We’ve been cooking whole turkey on the grill for years. In fact, I learned how from my Dad, Larry Adams back in the 70’s. Since he didn’t have a blog, I guess it’s up to me to post this for the world to see.
Go to the store and buy the turkey a few days in advance (or better yet, raise your own!). Make sure it’s thawed well before putting it on the grill. The one pictured below is about 20 pounds. Try to get one that is broad-chested, but not too “tall”. That way the grill cover will definitely close without touching the turkey.
Now, rub the oil all over the bird. Add more oil if necessary. Keep rubbing until you start getting excited. Then rub some more! Just remember to stop when it’s thoroughly covered.
Add the seasoning of your choice. No need for very much seasoning – this cooking method brings out the awesome flavor of the turkey. A little Sea Salt and maybe Garlic Salt and some Pepper should be sufficient.
The Weber Grill allows you to close the vents and choke the coals out when you’re finished cooking. That allows you to recycle charcoal. Leftover charcoal stays dry even in the worst weather with the lid on and vents closed.
Add the “used” charcoal to the bottom of the chimney. Then fill it up with new charcoal.
Crumple up a couple full newspaper pieces and put them in the bottom of the chimney.
Now go pour the beverage of your choice and relax. The coals should be ready in about 25 to 30 minutes depending on wind and humidity. You know the coals are ready when the top pieces get a little gray on them. I think I let this one go a little too long (it was a good beverage!), so I had to add a few fresh charcoal briquettes to the top to compensate.
Now set the chimney aside for a minute and prepare the grill. Make sure any ashes from previous cooking are cleaned out and that the bottom vents are open for good air flow. Put in the side rails to hold the charcoal to either side.
Carefully pour the charcoal from the chimney on both sides of the rails. This is for cooking indirectly.
Put an aluminum pan in the middle. This will catch the drippings so you can make gravy. It also keeps the bottom of your grill clean!
Now put the cooking grate on. Make sure the handles are over the coals so you can add charcoal later.
Put the cover on the grill. Make sure the vents are wide open for proper air flow.
(Picture: After about one hour of cooking) Now it’s time to pour another beverage of your choice. Total cooking time is about 12 minutes per pound. No peeking except when you add charcoal every hour. Here’s what it looked like after one hour (and it smelled soooo good!). I added 8 pieces of charcoal on each side at the end of each hour cooking.
This turkey is done! Notice the red pop-up on the left side. That means the meat has reached about 185 degrees. If your turkey doesn’t come with a pop-up, just use a meat thermometer. Time to take it off and let it sit for about 10 minutes before slicing. Make sure you rescue the aluminum pan with the drippings so you can make some delicious gravy.
After letting the turkey cool for at least 10 minutes, go ahead and slice it up. This turkey cooked faster than anticipated, so we let it sit covered for nearly 45 minutes while finishing up all the fixins (and for all the guests to arrive!). It was still nice and moist when we ate it.
Reference: Here’s a link to the Charcoal Grill Owners Guide that comes with the Weber Grills.
Page 11 has instructions for cooking with the indirect method. Page 14 has the turkey recipe.
In my humble opinion, the turkey prepared this way is outstanding. It’s always moist with an almost unnoticeable smoky flavor. It also requires very little work while it’s cooking – just add a few pieces of charcoal once an hour. No basting or anything like that. Oh, and the gravy is out of this world (at least the way Carol makes it!)
Cooking a mouthwatering turkey on a charcoal grill may seem daunting but with some preparation and these simple tips you can master this skill and wow your guests. There’s nothing quite like the smoky, grilled flavor infused into a perfectly cooked turkey. Let’s get into how to make it happen on your Weber kettle grill!
Getting Started
To cook a turkey on a Weber charcoal grill you’ll need the following
- A 22-inch Weber kettle charcoal grill
- 15-20 lbs turkey (or size needed for your gathering)
- Charcoal briquettes
- Charcoal chimney starter
- 2 disposable foil pans
- Wood chunks/chips (optional)
- Butcher’s twine
- Instant-read thermometer
- Tongs, spatula, and grill gloves
Prepare the Turkey
Start by removing the giblets from the turkey cavity Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat it completely dry Trim away any excess fat and skin to help prevent flare-ups,
Make a seasoned butter by mixing softened butter with garlic powder, salt, pepper, rosemary, and lemon zest. Gently loosen the skin from the breast and thighs of the turkey and rub the seasoned butter all over, underneath the skin. Rub the skin all over with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper.
Stuff the cavity with aromatics like onion, apple, fresh herbs. Truss the legs together with butcher’s twine to maintain its shape. Refrigerate until ready to grill.
Set Up Your Grill
To allow for indirect grilling, arrange the charcoal in a half moon or horseshoe shape around the outer edges of one side of the charcoal grate. Leave the middle open with no coals directly under where the turkey will sit.
Place a drip pan filled with water on the opposite empty side to catch drippings. Position the cooking grate in place. Open bottom vents fully and open lid vent halfway.
Get Grilling
Use a chimney starter to light a full chimney of charcoal briquettes. Once they are covered in gray ash, carefully pour them onto your charcoal pile.
Place turkey breast side up on roasting rack inside the foil pans. Position pans in empty area of grill grate over drip pan. Close lid and monitor temperature, adjusting vents as needed to maintain 325-350°F.
Every 45 minutes, add 10 fresh briquettes to each side to maintain heat. Rotate turkey 180 degrees halfway through for even cooking.
Use an instant read thermometer to check temp of thickest part of thigh, ensuring it reaches 165°F. Remove from grill and tent with foil. Let rest 20-30 minutes before carving.
Additional Tips
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Soak wood chunks in water for 30 mins before adding to coals for extra smoke flavor.
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spritz turkey with apple cider vinegar every hour for extra moisture and flavor.
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For crispy skin, move turkey directly over hot coals last 30 mins of cook time.
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Add a water soaked potato or bread to drip pan to prevent drippings from burning.
With the right preparation and monitoring, you can achieve the perfect grilled turkey with smoky, juicy meat and crisp skin. Allow plenty of time for grilling, use an instant read thermometer, and don’t forget to let it rest before slicing and serving!
Choosing and Preparing Your Turkey
The star of your grilled turkey dinner is, of course, the turkey itself. Here are some tips for selecting and prepping the best bird for the grill:
Pick the right size turkey – Allow approximately 1-1 1⁄2 pounds of turkey per person. A 15-20 lb turkey can feed a crowd. Make sure it fits your grill with room to spare.
Go fresh or frozen – Either a fresh or frozen turkey (fully thawed) works well. Give frozen birds extra thawing time in the fridge.
Dry brine for extra flavor – Dry brining up to 2 days in advance helps ensure a juicy, well-seasoned turkey. Simply rub the turkey inside and out with a mixture of salt, pepper, and aromatics.
Get fancy with wet brines or marinades – Soaking the turkey for 12-24 hrs in a flavorful wet brine imparts moisture and flavor. You can also marinate for shorter time in herb mixtures, citrus, wine, etc.
Truss it up – Trussing brings the legs together which helps the bird cook evenly. Use butcher’s twine or silicone ties to truss.
Coat it in flavor – Coat the skin liberally in oil or butter and seasonings. Herb butters and zesty rubs add lots of flavor.
Proper thawing, seasoning, trussing and prep allows the flavors to permeate deep within the meat for the best grilled turkey.
Setting Up Your Weber Grill for Indirect Grilling
The key to perfectly grilled turkey is maintaining an even, moderate temperature using indirect heat. Here’s how to set up a Weber for success:
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Place charcoal briquettes in a half moon or horseshoe shape around edges of one side of grill. Leave generous space in center with no coals directly underneath the turkey.
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Add a disposable foil pan filled with water, fruit juice, wine or beer to the empty side to catch drippings. This will add moisture and flavor.
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Position cooking grate in place, close lid and open bottom and top vents fully to heat grill to approximately 325-350°F.
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Use a digital thermometer with grate probe to monitor temps. Adjust top vent to maintain heat.
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Add 5-10 fresh briquettes to each side of charcoal pile every 45 mins to 1 hour as needed to maintain consistent heat.
Even, indirect heat is the key to perfectly cooked, juicy turkey. The charcoal around the edges provides plenty of ambient heat while the middle remains a safe zone for gentle roasting. Consistently monitor and manage temperatures for best results.
Step By Step Grilling Process
Once your turkey is prepped and grill is fired up and ready, it’s go time! Here is a timeline of what to expect when grilling a whole turkey:
0:00 – With grill preheated to 325-350°F, place prepared turkey breast side up on roasting rack set inside foil pans. Position pans in center of cooking grate over drip pan/water pan.
0:45-1:00 – Add 5-10 fresh briquettes to each side of charcoal pile to maintain consistent heat.
1:30-2:00 – Use instant read thermometer to check internal temp of thickest part of thigh, avoiding bone. Continue grilling until 165°F.
2:30-3:00 – Rotate turkey 180 degrees for even cooking and crisping of skin. Baste with broth/drippings.
3:30-4:00 – Add additional fresh charcoal briquettes to each pile as needed to maintain 325-350°F temp.
4:30-5:00 – Turkey should reach safe minimum internal temp of 165°F. Remove carefully from grill once done.
5:00 – Tent turkey loosely with foil and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.
The times will vary slightly depending on size of turkey and grill temp, so use a thermometer for guaranteed safety and doneness. Resting is crucial to let juices redistribute for a flavorful carved turkey!
Maintaining Proper Grill Temperature
Controlling the grill temperature is essential when roasting a whole turkey. Here are some tips:
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Start with a full chimney of glowing charcoal briquettes to establish initial heat.
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Arrange coals in even piles on each side for symmetry. More coals = more heat.
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Let grill heat up with vents fully open until it reaches desired temp (325-350°F).
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Partially close lid vent to maintain heat, adjusting as needed.
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Use metal charcoal baskets to hold additional briquettes so they’re ready to add.
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Add 5-10 fresh briquettes to each pile every 45 mins – 1 hour.
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Check thermostat gauge frequently and monitor fluctuations.
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Make small vent adjustments to stabilize any drops or spikes in temp.
Controlling grill temperature can take practice. Start conservatively and make small adjustments to hone in on the ideal heat for properly grilling your turkey.
Monitoring Doneness and Checking for Safety
A whole turkey takes time on the grill, so monitoring temps and doneness is a must:
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Insert instant read thermometer deep in thickest part of thigh without touching bone.
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Turkey is safe to eat once it registers 165°F in the thighs and 175°F in the breast.
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Time will vary based on grill temp and size of bird. Estimate 12-15 mins per lb.
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Check in a few
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