Grill-Roasted Turkey
By Yankee Magazine|Oct 28 2003|
Try this method and you’ll never use your oven again. The turkey cooks in half the time recommended for oven roasting, and it remains moist and juicy with just one basting. But stifle the impulse to open the grill lid for a peek — the heat in the grill will drop significantly and slow your cooking.
Yield:
18 to 20 servings (with plenty left over for turkey sandwiches)Ingredients
18- to 20-pound turkey (not self-basting)
Olive oil spray or 1/2 cup olive or canola oil
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Thanksgiving Day:
Preheat gas grill for 10 minutes with all burners on low heat (400 degrees F). Rinse turkey and pat dry. Stuff turkey with your favorite stuffing. Coat skin of turkey with olive oil spray or brush skin with oil. Season skin with salt and pepper. Place turkey in a disposable aluminum foil roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Create a tent of aluminum foil over the turkey and seal tightly. Place pan on the grill rack and close lid. Cook 3 hours (for a 20-pound turkey) or until popper is exposed or turkey leg can be pulled away from the body. Remove tenting. Baste turkey with drippings (remove 3 tablespoons drippings for gravy). Close grill lid, raise heat to medium, and cook 15 minutes more or until bird is golden brown. Remove turkey from grill. Allow bird to sit 10 minutes. Remove dressing to an ovenproof bowl and place it in a warm oven until serving. Carve turkey, place on a large platter, and serve.
I grilled a turkey last Thanksgiving following the Yankee recipie. My guests and I absolutely loved it! I will never oven roast a turkey again. It was so easy, and it leaves your oven free for other dishes.
I have cooked turkey this way for the past two Thanksgvings and I’m doing it again. The only thing missing is the smell inside the house.
This recipe is excellent! The turkey comes out very moist. However the best part is the short amount of time it takes and that you just put it on the grill and leave it for three hours, which give you plenty of time (and oven speace)to work on the rest of the meal. I will always use this recipe!!
It was easy and turned out fantastic.
I have grilled my turkeys for ten years, all the family will be here for Turkey day. A 22 pound tom on the grill at 7 am. Wonderful recipe.
I love this method and will never cook a turkey in the oven again. The only alteration I make when I recommend it to others (which I do an awful lot this time of year!) is to use a remote meat thermometer so you can monitor the temp without lifting the lid.