Grilling a whole turkey may seem intimidating but it’s actually a great way to infuse delicious smoky flavor into your bird. With some preparation and by following a few simple steps, you can grill a juicy flavorful turkey in around 2-3 hours.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to grill the perfect whole turkey, including prep tips, step-by-step instructions, timing, temperature control, safety, and more. Let’s get grilling!
Overview: Grilling a Whole Turkey
Grilling a whole turkey has several advantages over roasting. It frees up your oven space for sides, infuses great smoky flavor, and produces a gorgeous browned exterior.
However, grilling an entire turkey does require more effort than roasting. You’ll need to maintain an indirect temperature of 325-350°F for 2-3 hours while monitoring the bird carefully.
Proper thawing, seasoning, temperature control, and resting are key for a moist, tender, properly cooked grilled turkey. Follow the tips below for success.
Average Grill Times for Whole Turkey
- 10-15 lb turkey: 2.5 – 3 hours
- 15-18 lb turkey: 3 – 3.5 hours
- 18-20 lb turkey: 3.5 – 4 hours
Aim for approximately 15 minutes per pound. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness, not just time.
Suggested Whole Turkey Sizes
- 10-15 lbs – Feeds 4-6 people
- 15-18 lbs – Feeds 6-8 people
- 18-20 lbs – Feeds 8-10 people
For easier handling on the grill, do not exceed 20 lbs. Smaller birds cook more evenly.
Brining Is Highly Recommended
Soaking the turkey in a saltwater brine before grilling boosts moisture, seasoning, and flavor throughout the meat. Brine for 12-24 hours in the fridge.
Stuffing Isn’t Recommended
Cooking stuffing inside a turkey makes it hard to reach safe temperature. Cook it separately to avoid food safety risks.
Use Both a Meat Thermometer and Timer
Monitor the turkey’s temp in multiple places with an instant-read thermometer, don’t rely on time alone. Proper temperature is critical for food safety.
Step-by-Step Guide to Grilling a Whole Turkey
Follow these simple steps for grilling whole turkey success:
1. Thaw and Prepare the Bird
- Thaw: Thaw turkey completely in the fridge for 24-48 hours. Do not grill a frozen turkey!
- Remove giblets/neck from cavities and rinse turkey under cold water. Pat very dry inside and out with paper towels.
- Apply any dry seasoning rubs at this stage. Make sure to season the interior cavity as well.
- Tie legs together securely with cooking twine to hold shape. Tuck wing tips under.
2. Brine the Turkey (Optional, but Recommended)
- Make a saltwater brine by mixing 1 cup salt per gallon of water. Add any desired aromatics like peppercorns, allspice berries, citrus, herbs.
- Submerge turkey completely in brine. Use a cooler if needed. Brine 12-24 hours.
- Remove turkey from brine and rinse thoroughly. Pat very dry with paper towels. Discard used brine.
3. Prepare the Grill for Indirect Heat
- With all burners on high, preheat your gas or charcoal grill to 450°F. Clean grates thoroughly.
- Have a drip pan ready – a foil disposable pan with rack works well.
- For gas grills, turn off burner where turkey will be placed. For charcoal, bank lit coals on outer edges.
4. Apply a Light Coat of Oil or Butter
- Rub a thin coat of oil or melted butter all over turkey skin. This encourages browning.
5. Season the Turkey
- Generously season all over with salt, pepper, and any additional dry spices as desired.
- Season the interior cavity as well. Stuff with onion, lemon, garlic, herbs for extra flavor if desired.
6. Place Turkey on the Grill Breast-Side Up
- Reduce heat to medium-low, around 325°F.
- Place turkey breast-side up on oiled grates over drip pan to catch drippings.
- Close lid immediately to maintain heat.
7. Grill Over Indirect Heat
- Grill at 325-3500F, with vents open and lid closed as much as possible.
- Monitor the temperature with a probe thermometer in the thickest part of thigh.
- Baste turkey with melted butter every 45-60 minutes for maximum browning and moisture.
8. Check for Doneness
- Turkey is done when breast reaches 170°F and thigh reaches 165°F. Juices should be clear when thigh is pierced.
- Estimate 15 minutes per pound, but always rely on thermometer for safest results.
9. Let Turkey Rest Before Carving
- Once desired temp is reached, transfer turkey to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest 15-30 minutes.
- The internal temperature will rise 5-10°F during resting for juicier meat.
10. Make Gravy from the Drippings
- Strain liquid from drip pan through a mesh strainer into a fat separator.
- Following gravy directions, use defatted drippings to make a delicious smoky gravy.
And that’s it! With some simple preparation and attentive grilling, you’ll enjoy a showstopping grilled turkey with incredible smoky flavor.
Turkey Grilling Tips and Tricks
Here are some additional tips to ensure grilling success:
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Use wood chips – Soak wood chips in water for 30 minutes then scatter over grill coals for extra smoke flavor. Good woods include hickory, cherry, apple.
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Guard against burning – If wings or legs brown too fast, loosely tent with foil. Don’t let sugar-based glazes burn either.
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Maintain heat – With charcoal grills, add fresh coals every 30-45 minutes to maintain temperature.
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Use a thermometer – Invest in a good digital instant-read thermometer to monitor temperature in multiple places.
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Let it rest – Never skip letting the turkey rest before carving. Juices will redistribute and result will be juicier.
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Make great gravy – Defat drippings from drip pan to make incredible smoky, rich gravy for your grilled turkey.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long per pound should I grill a turkey?
Plan for approximately 15 minutes per pound grilling time. A 15 lb turkey will take around 2.5-3 hours at 325-350°F indirect heat.
What’s the best turkey size for grilling?
For easier handling, do not exceed 20 lbs. The 10-15 lb range works great. Smaller birds cook more evenly and are easier to maneuver.
Should I brine the turkey before grilling?
Yes, brining is highly recommended. It makes the meat much juicier, well-seasoned, and enhances flavor throughout.
Is it safe to stuff a turkey for grilling?
No, stuffing is not recommended. It’s difficult to ensure safe temperature is reached. Cook stuffing separately.
How do I maintain temperature on a charcoal grill?
On charcoal grills, bank lit coals on each side and keep adding fresh coals every 30-45 minutes to maintain 325-350°F indirect heat.
What temperature should I grill a whole turkey at?
Grill over indirect medium-low heat at 325-350°F. Higher heat will burn the outside before fully cooking. Monitor closely with a meat thermometer.
Can I grill a frozen turkey?
Absolutely not! Only grill fully thawed turkeys for food safety. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours before grilling.
Grilling a whole turkey requires more time and effort than roasting, but the rewards are well worth it. Follow these tips for a mouthwatering grilled turkey with crisp skin, juicy meat, and wonderful smoky flavor. Give it a try this holiday season!
How to Grill a Butterflied Turkey
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When it came time to grill my beautiful beast, I lit up a full chimney of charcoal. After the coals were covered with gray ash, I spread them out in a crescent moon shape along one side of the charcoal grate. While I let my covered grill warm up, I considered putting a foil tray with stock and vegetables on the cool side of the grill to collect the turkey drippings, but then decided against it. In the past, these dripping collected ash and gained a smoke flavor a little too harsh to be usable for gravy. I could have jury-rigged a solution that let drippings into the pan while keeping most ash out, but I had already made a really delicious gravy by using the backbone and neck and just dropped the idea to focus more on getting a perfectly cooked bird this time around.
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Once sufficiently warmed, I added one chunk of apple wood to the fire; everything was a go for turkey liftoff. As I sat with the giant bird, considering the perilous transfer to the grill, I decided to make life easy on myself and just put the entire wire rack on the grill, which worked great, allowing me to move the bird around without danger of it falling apart or tearing the skin.
I situated the turkey so its legs and thighs were closest to the fire, with the majority of the breast meat as far away from the heat as possible. With the crescent moon arrangement of coals, this meant the legs and thighs were all well surrounded by fire without being directly on top of it.
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I monitored my turkey pretty constantly after the first 45 minutes to ensure my suspicions would play out. My goal was to keep the breast meat cooking at a slower rate than the legs and thighs, and I found that throughout the cook, this proved true. About an hour in, the breasts were registering a solid 10°F below the thigh meat. At this point, I added half a chimney of new coals to keep the bird roasting at a medium-high temperature—around 425°F (220°C), give or take 25°F (5°C).
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Another 30 minutes in and that new batch of coals helped the legs and thighs cook even faster. They were now just above 165°F (74°C), while the breast meat was at my ideal 150°F (66°C). In just 1 1/2 hours, I had this turkey done to perfection, temperature-wise at least.
I let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature and began carving. After separating the legs and thighs, I cut the breasts away from the bone and sliced them up, exposing glistening meat that even had my white-meat dissing self eagerly awaiting the chance to eat it. I sliced up the thighs next, which had gotten a nice rosy hue around the edges of the meat from the smoke theyd picked up.
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Every piece of meat from this bird was moist and flavorful. The breasts had a delicate kiss of smoke and were juicy enough that they didnt need any enhancement, although gravy never ceases to be a requirement for me. The dark meat was smokier, which worked with the relatively more intensely flavored meat (and made for the most delicious parts of bird in my opinion). Ive cooked a lot of turkeys over the years, and this was the first that required absolutely no Band-Aids like bacon, injections, herbs, rubs, etc. to cover up deficiencies.
This is a bird thats absolutely perfect in its simplicity.
Why Grill?
I was more interested in exploring the distinct advantages of taking this flattened turkey to the grill, and those kept popping up one after another.
Advantage 1: Space. If youve ever cooked the Thanksgiving meal, youre all too familiar with the delicate dance of oven space to get everything done at just the right time. The biggest hog is usually the turkey, taking up nearly the entire oven for longer than anything else. Moving the turkey outside to a grill gives more leeway to what can be done indoors, at particular temperatures, and when.
Advantage 2: Smoke. Lets face it, turkey isnt all that exciting of a meat, but whats Thanksgiving without it? On the grill, the addition of smoke gives the meat a boost in flavor that, in my book, makes it more unique and delicious. With turkey, and most poultry, you want to use a minimal amount of light woods—one or two small chunks of apple or cherry will do—to keep the bird from becoming overly smoky, which can render the meat acrid.
Advantage 3: Heat delivery. Using either a charcoal or gas grill, you can control how heat is delivered to the bird in a more strategic fashion than you can in the oven. On a charcoal grill, this is done by arranging your coals to build the right intensity of heat and placing the bird in the appropriate location; on the gas grill this is done by selecting which burners are turned on and which are left off. This turned out to be a pretty big deal for my spatchcocked turkey.
So how do you do it? Lets take a quick look.