A straightforward, step-by-step tutorial on how to prepare a tasty, juicy grilled turkey is available at Juicy Grilled Turkey (How to Grill a Turkey). It’s ideal for Thanksgiving or any other holiday meal!
Grilling a turkey is an excellent way to free up your oven for other dishes and achieve a delicious, flavorful result. This guide combines the best of two popular resources to provide you with a comprehensive and user-friendly grilling experience.
Preparation:
- Thawing: Ensure your turkey is completely thawed and at room temperature before grilling. Refer to the Butterball website for detailed thawing instructions.
- Brining (optional): Brining adds moisture and flavor to the turkey. While not mandatory, it’s a popular choice for many grillers. You can find a great Citrus Turkey Brine recipe on The Wooden Skillet website.
- Patting Dry: Pat the turkey dry with a clean paper towel to ensure even browning.
- Butter or Ghee: Generously rub softened butter or ghee all over the turkey, getting into every nook and cranny.
- Seasoning: Season liberally with salt and pepper. You can also explore other seasoning options like The Wooden Skillet’s Turkey Seasoning recipe.
- Stuffing (optional): Stuff the turkey with your desired ingredients, like the orange, onion, and garlic combination suggested by The Wooden Skillet.
Grilling:
- Preheat: Preheat your grill to 450°F.
- Aluminum Tray: Place the turkey on a heavy-duty aluminum tray (two trays for extra support) and add chicken broth, fresh herbs, and chopped onion to the bottom.
- Grill Temperature: Once the turkey is on the grill, lower the temperature to 325°F. Remember, the temperature will drop significantly when you open the grill.
- Cooking Time: Grill for approximately 11-13 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh and the juices run clear.
- Basting: Only open the grill once or twice during cooking to baste with additional melted butter or the juices collected in the pan.
- Resting: Once the turkey reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the grill and baste with the pan juices. Let it rest for 30 minutes under foil before carving.
Additional Tips:
- Charcoal Grill: For charcoal grill users, The Wooden Skillet offers a dedicated recipe with specific instructions.
- Gravy: Don’t forget to use the delicious pan drippings to make flavorful turkey gravy.
- Carving: Check out The Wooden Skillet’s tutorial on how to expertly carve a turkey.
Recipe Resources:
- Butterball: https://www.butterball.com/how-to/cook-a-turkey/grill
- The Wooden Skillet: https://thewoodenskillet.com/grilled-turkey/
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How big of a turkey should I cook? Budget approximately 1.25 lbs per person.
- Can I use a different stuffing? Absolutely! Feel free to use your favorite stuffing recipe. Just remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- What kind of grill should I use? Both gas and charcoal grills work well for this recipe.
- Do I need a meat thermometer? Yes, a reliable meat thermometer is essential for ensuring the turkey reaches the safe internal temperature of 165°F.
- What are some good side dishes for grilled turkey? Consider options like green bean casserole, stuffing, mulled wine, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and more.
Grilling a turkey is a fantastic way to enjoy a delicious and flavorful Thanksgiving meal while freeing up your oven for other dishes. By following these instructions and incorporating the valuable tips provided, you’ll be well on your way to grilling a turkey that will impress your family and friends. Remember to consult the provided resources for additional details and inspiration.
Best Grilled Turkey Recipe
Not only is grilled turkey incredibly tasty and flavorful, but it also saves up so much oven space!
I realize that everyone is accustomed to roasting turkeys in the oven for Thanksgiving, but just picture a scenario in which you could cook your turkey a different way and utilize the entire oven for all of the delicious side dishes. That world has arrived! Have you ever cooked a turkey on a grill? If not, you really should try it! It will still be flavorful and moist, and you’ll have more room in the oven for other things. This is a game changer!.
How to Prep Your Turkey for the Grill
The steps you take to prepare a turkey for grilling are remarkably similar to those involved in oven roasting:
- Thaw:%20Thaw your turkey completely (this is very important)%20%E2%80%93%20do not cook until it is %20100%% thawed%20%E2%80%93%20and bring it to room temperature Learn more about thawing a turkey HERE!.
- Remove Giblets + Hock Lock: Remove giblets, neck, etc. from inside. To further secure the legs together, take out any hock locks holding them in place and tie them together with twine.
- Brine (optional): Make whatever kind of brine you like (optional)
- Prep: We will lower the temperature to 325 after the turkey is cooked, so make sure you give your grill enough time to heat up to 450 degrees before starting.
- Aluminum Tray: We strongly advise using two sturdy aluminum pans to hold the turkey!
- Pat dry: It’s best to pat the bird completely dry. This will help it brown up nicely on the grill.
- Butter: Spread liberally over the turkey with softened butter or ghee. This will contribute to the turkey’s browning and release the juices that will collect at the pan’s bottom, which can be used to make gravy at a later time!
- Season: Depending on the size of your bird, use as much salt and pepper as needed to lightly coat it. Don’t be afraid to use a lot of seasoning. If you would rather have something other than salt and pepper, we also have Turkey Seasoning.
- Stuffing: You can use any kind of stuffing you like, just make sure to adjust the cook time if you use actual stuffing, which we stuffed this bird with an orange, lemon, onion, and garlic.