Most turkey sandwiches are best made with slices of white meat stacked neatly between two slices of bread. Not this one. With a saucy, spicy filling piled onto a hamburger bun, it’s perfect for dark meat and any scraps you may have leftover from the carcass. The cabbage slaw adds crispness and tang to the soft turkey, and bread-and-butter pickles give the sandwich a touch of sweetness. If you don’t have leftover turkey in your refrigerator, this recipe works just as well with the meat torn off a rotisserie chicken.
Barbecued turkey is a tasty and lighter alternative to traditional pork or beef barbecue. With the right preparation and cooking technique, you can make incredibly moist, smoky and flavorful turkey barbecue that will be a hit at your next backyard cookout or family dinner. This detailed guide will walk you through everything you need to know to make perfect turkey barbecue at home.
Choosing and Preparing the Turkey
The first step is selecting the right turkey A 12-15 pound turkey is ideal for barbecuing Anything larger may not cook evenly, while smaller birds can easily dry out. Make sure to remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavities and rinse thoroughly. Tuck the wings under the body and tie the legs together with butcher twine to help maintain the shape during grilling.
Before cooking, brining is highly recommended to infuse flavor and moisture Make a simple brine by combining 1 gallon of water, 1 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar and herbs like garlic, rosemary and thyme in a large pot Submerge the turkey and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. Remove and pat the turkey completely dry before proceeding.
Next, lightly coat the turkey with olive oil and generously season both the cavity and outer skin with salt, pepper and herbs of your choice. Stuffing the cavity with halved lemons, onions and garlic adds even more flavor from the inside out.
Setting Up Your Grill for Indirect Heat
The key to perfectly cooked barbecue turkey is maintaining indirect heat. This allows the turkey to gently cook through without burning.
For a gas grill, turn one burner to low heat. For charcoal, bank hot coals to one side of the grill. Place a drip pan on the cool side to catch juices. Position a V-rack on the hot side where the turkey will sit, absorbing smoky flavor without direct heat underneath.
Use a digital thermometer with a grate clip to carefully monitor the temperature, keeping it between 325-350 degrees F. Opening the grill too frequently can cause the heat to dip, so try to limit lifting the lid.
Calculating Grill Time
Figure approximately 15-20 minutes per pound for a 12-15 pound turkey. Maintain the indirect heat at 325-350 degrees F and rotate the turkey every 45 minutes for even cooking.
Monitor the internal temperature, especially in the thickest part of the breast and thighs. Turkey is safe to eat once it reaches 165 degrees F. For moist, tender meat, I recommend cooking the breast to 175 degrees F and thighs to 180 degrees F.
If the skin starts to brown too quickly, tent foil loosely over the breast and legs. Remove it during the last 30 minutes for crispy skin. When finished, let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving for juicy results.
Grilling Turkey Safely
To ensure properly cooked, safe turkey, follow these important guidelines:
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Always use a meat thermometer to verify temperature instead of relying on color as an indicator of doneness.
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Maintain a clean grill by scrubbing the grates before and after use. Keep utensils and platters clean.
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Prevent cross-contamination by never allowing raw turkey or juices to touch cooked foods. Use separate plates and tools.
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Refrigerate all leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Reheat fully to 165 degrees F before serving again.
Infusing Smoky, Savory Flavor
There are several ways to amp up the flavor of your barbecue turkey:
Brining – As mentioned above, soaking the raw turkey in a salt, sugar and herb brine ensures a seasoned, moist bird.
Marinading – For added flavor, marinate the turkey for 2-4 hours in a sauce made with melted butter, Worcestershire, steak sauce and dry spices.
Stuffing – Placing lemons, onions, garlic and herbs inside the turkey cavity perfums the meat from the inside out.
Smoking – For even more smoky flavor, use indirect heat and wood chips in a smoker instead of a grill. Keep temperature low, under 250 degrees F.
Barbecue Sauce – After shredding or chopping the cooked turkey, mix it with your favorite store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce.
Making Turkey Barbecue Sandwiches
Once the turkey is perfectly cooked, you can easily turn it into delicious barbecue sandwiches:
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Allow the turkey to rest until cool enough to handle. Remove all the meat from the bones.
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Shred or chop the turkey into bite-sized pieces. I prefer pulling it into long, stringy shreds.
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In a saucepan, simmer the reserved turkey drippings. Whisk in a bit of flour to make a gravy.
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Place the shredded turkey in a baking dish. Pour over the gravy and mix to evenly coat.
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Bake at 325 degrees F just until heated through, about 25-30 minutes.
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Pile the saucy turkey onto rolls lined with lettuce and tomato. Dig in!
With the right preparations and indirect cooking method, you can make insanely moist and flavorful turkey barbecue right in your own backyard. Brining, seasoning and maintaining proper grill temperature are key. Follow these tips for your best grilled turkey yet. Your family and friends will be begging for this amazing barbecue all year long.
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FOR THE BARBECUE SAUCE • 1 ½ cups ketchup • ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar • 2 tablespoons molasses • 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated • ¼ cup cider vinegar • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce • 2 teaspoons sweet or hot paprika • 1 teaspoon black pepper • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder • Pinch of cayenne • Dash of hot sauce, more to taste
Easily adapted for vegan family using fried tempeh & jackfruit, available at Trader Joes. Heat 2 tbl spoons avocado oil in pan, add 2 garlic cloves and 2 shallots to pan. Saute for 5 minutes til soft. Add 1 package tempeh, 1 package Jackfruit & stir fry, mingling flavors together. Transfer to bowl & add BBQ sauce of choice. Delish served on buns, or bed of stewed greens.
Easy dinner or lunch! We left off the mayonnaise as things would have been very slippery, but we toasted the buns before piling on the goodies. I added some heat from Cowgirl Kitchen to the barbecue sauce that added to the bite from the quick slaw. This is a keeper for leftover turkey or any other roasted meats.
I love this slaw. So happy to have stumbled on this recipe after Thanksgiving. Having never been a mayonnaise person (or any creamy condiment really) slaw was never something I liked despite my love for cabbage. This is my go to for fish tacos and BBQ sandwiches. I try to have some spicy bread and butter pickles in the fridge for when we have the sandwiches. So good!
Easy dinner or lunch! We left off the mayonnaise as things would have been very slippery, but we toasted the buns before piling on the goodies. I added some heat from Cowgirl Kitchen to the barbecue sauce that added to the bite from the quick slaw. This is a keeper for leftover turkey or any other roasted meats.
Didn’t have the ingredients for slaw so instead topped the turkey off with the ginger cranberry relish from Susan Stamberg and melted a couple of thin slices of extra sharp cheddar over the bbq turkey. That was the last of my leftover turkey, and this was so good, I am sad about that.Private notes are only visible to you.
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How To Make THE BEST SOUTHERN Turkey Barbecue | OVEN STYLE
FAQ
How long does it take to cook a turkey on the BBQ?
| Weight | Unstuffed |
|---|---|
| 10 – 12 lbs (4.5 – 5.5 kg) | 1 ½ – 2 ¼ hours |
| 12 – 16 lbs (5.5 – 7.0 kg) | 2 – 2 ¾ hours |
| 16 – 20 lbs (7.0 – 9.0 kg) | 2 ½ – 3 ¼ hours |
| 20 – 24 lbs (9.0 – 10.9 kg) | 3 ¾ – 4 ½ hours |
Is turkey good for the barbecue?
No matter what route you choose to take, your turkey can all be flavored the same way. A sweet barbecue rub is a great way to start your turkey cooking on the grill. The traditional barbecue flavors work very well. Sometimes I like to add a bit of something extra to the equation like citrus peel or even lemon pepper.
Can you barbecue a butterball turkey?
Place turkey, breast side up, on grill grid directly over drip pan. Cover grill; leave vents open. If using charcoal grill, add 6 to 8 briquets to both sides of the fire every hour or as needed to maintain heat. Cook turkey until meat thermometer reaches 180°F when inserted into deepest part of thigh not touching bone.
What goes well with barbecue turkey?
- 1) Bay roasted smashed potatoes. …
- 2) Green bean and goats cheese salad. …
- 3) Brussels sprouts and speck gratin. …
- 4) Couscous salad. …
- 5) Rocket coleslaw. …
- 6) Sweet potato and chive damper. …
- 7) Honey macadamia stuffing. …
- 8) Pork stuffing.
How long do you cook a Turkey on a grill?
Place the roasting pan over indirect heat on the preheated grill. Grill until the internal thigh temperature is 180 degrees F (85 degrees C), 2 to 3 hours. Remove from the grill and let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving. If you want to use the turkey drippings for gravy, place a metal pan under turkey inside the roasting pan.
How do you cook a Turkey on a gas grill?
Frequency of Entities: The key to evenly cooked turkey is indirect heat. To set up your gas or charcoal grill: For gas, turn one burner to low heat. For charcoal, bank hot coals to one side. Place a drip pan on the cool side and a V-rack on the hot side. Use a digital thermometer with a grate clip to monitor the temperature, keeping it 325-350°F.
How do you cook a smoked turkey sandwich?
Cover the turkey and sauce and bake at 325°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until heated through. Serve on rolls and top with lettuce and tomato, if desired, for a barbecue turkey sandwich. Smoke the turkey: If you have a grill, you can convert it to a smoker by following a recipe for smoked turkey.
How do you cook a Turkey on a rotisserie grill?
Set up the grill for indirect cooking and place a disposable aluminum pan (or pans) filled with water under the spot where the turkey will be spinning. Preheat the grill to 500F. When the grill reaches this temperature install the spit and turkey on the rotisserie motor and begin rotating the bird.
How do you cook a turkey breast on a grill?
Maintain the grill at 325-350°F and rotate the turkey every 45 minutes. Monitor the thickest part of the breast and thigh for doneness. Turkey is safe to eat once it reaches 165°F. For the juiciest meat, I cook to 175°F breast and 180°F thigh. If the skin is browning too quickly, tent foil over the breast and legs.
How do you cook a Turkey in a charcoal grate?
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.