First, the turkey only took about 3 hours total. The prep is super simple. The ingredients are all things you most likely have on hand.
Second, it has SO much flavor. Super smoky and delicious. The skin is ridiculously crispy and irresistible, just like it is when you roast it in the oven. And! You can still make gravy with the drippings. You can even make the gravy right on the grill if you’d like!
I like to stuff the turkey with some onions and lemons and herbs – all of the aromatics for increased flavor. I don’t stuff the bird with stuffing on the grill (though guess what? An incredible grilled stuffing (!!!) recipe is coming up next!), but I do fill the pan with a bit of stock and more aromatics.
Also! The key is to use a disposable roasting pan and double it up. This prevents your quality roasting pan from discoloring and warping on the grill and it makes clean-up easy on the holiday when you have the most dishes!
Cooking a turkey on a barbecue grill is a fantastic way to free up oven space and infuse delicious smoky flavor into your holiday bird. With some simple preparation and monitoring, you can grill a juicy, tender turkey that will be the star of your Thanksgiving table.
Getting Started
When grilling a turkey, preparation is key. Here are some tips before getting started
- Choose a 12-15 lb turkey. Too large and it won’t cook evenly. Too small and it will dry out.
- Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavities. Rinse the turkey and pat dry.
- Tuck the wings under the bird and tie the legs together with butcher twine to maintain shape on the grill.
- Allow 1-2 hours for prep, brining and seasoning before grilling.
Frequency of Entities:
- Turkey: 7
- Grill: 5
- Oven: 2
- Brine: 1
- Season: 1
Brining and Seasoning
For optimal moisture and flavor, I recommend brining your turkey before grilling Here is a simple brine recipe
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Herbs and spices like garlic, rosemary, thyme
Combine the brine ingredients in a very large pot or clean bucket. Submerge the turkey and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. Remove the turkey and pat dry.
Next, coat the turkey with olive oil and generously season the cavity and skin with salt, pepper and your choice of herbs. Stuff the cavity with halved lemons, onions and garlic for even more flavor.
Frequency of Entities:
- Brine: 3
- Turkey: 3
- Herbs: 2
- Season: 2
- Lemon: 1
- Onion: 1
- Garlic: 1
Setting Up the Grill
The key to evenly cooked turkey is indirect heat. To set up your gas or charcoal grill:
- For gas, turn one burner to low heat. For charcoal, bank hot coals to one side.
- Place a drip pan on the cool side and a V-rack on the hot side.
- Use a digital thermometer with a grate clip to monitor the temperature, keeping it 325-350°F.
The turkey will go over the drip pan, absorbing smoky flavor from the hot zone without burning.
Frequency of Entities:
- Grill: 3
- Turkey: 1
- Temperature: 1
Grilling Time
Figure 15-20 minutes per pound for a 12-15 lb turkey. Maintain the grill at 325-350°F and rotate the turkey every 45 minutes.
Monitor the thickest part of the breast and thigh for doneness. Turkey is safe to eat once it reaches 165°F. For the juiciest meat, I cook to 175°F breast and 180°F thigh.
If the skin is browning too quickly, tent foil over the breast and legs. Remove it toward the end for crispy skin.
Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Frequency of Entities:
- Turkey: 5
- Temperature: 4
- Grill: 2
- Breast: 2
- Thigh: 2
- Skin: 2
- Foil: 1
- Carve: 1
Safety Tips
Follow these tips for safe grilling:
- Always use a meat thermometer to check temperature. Color is not indicative of doneness.
- Maintain a clean grill surface and tools. Scrub before and after use.
- Never let raw turkey touch cooked foods. Use separate plates and utensils.
Refrigerate all leftovers within 2 hours. Reheat fully to 165°F.
Frequency of Entities:
- Turkey: 2
- Thermometer: 2
- Temperature: 2
- Grill: 2
- Leftover: 1
Making Gravy
Save the turkey drippings to make gravy on the grill.
- Place a drip pan under the turkey to collect drippings.
- Remove turkey and drippings when done. Place pan over direct heat.
- Whisk in flour, scraping up browned bits. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and simmer until thickened.
Delicious smoky gravy, ready in minutes!
Grilled Turkey Perfection
Grilling turkey requires a little extra prep but delivers incredible results. Brining, seasoning under and inside the skin, and maintaining indirect heat results in a moisture-rich, smoky bird everyone will rave about. Use these tips for your best grilled turkey yet!
IT FREES UP YOUR OVEN SPACE!
Oh yes. On a day where you have a million dishes going at once, we’ve just eliminated the one that tends to take the most time. This way, you can have space to make sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, brussels gratin, kale gratin and homemade parker house rolls. Even all at once!
Grilling your turkey is a must at this point.
It seriously blows my mind how effortless this is. I do recommend checking on the bird every 20 to 30 minutes, as well as your grill, to make sure you don’t run out of propane. But if you start with a full tank, you’ll be golden! And you’ll just be dyyying over how incredible the turkey looks and smells and tastes.
In my kitchen gift guide earlier this week, I shared my Weber Genesis II E315 grill. Sure, I know it doesn’t go IN your kitchen, but it has become my outdoor kitchen. If you follow along on instagram, you know that we grill ALL THE THINGS and this grill is perfect. It’s easy to use and makes the process work seamlessly.
It would make such a fantastic gift for the holiday season! Especially because The Home Depot is offering free delivery for online grill orders and free assembly for in-store grill purchases! Go go go grab the Weber Genesis II E315!
Now go make all the plans for this beautiful bird to appear on your table.
Best Grilled Turkey Recipe
How to Grill a Turkey | Weber Grills
FAQ
Can you cook a turkey on a gas BBQ grill?
Do you cover a turkey with foil on the grill?
How many hours does it take to barbecue a turkey?
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Weight
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Unstuffed
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10 – 12 lbs (4.5 – 5.5 kg)
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1 ½ – 2 ¼ hours
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12 – 16 lbs (5.5 – 7.0 kg)
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2 – 2 ¾ hours
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16 – 20 lbs (7.0 – 9.0 kg)
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2 ½ – 3 ¼ hours
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20 – 24 lbs (9.0 – 10.9 kg)
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3 ¾ – 4 ½ hours
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What’s the best way to cook a turkey on a charcoal grill?