Cooking a Turkey in a Trash Can: A Guide to Deliciousness

Ever heard of cooking a turkey in a trash can? It might sound strange, but this unique method is gaining popularity for its speed, simplicity, and surprisingly delicious results.

This guide combines the best of two popular “trash can turkey” recipes, offering you a comprehensive overview of the process and tips for achieving the perfect bird.

Get ready to impress your family and friends with this fun and flavorful Thanksgiving tradition!

What is Trash Can Turkey?

Trash can turkey, also known as garbage can turkey, involves cooking a whole turkey inside an overturned metal trash can using hot coals.

Think of it as a DIY outdoor oven. The trash can and hot coals create a high-heat environment that cooks the turkey quickly and evenly, resulting in juicy, flavorful meat and crispy skin.

Bonus: This method is perfect for outdoor gatherings camping trips, or simply trying something new!

Why Cook a Turkey in a Trash Can?

Here are some reasons why you might want to try this unique cooking method:

• Fast cooking time: A 20-pound turkey can be cooked in just 2 hours!
• Moist and flavorful turkey: The high heat and enclosed environment lock in moisture, resulting in a juicy and flavorful bird.
• Crispy skin: The hot coals create a crispy, golden-brown skin that everyone will love.
• Fun and unique experience: This method is a fun and memorable way to cook a turkey, especially for outdoor gatherings.
• Easy cleanup: Most of the cleanup involves disposing of the coals safely.

Before You Begin: Important Considerations

Before diving into the recipe, there are a few important things to keep in mind:

• Safety first: Always use caution when working with hot coals and open flames.
• Choose the right trash can: Use a clean, metal trash can with a metal lid and handles. Do not use a plastic trash can.
• Burn off the galvanized coating: If your trash can is new, burn off the galvanized coating by lighting a fire inside it before cooking. This will prevent any metallic taste from transferring to your turkey.
• Prepare your workspace: Choose a safe and clear area outdoors for cooking.

The Ultimate Trash Can Turkey Recipe

Now, let’s get cooking! Here’s what you’ll need:

Equipment:

• Large (20-gallon) metal trash can with metal lid and handles
• Long metal stake or rebar (shorter than the trash can)
• 2 bricks
• Several large aluminum roasting pans
• Aluminum foil
• Large bag of charcoal (40 lbs)
• Long-handled metal shovel
• Well-insulated flame-resistant outdoor cooking or welding gloves
• 2 large charcoal chimneys
• Large ash can for safe disposal of hot coals
• Campfire pit
• Fire extinguisher
• Completely thawed raw turkey (20-25 lbs)
• Salt, pepper, and your favorite seasonings
• Instant-read probe thermometer

Instructions:

Prepare the turkey:

1. Remove the turkey from the cooler or refrigerator and place it in a large foil pan.
2. Wash, rinse, and pat it dry. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity.
3. Season the inside and outside generously with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you enjoy.
4. You can pin the wings and tie the legs if you wish to keep them from drying out.
5. Let the turkey continue to dry and for the seasonings to permeate the meat while you prepare your trash can cooker.

Set up your cooking area and light your charcoal:

1. Choose a safe area to make your trash can turkey, such as a campfire pit.
2. Clear any debris or flammable materials and set up on a clean dirt or gravel bed.
3. Light two large charcoal chimneys full of charcoal. These will take about 20 minutes to fully heat up.
4. If you only have one chimney or smaller chimneys, you can light your charcoal in batches and then add it to the unlit charcoal around the base and on top of the trash canister.

Set up your trash can cooker:

1. While your charcoal chimneys are lighting, set up your trash can cooker.
2. In the center of your cooking area, push your rebar stake into the ground so that it is sturdy and sticks out of the ground lower than the height of your trash can.
3. Wrap your 2 bricks in aluminum foil and place them on either side of the stake. These will keep your turkey off the ground after you position it on the stake.

Position the trash can turkey:

1. Slide your turkey down the metal stake through the neck cavity and position it sitting upright on top of the foil-wrapped bricks.
2. Place your metal trash can upside down over your turkey so that the bottom of the can is facing up and is now the “top.”
3. Use your shovel to push some dirt around the bottom perimeter of the can and create a nice seal.

Spread the hot charcoal:

1. Place the metal lid upside down on top of the trash can so it resembles a dinner plate. This will be where you place some of your hot coals.
2. Wearing your flame-resistant gloves, go get your now fully lit charcoal chimneys and spread one batch around the base of the can.
3. Then, using a metal shovel, spread some more unlit coals on top of the lit ones and push them all up against the sides of the trash can.
4. These other coals will start to ignite and smoke. This is normal.
5. Shake out the second batch of lit coals gently on top of the overturned trash can lid. Do not pour on so many that they are falling off or that they will make the lid difficult to pick up and move later.
6. If you need more, add some more unlit coals here as well.

How long does it take to cook a trash can turkey?

1. Now, you just have to wait for the inside of your trash can to heat up and for the turkey to cook!
2. Resist the urge to check on your turkey as you will lose the airtight seal you created, possibly resulting in a flare-up. This will also significantly increase your cooking time.
3. You can add more unlit charcoal to the top and the base if you feel you do not have enough.
4. A 20-25 lb. trash can turkey will take roughly 2 hours to cook.
5. However, other variables such as wind, outside temperature, humidity, the size of your turkey, the size of your trash can, the quality of your air seal, and the amount of hot charcoal used will all play into your cook time.

Removing the turkey from the trash can:

1. Prepare the area where you are going to move the hot trash can and lid once you remove them from around the turkey.
2. Make sure there is no debris or flammable material.
3. Be extra cautious when removing the lid and can as they are EXTREMELY hot.
4. Only do this part while wearing high heat and flame-resistant outdoor cooking gloves, and even then, minimize the amount of time you need to touch the can and lid as much as possible.
5. Do not attempt this with conventional household cooking mitts!
6. For best results, put a sheet of aluminum foil between your gloves and the metal lid handles to keep your gloves from sticking to the hot metal. Place the lid and hot coals aside.
7. Use the same technique with gloves and foil to remove the metal trash can itself and also to slide the hot turkey up off the stake and into a large aluminum pan.
8. At this point, the turkey should be done, but make sure to check it with an instant-read thermometer.
9. The middle of the thigh meat should read at least 175 degrees, and the breasts should read 165 degrees.

Clean up:

1. Make sure to safely dispose of your hot charcoals after you have removed the turkey from the cooking area.
2. Do not cover them with dirt or leave them scattered and unattended at your campsite. The best practice is to shovel them into an aluminum ash can and cover with a lid to extinguish over a 24-hour period.

Enjoy your garbage can turkey!

1. Fancy it up if you want to, or eat it with your hands!
2. After removing the trash can turkey from the cook area and checking for doneness, let the turkey rest for about 20-30 minutes before carving into it.
3. This will help the juices dissipate evenly and make it easier to carve while retaining moisture.
4. We recommend using a long slicing knife and cutting in long even strokes while holding the bird with your other hand while wearing insulated carving gloves. (Do NOT use these types of gloves to handle the hot metal trash can outside, these are for food prep only).
5. Depending on the size of your crowd, your best bet is to carve only what you need to eat initially rather than carving the entire bird.
6. Once the bird is completely cooled, you can carve the rest to store for later. This will help the turkey retain the most moisture.

Additional tips:

• If you have a meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the turkey thigh to monitor the internal temperature.
• You can add wood chips to the coals for extra flavor.
• Be sure to have a fire extinguisher on hand in case of emergencies.
• Always