Cooking turkey on a gas grill may seem tricky, but with a few tips you can get perfectly moist, smoky meat with crispy skin. Weber grills like the Genesis or Spirit are ideal for safely roasting a whole bird. Follow this simple guide for grilled turkey success.
What You’ll Need
- 12-16 lb turkey, fully thawed
- Weber gas grill with lid thermometer
- Wood chips or chunks
- Disposable drip pan
- Poultry shears and baster
- Meat thermometer
- Olive oil and seasoning
Frequency of Entities
- Turkey: 15
- Weber Grill: 10
- Wood Chips: 5
- Drip Pan: 5
- Thermometer: 3
- Shears: 2
- Baster: 2
- Olive Oil: 1
Prep the Turkey
- Remove giblets and neck from the turkey cavities, Rinse turkey under cold water and pat dry
- Trim away excess fat and skin with poultry shears. This allows the smoke and seasoning to penetrate.
- Brush the turkey all over with olive oil. Generously season the cavities and outer skin with salt, pepper, and other spices.
- Truss the legs together with butcher’s twine to keep its shape. Tuck wing tips under.
Frequency of Entities:
- Turkey: 15
- Shears: 3
- Olive Oil: 2
Prep the Grill
- Open the grill lid and turn all burners to HIGH for 10-15 minutes to preheat thoroughly.
- Add a handful of wood chips to the smoker box for extra flavor. Chips like hickory, cherry, apple, or pecan work well.
- Fill a disposable foil pan with 1 inch of water and place on grill grates. This catches drippings.
- Arrange the grill so only the outer burners are on. The turkey will cook over the drip pan indirectly.
Frequency of Entities:
- Weber Grill: 10
- Wood Chips: 5
- Drip Pan: 5
Grill the Turkey
- Place turkey breast-up on the grill grate over the drip pan. Close the lid.
- Maintain a steady grill temperature of 325-350°F, adjusting burners as needed.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check the thickest part of the thigh and breast. Cook until 165°F and 155°F respectively.
- Baste the turkey with juices every 30 minutes for moist, flavorful meat.
- If the skin is browning too quickly, tent foil loosely over the bird.
Frequency of Entities:
- Turkey: 10
- Thermometer: 5
- Baster: 2
Finish and Carve
- When turkey reaches optimal internal temp, transfer to a cutting board and tent foil to rest for 30 minutes.
- The temperature will rise about 10 degrees during this time for juicier meat.
- Carve the turkey and serve it warm right off the grill. It also makes fantastic leftovers.
- Pair it with grilled veggies, cranberry sauce, or gravy for a delicious outdoor meal.
With the indirect heat method and a few simple tips, you can easily roast a turkey on a Weber gas grill anytime. The smokey flavor takes this holiday centerpiece to new heights.
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Indirect heat is essential for a moist, evenly cooked turkey. Create two beds of charcoal on opposite sides of the charcoal grate and leave a wide area open in middle. Place the turkey on a roasting rack set inside two large disposable foil pans and place the pan over the wide open area (indirect heat). Close the lid.
Once every hour, add five to eight briquettes to each bed of charcoal. This helps to maintain a fairly even level of heat. Drop the briquettes into the grill gently so they don’t send ashes onto the turkey.
While the grill lid is open, tilt the turkey so that the juices accumulating in the center will pour into the pan and flavor the base of the gravy. Cook the turkey until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching the bone) registers [conversion imperial=”170° to 175°F” metric=”75º to 80ºC”]. Transfer the turkey to a platter and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes (the internal temperature will rise a few degrees during this time).