my apple tree. I wrapped the clippings in foil, poked holes in the bottom and formed a small chimney on the top. I laid it over one of the burners. Because the wood was green when it was clipped, it did not need to be soaked.

Oil the grill grates to help prevent sticking, and adjust the the grill to only one burner. Place the meat on indirect heat and, with the grill lid down, cook for about two hours, checking occasionally. If using a meat thermometer, insert it from the side of the meat with the probe as close to the center of the thickest part of the breast. When the internal temperature is 165 degrees minimum, remove the meat from the heat and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the natural juices to redistribute.

Remove the toothpicks and set the bacon pieces aside. Using a sharp knife cut the breast at an angle, across the grain, into two 1/4-inch slices. This, served with side dishes, will easily feed four to six people. The last hour the turkey was roasting, I baked sweet potatoes. I pierced, oiled and wrapped them in foil; they were perfect. I also served a lettuce wedge, drizzled with bleu cheese dressing and sprinkled with extra bits of crumbled bleu cheese. What made these really special was that I chopped up the bacon that was grilled with the meat and sprinkled it over the lettuce wedges. The bacon was already smoked with hickory and the apple wood made it double smoked, which was not overwhelming but rather subtle.

Serve with a nice crisp Riesling or Gewurtztraminer and enjoy!

A side note: With the leftover meat I made turkey salad with onions, celery, mayonnaise and a little salt and pepper. It was great. Also, in a few of my columns I mentioned that I'd share my wood stash with those interested in smoking meat. The offer stands; email me at blcark1947@embarqmail.com and we'll make a connection.