Turkey on the barbecue
Not a fan of firepit cooking? Not to worry: the grill will do just as well.
Equipment
- Gas or charcoal barbecue
- Thermometer
- Heavy-duty foil
- Metal skewers or small turkey trussing needles
- Long oven mitts
- Metal roasting pan with a rack that fits within your barbecue, or two foil baking pans (13x9)
- Preferably two charcoal chimney starters
- About 20 lbs charcoal
- Lighter fluid or charcoal starter packs
- About 4 cups applewood smoker chips soaked in water for 4 hours
- 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
- olive oil or melted butter as needed
Instructions
- For a gas barbecue: Preheat one burner of a two-burner grill or two outer burners of a three-burner grill to medium heat. To create your smoker, seal 4 cups applewood chips (soaked in water for at least 4 hours beforehand) in a double layer of heavy-duty foil to make a packet; poke several holes in the top with a skewer or a fork. Place packet directly on lit burner. Close the lid. Let smoke fill the barbecue.For a charcoal barbecue: Light charcoal using a chimney starter (and lighter fluid or starter packs, if desired). Once the charcoal turns grey, it’s hot enough to use. Dump the coals into the well of your barbecue—you’re ready to turn your barbecue into a smoker. Sprinkle about 1⁄3 of your applewood chips directly over the hot coals (add the other 2⁄3 in two stages throughout the cooking process). With tongs, push the coals and chips to the outside, into a ring shape. Place two foil roasting pans in a stack directly in the centre of the well and top with the grill. Replace lid and let temperature come up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it does, close the vent to only a quarter open.
- For a gas barbecue: Place the turkey on a rack set inside a roasting pan on the unlit part of your gas grill, with the legs facing the middle of the barbecue.For a charcoal barbecue: Fill the foil pan with water about halfway. Place turkey directly on centre of grill above the roasting pan.
- Close the lid and cook, occasionally basting with a little olive oil or melted butter. Tent with foil if browning too quickly. Cook until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170 degrees Fahrenheit, 2 to 3.5 hours.
- Tent the turkey loosely with foil and cover with a beach towel. Let turkey rest for 1 hour before carving.
Notes
TIP: If you are grilling your turkey, you can use a probe thermometer, though it’s not required. Any instant-read digital thermometer will work; we like Thermapen, which is widely available for about $120.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!