How to make a turkey on a charcoal grill...?

Question

Could anyone give me details about how to cook a turkey on a Weber charcoal kettle grill?
Thanks!

Answer 1

This recipe by Alton Brown tells you how to brine and smoke a turkey. You can skip the mashed potato "bed" if you want to.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_29147,00.html

Answer 2

If you have a standard 22" size you need a turkey that is 12 pounds or less. Anything bigger will cause the lid not to close completely. Stack the charcoal down the right and left sides leaving an empty space down the middle. Make sure the charcoal is completely gray (hot) then put the clean empty turkey in the middle. It doesn't need any thing on it. Put the top on. The best way to tell if its done is to use a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast but don't hit the bone. Pull it at 165 degrees and let it rest for 20 to 15 minutes to let all the juices settle back into the bird. Keep in mind that the total time will be approximately one half of the time it takes to roast it in a standard oven. It is so tender and juicey. I have taught dozens of people to do it this way and hardly anyone believes that it is this easy until they try it. All had success the first try. P.S. Try Weber's grilling cookbook. It has amazing recipes. Try the ginger marinate salmon. Yum.

Answer 3

The trick is indirect heat once your charcoal is hot make a space in the center of the coals and add a pan to which you add liquid, water is fine, turkey or chicken stock, wine or beer even add some herbs and garlic. Wrap the ends of the legs and the wings with aluminum foil so they don't end up burnt. Place the turkey on the grill & check every half hour or so to see that there is still liquid and also to turn the bird so it cooks evenly. Please have your dressing on the side not stuffed into the bird. If you want to baste do so lighlty and with a broth that doesn't have a lot of fat to avoid flare -ups that create black smoke.....Pretty much follow the same time frame you would for roasting a bird in the oven. It is very important to allow about 20 minutes for the turkey to rest after it is removed from the grill so the juices settle back into the meat before carving. I cover mine with foil and a towel to keep it warm.

Answer 4

Here's a recipe from Weber for Classic Grilled Turkey, along with a link with tips for cooking a turkey on a Weber grill.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Answer 5

I will be doing this for Thanksgiving. Put deep pan on grate over red hot charcoals. Use a deep pan 3 inches or more put a full can of beer or marinating sauce in the middle of the pan, fill up the pan half way with beer and seasoning. Keep pan half full while cooking. Put bottom end of turkey over the can. Place potatoes around turkey to keep turkey from falling over. Stuff a onion, lime (cut the lime in half), or potato in the top of turkey, this keeps in moisture to make a tender and juicy taste. Cooking time depends on size of turkey. Look up beer can chicken for more ideas. Can't wait!

Answer 6

DON'T!!!
Cooking a bird the size of a turkey needs a grill with a smoker box, where you can produce very low, very moist indirect heat.
If you are determined on going through with this idea, butcher the turkey beforehand & marinate it for 24 hours (brinning is also a way to insure moister).
Then grill it like chicken, but be warned, it will very likely come out dry & tough unless you are very, very good @ grilling poultry. It will take a lot more time to cook the pieces thoroughly so use a lower heat & baste frequently.
Breast meat needs to be 180F & thighs/legs 160F to be considered done
But seriously, really, don't ruin your Thanksgiving dinner with an experiment. This is something that you should do several times & be prepared to feed the results to the family dog before you get the hang of it.

Answer 7

Follow this recipe from my cook book I do 2 every Thanksgiving this way including one on a beer can so that makes 3.

B.B.Q. Turkey
"Diabetic Cast Iron Covered Wagon Cookin"
by David Herzog

1 Turkey, up to 30 lbs.
¼ c. garlic salt
1/8 c. coarse ground black pepper
2 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
21 ½” Weber B.B.Q.
5 lbs. Royal Oak charcoal

Defrost turkey. Mix garlic salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin in a small bowl. Rub pepper mix all over the turkey, inside and out. Start coals and place in 2 piles, one for each side of B.B.Q. (about 30 coals each pile). When coals are white, place turkey on cooking grill in the center, between the 2 piles of coals and cover. Cook 10 minutes for each pound. DO NOT lift the lid to look into the B.B.Q. to check the bird. After coals have burned out, check for doneness by slicing a small cut between the leg and thigh. Bird is done when juices run clear, about 3 ½ to 4 hours.

Dave’s Famous Beer Can Chicken or Turkey
"Diabetic Cast Iron Covered Wagon Cookin"
by David Herzog

For chicken:
1 3 to 4 lb. whole fryer chicken, rinsed and patted dry
1 12 oz. can of your favorite beer
2 Tbs. granulated garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 whole chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
Apple wood chips

For turkey:
1 14 to 20 lb. turkey, rinsed, and patted dry
1 can Fosters beer
6 Tbs. granulated garlic
2 Tbs. kosher salt
1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper
3 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
Apple wood chips

Preparation for the chicken and turkey are similar rub the garlic salt and pepper all over the outside and inside cavity of the bird open beer and remove about 2 regular swallows. Push pepper (s) into can of beer, 1 tsp. garlic and rosemary sprig(s) into beer also. Carefully push beer can into the cavity of the bird, then stand the chicken in a 8” or 10” Dutch oven. Stand the turkey in a 12” deep Dutch oven. Carefully set the Dutch oven and bird into the bottom of a Weber kettle B.B.Q. and place hot ready briquettes around the Dutch oven. Use about 30 briquettes for a chicken and a charcoal chimney full for the turkey. Scatter wood chips over charcoal and place the lid of the Weber on top and bake the chicken for 45 minutes and the turkey for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until meat falls off the bones or thigh juice runs clear. DO NOT LIFT THE LID UNTIL AFTER THE FIRST 30 MINUTES! Carefully remove bird and Dutch oven from B.B.Q. let rest 10 minutes before serving. You can save the juices to make a remarkable gravy for mashed potatoes or stuffing!

Answer 8

1

Answer 9

first of all you have to make sure to buy a small enuff turkey. secondly it takes longer than in the oven, but you can use a pop-up turkey timer. my dad does this every year, so i know.