When most families think of holiday cooking, they typically picture baked goods and time spent in the kitchen near the oven. This year, you can take your seasonal meal prep outdoors with cooking methods often overlooked during the winter: grilling and smoking.

As one of the most popular dishes during the holidays, turkey is an easy way start creating festive flavors using a grill or smoker. To help keep your bird tasty and juicy, this Art of the Turkey Brine requires just a few simple ingredients before transferring the turkey to the grill. Pair it with this Sweet 'n' Savory Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing that combines a soft, familiar interior with crispy edges.

If you're aiming to create dishes like these in your own backyard this season, head to a destination like Ace Hardware for all your grilling essentials and holiday inspiration. With 72% of U.S. households located within 15 minutes of an Ace store and products from Big Green Egg, Traeger and Weber all under one roof, it's a helpful place to take your holiday meals to the next level.

Find more ideas to change the way you think about holiday cooking at acehardware.com.

Art of the Turkey Brine

Recipe courtesy of chef Jason K. Morse of 5280 Culinary and Ace Hardware

Ingredients

• 1/3 package 5280 Culinary Brine mix

• 2 quarts water, plus additional for cooling and covering turkey, divided

• ice

• 6-8 pounds turkey breast with rib cage, cleaned

• 1 5-gallon Ace Hardware bucket and lid

Instructions

1. In pan, mix brine with water. Heat to high 5 minutes to dissolve sugar and salt.

2. Cool brine mixture; add ice water and mix well.

3. Place turkey in bucket and cover with water and brine. Place bucket in refrigerator or cooler.

4. Brine 45 minutes per pound.

5. Remove turkey from brine.

6. Heat wood fire grill to 350 F.

7. Cook turkey 20 minutes then turn temperature to 275 F. Cook 1 hour, 40 minutes until internal temperature reaches 170 F.

8. Allow turkey to rest about 15 minutes prior to carving to allow juices to settle.

Sweet 'n' Savory Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing

Recipe courtesy of chef Jason K. Morse of 5280 Culinary and Ace Hardware

Ingredients

• 1 package cornbread

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, ground

• 1/2 cup carrots, peeled and diced

• 1/2 cup celery with leaves, diced

• 1/2 cup yellow onion, peeled and diced

• 1/4 cup dried blueberries

• 1/2 cup dried apples

• 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, crushed

• barbecue rub

• 1-2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

• nonstick cooking spray

Instructions

1. Cook cornbread according to package instructions; allow to cool. Leave uncovered and let dry 1 day. Break into medium pieces.

2. Heat wood fire grill to 350 F.

3. Heat medium skillet and add sausage. Cook until half done and fat is rendered.

4. Add carrots, celery, onion, blueberries, apples and garlic. Saute until caramelized. Add cornbread pieces and stir to combine. Add chicken stock until slightly wet or pasty; stir well to combine.

5. Season, to taste, with barbecue rub and transfer stuffing from skillet to pan lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

6. Grill, uncovered, 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Internal temperature should reach 155 F when fully cooked.