How to Cook a Juicy Turkey on a Charcoal Weber Grill: The Ultimate Guide

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

• Soak wood chunks in water for 30 mins before adding to coals for extra smoke flavor.
• Spritz turkey with apple cider vinegar every hour for extra moisture and flavor.
• For crispy skin, move turkey directly over hot coals last 30 mins of cook time.
• 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:

• 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.
• 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.
• Position cooking grate in place, close lid and open bottom and top vents fully to heat grill to approximately 325-350°F.
• Use a digital thermometer with grate probe to monitor temps. Adjust top vent to maintain heat.
• 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:

• Start with a full chimney of glowing charcoal briquettes to establish initial heat.
• Arrange coals in even piles on each side for symmetry. More coals = more heat.
• Let grill heat up with vents fully open until it reaches desired temp (325-350°F).
• Partially close lid vent to maintain heat, adjusting as needed.
• Use metal charcoal baskets to hold additional briquettes so they’re ready to add.
• Add 5-10 fresh briquettes to each pile every 45 mins – 1 hour.
• Check thermostat gauge frequently and monitor fluctuations.
• 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:

• Insert instant read thermometer deep in thickest part of thigh without touching bone.
• Turkey is safe to eat once it registers 165°F in the thighs and 175°F in the breast.
• Time will vary based on grill temp and size of bird. Estimate 12-15 mins per lb.
• Check in a few places to confirm even cooking. Let stand 20-30 mins once removed from grill.

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