Serves: 5
Weight:
Weight is not an issue as long as the turkey fits on your grill with the lid down. So think structure: A broad, flat bird will fit better than one with a high breastbone. At least 1 inch clearance between the turkey and the lid is ideal.
Thawing:
A turkey should be completely defrosted in the refrigerator before grilling. Never thaw poultry at room temperature. Place the frozen turkey in its original wrapping on a tray in the refrigerator and allow 24 hours of thawing time for every 4 pounds of turkey.
Fresh Turkey:
Grill fresh turkey just as you would a completely defrosted one. Since fresh turkey is highly perishable, check the "sell by" date before you buy. Buy the turkey 1 to 2 days before you plan to cook it and keep it refrigerated.
Doneness:
When it comes to poultry, don't trust your eyes, use a meat thermometer. It should register 170ºF in the breast and 180ºF in the thickest part of the thigh. Remember that a smoke-cooked turkey may appear a little pink, even when it is thoroughly cooked.
Strategic Foiling:
After the first 45 minutes to 1 hour of cooking, check the turkey for even browning. The wings and drumsticks are likely to brown first. Loosely covering them in foil will keep them from browning too much. Continue checking the turkey every hour and cover the breast once it reaches a deep golden hue.
To Stuff Or Not To Stuff:
Bread stuffing (see Poultry, Perfect Partner Bread Stuffing) is as much a part of a turkey dinner as the gravy. You can grill the stuffing in a heavy-duty aluminum pan or, if you're one who likes the smokey flavor acquired by the stuffing in a grilled bird, you can stuff the bird itself. Just follow these guidelines:
* Stuff right before you put the turkey on the grill.
* Don't stuff the bird too tightly.
* Grill the bird until the stuffing reaches 165°F in the center to be sure any food-borne bacteria is destroyed. (Keep in mind that getting the stuffing up to the safe temperature may mean overcooking the meat itself--a good reason to roast bird and stuffing separately.)
Turning And Basting:
The best part about grilling your bird is that you don't have to turn or baste it. Simply set up the grill for Indirect grilling, place the turkey on the cooking grate, and close the lid. Add charcoal according to the chart on page 25 or be sure you have an adequately full tank for your gas grill before you start.
Brining:
Brining is a great way to add flavor and moisture to turkey, but what do you put that big bird in? Use a deep, narrow container to keep the bird submerged. A large stock pot will hold a small to medium turkey. For large birds, try a clean 5-gallon paint bucket, available at home centers, or a deeper 6-gallon beer fermentation bucket, available at home-brewing supply stores. Line the bucket with two clean plastic trash bags, one set inside the other. Place the turkey in the inner bag and pour in the brine. Gather the plastic around the turkey so it's completely covered with the brine and tie the bags shut. Place the container in the fridge (be prepared to remove a shelf or two). If it just won't fit and it's cold enough outside, you can place the bucket outside in snow and monitor its temperature hourly to make sure it's not getting too warm or starting to freeze. You must keep the brine at 40°F or colder. As soon as you remove the bird, discard the marinade and wash the bucket with hot soapy water and dry thoroughly. Reserve the bucket for brining use only.
From Weber’s Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.
This _Turkey On The Grill: Have You Tried It Yet? recipe is from the Weber's Big Book of Grilling Cookbook. Download this Cookbook today.
"I must say this is the best recipe software I have ever owned."
-Rob
"Your DVO cookbook software saves me time and money!"
-Mary Ann
"Call it nutrition software, meal planning software, cooking software, recipe manager, or whatever you want. It is the software I use to stay healthy!"
-David
"Your software is the best recipe organizer and menu planner out there!"
-Toni
"Thank you so very much for creating such a wonderful cooking recipe program. I think this is the best recipe program there is!"
-Sarah
"I saw lots of recipe software for PC computers but I was having a hard time finding really good mac recipe software. I'm so glad I discovered Cook'n! It's so nice to have all my recipes in a computer recipe organizer. Cook'n has saved me so much time with meal planning and the recipe nutrition calculator is amazing!!!
-Jill
My favorite is the Cook'n Recipe App.
-Tom
