Learn how to grill a turkey this Thanksgiving to save oven space, avoid dry meat, and add a delicious smoky flavor.
If you're tired of eating dried-out oven-roasted turkey every year, or you simply need to free up more space in your oven, you might want to try using your grill to barbecue a bird this Thanksgiving. It's easier than you may think—and if the weather is warm, you may just convince the men in your family to take care of the entrée while you prepare the meal inside!
- Prepare the turkey. First, remove and discard the giblets and neck from the body cavity. These are the internal parts, usually packaged in a mesh sack. Thaw the turkey completely, preferably in the refrigerator for several days, and dry it thoroughly, inside and out. Next, grasp a wing and twist it back so that it is folded over the neck. Repeat with the opposite wing to hold the neck skin in place. Tuck the legs underneath, if they aren't already. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the entire turkey with vegetable oil to keep the skin from drying out and to lock in the juices. Now, it's ready for the grill!
- Prepare the grill. If you have a charcoal grill, stack charcoal briquettes along the left and right sides of your grill, douse them with lighter fluid, light them, and let them heat until they look white and ashy. Do not put them in the center of your grill. Since the turkey will cook for several hours, you will want to use indirect heat and will likely need to replenish your supply of briquettes periodically during cooking. Open the vents on your grill and leave them open for the duration of the cooking time.
If you have a gas grill, turn the burners on one side to high and let them burn for about ten minutes. Next, reduce the heat until the grill thermometer registers around 350 degrees. Again, you want to use just one set of burners to avoid burning the bottom of the turkey while the top remains uncooked. Halfway through the cooking time, turn the turkey around so that the other side receives an equal amount of heat.
To add a subtle flavor, try scattering apple or hickory chips around the briquettes or burners on your grill for a smoky accent. Keep an eye on your turkey while it cooks, checking for flare-ups. A flare-up occurs when fat drips onto the grate and causes a flame to shoot up, which can burn the turkey. You can douse flare-ups with a quick squirt from a spray bottle of water, and you can reduce the chance of them occurring by placing a drip pan underneath your turkey. This will also collect juices that drip, which you can use to make gravy later if you like. - Cook that turkey! Carefully place your turkey on the grill with the breast side (the smooth, rounded side) up. Tuck the legs back under, if necessary. Check to make sure that there is space on each side and above it so that heat can circulate freely, and make sure that the grill cover has room to close completely.
- Don't overcook it! Most turkeys will cook on a grill in three hours or less. For the meat to be safe to eat, the internal temperature must reach 165 degrees before it is removed from the grill. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the breast at least one inch deep, making sure it is not touching a bone, which heats faster than the meat. Once your turkey reaches the proper temperature, remove it from the grill and let it stand for about fifteen minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute into the meat and makes it much easier to carve.
When you carry your turkey to the table, be ready for the oohs and aahs that such a delicious entrée will elicit. Most importantly, make sure to look suitably worn out when everyone asks for the recipe—with any luck, it'll get you out of clean-up duty!
How to Barbecue a Turkey
Learn how to grill a turkey this Thanksgiving to save oven space, avoid dry meat, and add a delicious smoky flavor.
If you're tired of eating dried-out oven-roasted turkey every year, or you simply need to free up more space in your oven, you might want to try using your grill to barbecue a bird this Thanksgiving. It's easier than you may think—and if the weather is warm, you may just convince the men in your family to take care of the entree while you prepare the meal inside!
- Prepare the turkey. First, remove and discard the giblets and neck from the body cavity. These are the internal parts, usually packaged in a mesh sack. Thaw the turkey completely, preferably in the refrigerator for several days, and dry it thoroughly, inside and out. Next, grasp a wing and twist it back so that it is folded over the neck. Repeat with the opposite wing to hold the neck skin in place. Tuck the legs underneath, if they aren't already. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the entire turkey with vegetable oil to keep the skin from drying out and to lock in the juices. Now, it's ready for the grill!
- Prepare the grill. If you have a charcoal grill, stack charcoal briquettes along the left and right sides of your grill, douse them with lighter fluid, light them, and let them heat until they look white and ashy. Do not put them in the center of your grill. Since the turkey will cook for several hours, you will want to use indirect heat and will likely need to replenish your supply of briquettes periodically during cooking. Open the vents on your grill and leave them open for the duration of the cooking time.
If you have a gas grill, turn the burners on one side to high and let them burn for about ten minutes. Next, reduce the heat until the grill thermometer registers around 350 degrees. Again, you want to use just one set of burners to avoid burning the bottom of the turkey while the top remains uncooked. Halfway through the cooking time, turn the turkey around so that the other side receives an equal amount of heat.
To add a subtle flavor, try scattering apple or hickory chips around the briquettes or burners on your grill for a smoky accent. Keep an eye on your turkey while it cooks, checking for flare-ups. A flare-up occurs when fat drips onto the grate and causes a flame to shoot up, which can burn the turkey. You can douse flare-ups with a quick squirt from a spray bottle of water, and you can reduce the chance of them occurring by placing a drip pan underneath your turkey. This will also collect juices that drip, which you can use to make gravy later if you like. - Cook that turkey! Carefully place your turkey on the grill with the breast side (the smooth, rounded side) up. Tuck the legs back under, if necessary. Check to make sure that there is space on each side and above it so that heat can circulate freely, and make sure that the grill cover has room to close completely.
- Don't overcook it! Most turkeys will cook on a grill in three hours or less. For the meat to be safe to eat, the internal temperature must reach 165 degrees before it is removed from the grill. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the breast at least one inch deep, making sure it is not touching a bone, which heats faster than the meat. Once your turkey reaches the proper temperature, remove it from the grill and let it stand for about fifteen minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute into the meat and makes it much easier to carve.
When you carry your turkey to the table, be ready for the oohs and aahs that such a delicious entree will elicit. Most importantly, make sure to look suitably worn out when everyone asks for the recipe—with any luck, it'll get you out of clean-up duty!
How to Barbecue a Turkey
By Howtodotips
Learn how to grill a turkey this Thanksgiving to save oven space, avoid dry meat, and add a delicious smoky flavor.