[Mavpa]

Was wondering if anyone has any experience and would like to impart any wisdom or tips before I get started on this.

I'm smoking the bird Saturday AM for a 2 o'clock dinner and leaving it whole for the presentation aspect of it. I'm picking up a fresh unenhanced turkey, so I planned on brining it up Friday in a pretty simple salt and pepper brine. Gonna hit it with the EVOO and a little rub before loading it in and smoking it on a mix of Pecan and Apple.

Previously, when I did this on a side by side, I put some seasoned butter under the skin and it worked well, but I heard something on here about putting corn starch in there to reduce some of the fat. The butter turned out pretty well, so I was wondering if anyone could really speak to the benefits of the corn starch enough to change my mind.

I like the idea of putting an onion, apple and lemon on the cavity to get some flavor going from inside, and I'll still probably inject some seasoned veggie stock a few times just to work some more flavor it.

I had it wrapped in a cheese cloth for probably the first hour last time, but that was on a side by side where I had a hard time keeping the temperature under control and was afraid of burning the skin... you think that's a concern on the BWS?

Finally... I saw a good write up on the gravy you can make out of the dripping pan, so I was gonna throw on foil one in there a few racks below the turkey to collect it... you think I need water in there at all to keep it from just being burnt? I planned on leaving it dry and only filling up the big pan with water.

Thanks for any advice!