This year, as Ive done for several years now, Ill cook our Thanksgiving turkey on the charcoal barbeque grill. This is, in my humble opinion, the best way to cook a turkey, hands down. And it frees up the oven for more important Thanksgiving fare, like pie, stuffing (and more pie).
Heres what youll need to cook up your turkey on the grill. My method is optimized for your standard 22-inch Weber charcoal grill, so your mileage may vary with other kinds. I have no idea if this will work on gas grills, so if you try it and it doesnt work dont blame me.
We started off with 12-pound a free range turkey from Diestel Turkey Ranch. Diestels birds have a great old fashioned turkey flavor, and are really worth the extra money. You can go up to about 22 pounds or so, but any bigger and you might not be able to fit the lid on your grill. This happened to me one year when I tried to cook a big 24-pound bird. Closing the lid is important, since were not really grilling so much as roasting/smoking the turkey on the grill.
This recipe works fine with either brined or plain birds. We usually dry brine the turkey ahead of time (see Serious Eats Food Lab guide to brining for all the details), but it turns out fine without it, too. You can also buy one of those pre-brined ones which means one less thing you have to do.
Dry it thoroughly inside and out, if necessary. Make sure you remove the giblets in their bag (I forgot to do this once… yuck). Rub it all over with olive oil, and liberally season with salt and pepper, or just pepper if youve brined the turkey. Stuff the cavity with the onion, lemon, and herbs—I just grabbed a handful of stuff growing in our herb garden, but rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano all work well.
Soak a cup of wood chips in water for 30 minutes. Build a medium sized charcoal fire, and when the coals are ready, divide them evenly into two piles on opposite sides of the grill. Scatter the wet wood chips on top of the coals. This will create smoke which will in turn give our turkey a subtle smokiness.
Place your foil pan between the piles of coals, and pour in your bottle of wine. (You can pour yourself a glass if you want, too.) The wine will add moisture and a little flavor to the turkey. If you dont want to use wine, you can substitute chicken broth or even water.
Put the grill grate on, making sure you position the handles over the piles of coals, as shown in the photo. Place your turkey on the grill, cover, and adjust the vents on the lid and on the bottom of the grill so they’re about half-way open—you want a pretty slow fire here so the turkey gets cooked through evenly.
Now go back in the house and watch football or something for a while. You’ll want to check on your bird every half hour or so, adding two or three charcoal briquets to each side if needed.
Cook your turkey until the temperature in the thickest part of the breast reads 161ºF. Our test bird took about 3 hours. Remove from the barbeque and let rest, tented with aluminum foil, for half an hour.
Congratulations—youve barbequed your Thanksgiving turkey! Taste it, and youll probably decide to do it this way again next year.
Grilling a turkey on charcoal may seem intimidating, but with some preparation and technique, you can make a juicy, flavorful grilled turkey. Follow this guide for tips on choosing a turkey, setting up the grill, temperature control, adding flavor, and more.
Choosing the Right Turkey
When selecting a turkey to grill on charcoal opt for a smaller bird ideally 12 lbs or under. Larger birds are harder to maneuver on the grill and may not cook evenly. You can also choose to grill just turkey parts like breasts, thighs, or drumsticks instead of a whole bird. Allow 1 lb of turkey per person.
Fresh or thawed turkeys work best. Do not grill a frozen turkey, as it will cook unevenly. Make sure giblets and neck are removed and the turkey is fully thawed if using frozen.
Setting Up the Charcoal Grill
Proper grill setup is key for indirect heat to cook the turkey gently and evenly
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Use a charcoal grill with a lid for best heat control. Kettle style grills work great.
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Arrange charcoal in two piles on opposite sides of the grill. Leave a space in the center without coals for indirect cooking.
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Use a foil drip pan in the empty center area to catch drippings. Place a grill rack inside the pan.
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Let coals burn until covered in gray ash, about 20-30 minutes.
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Place the turkey breast side up on the grill rack over the drip pan.
Maintaining Proper Temperature
With indirect charcoal grilling, temperature control is essential for a nicely cooked turkey:
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Keep the grill vents open to allow air flow and a steady temperature around 350-375°F.
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Use an oven thermometer near the turkey to monitor the temperature.
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Add 6-10 fresh briquettes to each pile of coals every 45-60 minutes.
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Avoid lifting the lid too frequently to prevent heat loss. Peek quickly if needed.
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Expect a 12 lb turkey to take around 2-2.5 hours at this temperature.
Injecting Flavor
For extra moist and flavorful meat, inject the turkey with a broth-based marinade before grilling. Use a flavor injector tool to penetrate deep into the meat. Some marinade options:
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Chicken or turkey broth with melted butter
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Olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and herb marinade
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Apple juice, maple syrup, and smoked paprika
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Low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic
Inject the marinade into the thicker meaty parts of the turkey, like the breast and thighs. Avoid injecting too much to prevent overly soggy meat.
Adding Rub and Basting
Coat the turkey with olive oil or melted butter before seasoning. Apply a spice rub all over the skin and flesh. Use your favorite grill-friendly rub or make your own blend.
Popular flavors include:
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Brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, garlic and onion powder
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Smoked paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme
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Cajun seasoning blend
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Lemon pepper, rosemary, sage
During grilling after the first hour, start basting the turkey every 20-30 minutes with broth, melted butter, or other liquid to keep it moist.
Is It Done?
Test for doneness in the thickest part of the thigh and breast using a meat thermometer, not by looking at color. Turkey is safely cooked when it reaches:
- 165°F in the breast
- 175°F in the thigh
The temperature will rise 5-10 degrees after removing from the grill as it rests. Let it rest 15-20 minutes before carving.
Extra Tips and Advice
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Allow 1 hour total grill time per pound for a whole turkey. For parts, reduce time.
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Use natural hardwood lump charcoal for best flavor. Avoid charcoal with lighter fluid.
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Soak wood chunks in water 30 minutes then add to coals for smoky flavor.
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Start with more coals than you think you’ll need. You can’t add more halfway through.
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Protect legs and wings from burning by tucking them under or tying them up.
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Use a disposable foil pan under the turkey to catch drippings for gravy.
With these helpful tips, you can master grilling a moist flavorful turkey on charcoal grill. Get ready for rave reviews!
Frequently Asked Questions
What size turkey is best for grilling on charcoal?
For charcoal grilling, smaller birds around 10-12 lbs or less cook most evenly. Larger turkeys are harder to maneuver. You can also grill just turkey pieces instead of a whole bird.
How long does it take to grill a turkey?
Allow about 1 hour of total grill time per pound. So a 12 lb turkey will take around 12 hours with a charcoal grill at 350-375°F and indirect heat.
Should I brine the turkey before grilling?
Brining is optional but does make the meat juicier and more flavorful. Dissolve salts and sugars in water, chill, and soak the turkey 12-24 hours. Rinse and pat dry before grilling.
What temperature should I grill a turkey at?
Use an indirect charcoal grill setup to allow even cooking at 350-375°F. High direct heat will burn the outside before the inside cooks through. Monitor the temp with an oven thermometer.
Can I stuff a turkey for grilling?
It’s not recommended. Stuffing makes it hard for the inside to reach a safe temp. Cook stuffing separately. Injecting marinade or rubbing seasonings under the skin adds plenty of flavor.
How do I know when the turkey is fully cooked?
Test for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh and breast, not by color. It’s done at 165°F breast, 175°F thigh. Juices should run clear.
Grilled Turkey Perfection
Grilling turkey on a charcoal grill requires special care and technique, but the delicious smoky flavor is worth the effort. With indirect heat, temperature monitoring, and flavor boosting tricks, you’ll master grilled turkey. Impress your family at the next holiday or summer cookout with your charcoal grilling skills.
Making Gravy with Your Grilled Turkey
Gravy is the glue that binds Thanksgiving dinner together, and cooking the turkey this way does complicate things a little in the gravy department. The good news is that gravy is no problem, but youll have to use a slightly different technique than youre used to.
I usually start off by making a stock by simmering the turkey neck and giblets with some low-sodium chicken broth (4 cups or one 32-ounce container will do) and a carrot, an onion, and a celery stalk. Let this simmer for a few hours while you prepare and cook the turkey.
When the turkey is done and resting, remove the foil drip pan and its contents (the wine and turkey drippings) from the grill. In a large saucepan, make a roux with 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. Slowly add the turkey stock you prepared earlier and some of the drip pan contents to the pan and whisk in. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened and gravy-like. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
The proportions of turkey broth and drippings are up to you. The drippings will impart a smokey taste to the gravy, so use more for a stronger flavor, and less for something more subtle. Youll also want to use less of the drippings if youre cooking a brined turkey, since theyll be pretty salty.
Needless to say, you shouldnt stuff a turkey that youre cooking on the grill. Just make it in a pan in the oven and youll be set.
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