Turkey in a can and on the firepit
This Thanksgiving, turn off the oven and turn up the fun by cooking your turkey outside in the firepit.
Equipment
- 75 L galvanized metal garbage can
- Drill and 3⁄8" metal drill bit
- Digital thermometer with long cable and probe, or remote digital thermometer
- Metal skewers or small turkey trussing needles
- Long oven mitts
- A small metal shovel or rake, to move coals
- Turkey roasting stand
- Metal roasting pan that fits within your garbage can, or two foil baking pans (13x9)
- Iron Dutch oven
- Preferably two charcoal chimney starters
- About 20 lbs charcoal
- Lighter fluid or charcoal starter packs
- About 4 cups applewood smoker chips
- A hose or buckets of water, for fire safety
Ingredients
- 11-16 lbs fresh or frozen turkey thawed if frozen
- 2 tbsp kosher salt optional for dry brine
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper optional for dry brine
Instructions
- Get your equipment together: you’ll need an unused, 75 L galvanized-metal garbage can, but new cans often have residues that need to be cooked off before using. Quickly singeing the can over a bonfire, inside and out, will make it ready to act as your oven. Drill a small hole about halfway up the can with a 3⁄8" inch drill bit. This is to feed your thermometer wire through. Be sure that the wire is long enough to reach the turkey’s leg and feed out tautly to a nearby surface, away from the coals.
- Place a vertical turkey roasting stand in a metal roasting pan or double-stacked 13x9 foil baking pans. Insert the stand into the cavity of your turkey so that the bird is upright, arranging legs criss-cross in front. Place a Dutch oven, upside down, in centre of firepit to raise your cooking surface at least 6 inches off the ground. Place the foil pans on top of the Dutch oven.
- If using a thermometer with a cable, feed it through the hole in the garbage can, and insert the probe end into the turkey thigh at the thickest part, avoiding the bone. Upend the garbage can over top of the turkey. Plug the thermometer wire into the thermometer and place on a level surface nearby.
- Fill one or two chimney starters with charcoal and light them. Fifteen to 20 minutes after the chimney starts to smoke, the charcoal will turn grey—that’s when it’s ready. (Using two chimneys is faster and makes the cooking start time more clear. If using just one, start timing from when you light the second batch of charcoal.) Arrange a layer of lit coals around the outer bottom edge of the garbage can and cover the top completely (see photo). Top lit coals with a layer of unlit coals.
- Roast the turkey, topping up with unlit coals if necessary, for 8 minutes per 500 g, and until the thermometer registers 170 degrees Fahrenheit, about 2 to 3 hours.
- Once done, use oven mitts to carefully lift the garbage can, trying not to disrupt the coals; you’ll want a helper to manage the thermometer cord if you’re using one. Place on fireproof surface. Re-check the internal temperature of the turkey to ensure it’s reached 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Carefully—yes, again—lift roasting pan, remove from firepit, and transfer to a nearby surface or bring into your kitchen. Tent the turkey loosely with foil, and cover with a beach towel. Let turkey rest 1 hour before carving.
Notes
TIP: You can’t check the turkey without dismantling your garbage can oven, so don’t check too early! (Though you could always finish it on the barbecue.)
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!