Turkey on Barbeque

[lanie]

Has anybody ever cooked a turkey on the barbeque? It is Canadian Thanksgiving and we are thinking of putting the 'bird' 17 lbs. on the barbie - can anyone please give ANY info you have on this if you have done it or is it not worth trying - thanks

[valeriek]

lanie,

My stepmom does this ALL THE TIME! However, the results are pretty dry. They don't do a whole turkey but do the turkey breast. It sounds interesting, but the dry results leave me to think the oven is better.

[Ralph]

Haven't yet done this, though we tried a few years ago. Unfortunately, the turkey was too big to fit on our grill! I've heard great things about grilling a whole bird, so maybe sometime in the future we'll try again. I'll refer you to the Weber Grill site (www.weberbbq.com); they have lots of recipes, including at least one for a whole turkey, plus lots of other helpful hints. Happy Thanksgiving!

[lanie]

Thanks Ralph - and it is a new purchased Weber Gas grill with the flavor bars - but just wondering about a 17 pounder - I'm sure it will fit - just worried about the dryness - although this barbie is more like a convection oven - THAT WE CANNOT DO A THING RIGHT ON BY THE WAY!!!!!!!! We have had it since July and have only had a few 'triumphs' - however, they say once you get used to them they are great - thanks once again and will let you know how/if it turns out - thanks all.... lanie

[cookrrr]

Lanie,

Happy Thanksgiving to you too, from a fellow Canadian!
Here are some tips from http://www.butterball.com on grilling a turkey:

Turkey Grilling Tips
Charcoal grills with whee
ls should be positioned so the leg without the wheel is heading into the wind. On grills without wheels, position the handles into the wind. Spray unheated grill rack with non-stick cooking spray to prevent turkey from sticking. If barbecue sauce or a sweetened glaze is used, brush it on the turkey the last half hour of cooking.


Cook two small turkeys or turkey products at the same time on the grill. The cooking time is the same for two items as for one when similar in size.

When turkey is cooked on a charcoal grill, there may be a narrow rosy pink band of meat just under the skin. This is due to charcoal combustion reacting with the meat pigment. This is not a sign of undercooked meat.

Weather conditions (temperature, wind and humidity) may influence the total cook time. Place an oven thermometer on grill rack to monitor temperature. It may be necessary to adjust the number of briquettes or the controls on a gas grill to maintain medium heat (325 to 350°F).

Like the Weber site, the Butterball site has lots of detailed information about grilling a whole turkey on a charcoal or gas grill, and lots of other tidbits, including recipes.

P.S. Like you, I am in Toronto. I happened to mention this earlier today on another thread (Intro), but will repeat myself : a few of us have just started a Cooking Light supper club in Toronto. Lots of fun! If this interests you, please post on the Cooking Light Supper Club Outside U.S. bulletin board.

cookrrr

[This message has been edited by cookrrr (edited 10-07-2000).]

[Beth Y]

We smoke a turkey on the grill every year, as well as for many summer parties. It is very easy and keeps your oven free for other dishes (at Tday) or cool(in the summer). It is great, keeps the turkey moist and flavorful. We use the recipe provided with our Weber grill (the round topped smoker kind, the original version, not the new fancy ones). It is called the "indirect method" where you put a drip pan surrounded by coals topped with soaked wood chips (from the store, not your yard!) around it on the bottom grill, and the turkey on the top grill. The only trick is to have a good meat thermometer that you can leave in it. Otherwise, cook til done (based on what Weber says for turkeys, I think around 170). Our only tip is not to check it too often or it will take longer to cook. Ummmm. Can't wait to Tday here!

I would check the Weber site posted above for specific directions. The turkey breast works too.

(Never mind, I checked the site and found it, see below)

Holiday Turkey Roasted on the Grill

One of our most sought-after recipes. Grill just one turkey and you’ll never go back to making it in the oven!

1 oven-ready turkey (select size to fit your grill)

1 tablespoon oil

Salt and pepper

Herbs, rub, or seasoning to taste

Rinse turkey and pat dry. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place. Return legs to tucked position. Brush turkey with oil. Season to taste, inside and out.

Place turkey, breast side up, in a roast holder set inside a large heavy-gauge foil pan. Place in center of cooking grate. Cook 11 to 13 minutes per pound to an internal temperature of 180º F in the thigh and 170ºF in the breast. Remove turkey from grill and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Serving size = 4-oz. skinless portion.

Note: To collect drippings for making gravy, pour a little water into foil pan. Replenish water as needed to keep drippings from burning. Remove pan from under turkey about 30 minutes before bird should be done and make gravy. (Continue cooking turkey in the center of the cooking grate).


(This is Beth again, here is the info from Weber about the indirect method)


Indirect Method
The Indirect Method is similar to roasting. Charcoal briquets are set on each side of the food and gas burners are lit on each side of the food but not directly beneath it. Heat rises, reflects off the lid and inside surfaces of the grill, and slowly cooks the food evenly on all sides. The circulating heat works much like a convection oven, so there’s no need to turn the food. The Indirect Method is recommended for roasts, ribs, chickens, turkeys, and other large cuts of meat.


To grill by the Indirect Method on a charcoal grill, arrange hot coals evenly on either side of the charcoal grate. Place food in the center of the cooking grate. A drip pan [placed in the center of the charcoal grate and under the food] is useful to collect drippings that can be used for gravies and sauces. It also helps prevent flare-ups when cooking fattier foods such as goose, duck, or fatty roasts.

To grill by the Indirect Method on a gas grill, preheat the grill with all burners on High. Then adjust the burners on each side of the food to the temperature noted in the recipe and turn off the burner(s) directly below the food. For best results, place roasts, poultry, or large cuts of meat on a roasting rack set inside a disposable heavy-gauge foil pan. For longer cooking times, add water to the drip pan to keep drippings from burning.


(Beth again... As I said above, we smoke our turkeys. So, in additions to the directions above, we soak hickory, mesquite, etc. chips in water and then place them on top of the coals once they are ready. You will have to add more wet chips throughout the cooking process. A bonus is that the whole neighborhood will be envious of your turkey. Also, we deviate from these directions (apparently they have revised them since our book) in that we put the drip pan on the lower grate, between the two separated piles of coals. So it will catch the drips, but let the smoke get to the turkey. Good luck.
If you have more specific quesitons, be sure to post. I have done this about 15 times.

[This message has been edited by Beth Y (edited 10-07-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Beth Y (edited 10-07-2000).]

[Beth]

We roast chickens and have done turkeys on a Weber gas grill. We've done a 13 pounder, and could go larger. What we do to keep the bird (any size) moist is to sear it at the start by putting it on just after you've pre-heated the grill and then turned it down to reach the cooking temp. The higher temp start sears the skin, makes it crisp and brown and holds in the juices. We turn the middle burner off and turn the front and back ones to low. Use the roasting time you would expect in an oven as a guide, but it may vary in either direction. If you have a thermometer that checks the grill temp, check it periodically.

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 10-08-2000).]

[Ed]

Hi,

I've done so many Turkeys on the grill over the years I can't count `em any longer. They really turn out great on the grill and I've done them in all kinds of weather, Spring, Summer, fall, & winter. On charcoal and gas grills.

To avoid having a dry turkey you need to have a Roast Rack, (they're made to put like a rolled roast in) (these are available in most hardware stores that handle Webber accessoties) place the Turkey, BREAST DOWN, (some might call this upside down) on or in the Roast rack. The roast rack will hold the turkey on the Breast where without it the Turkey won't stay that way.

Also place the Roast rack and the Turkey in a large (I use a disposable) Aluminum pan and this whole thing sits on TOP of the grill. The pan will catch any drippings to make gravy with.

I like to baste the turkey every once in a while while I roast it, but even if you don't, all the juices from the back of the Turkey, (Which is a waste anyway), will run down into the breast meat.

When I baste a Turkey I not only do the outside of it but the inside of it too. That way more of the good stuff gets into the meat.

BTW I do the stuffing separate from the bird, because the bird won't hold enough anyway, so you need to do additional in a roaster in the oven, so I do all the stuffing separate then the Turky gets done faster and I can baste it all I want to.

Use a meat thermometer to make sure it's done when you get towards the end of the cooking. and when it's done put it on a platter on it's back and carve it up. If it's done right the juices should just be oozing out of the breast meat when you slice it.

I'm not kidding here, when that Turkey is on the table and all those hungry people are licking their lips in anticipation and they see that Turkey meat loaded with juices, you'll hear pleasing sounds just naturally emit from all those friends and relatives.

Be sure your knife is really sharp to carve a Turkey the right way. Too dull a knife makes a real mess of it.

Well I hope this is a help to you and Happy Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a great holiday, one that we all can celebrate.

BTW I use an older Webber Gas Grill here at the house, and I can get a 20+ pound Turkey on there and also a Turkey Breast, sometimes we need that much for all the big eaters that come over.

Ed

[Grace]

Hi Ed,

This has nothing to do with roasting turkey, but I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your posts! They are always informative and entertaining, and your use of the english language and writing style is really an artform that is rarely seen anymore. I'm so glad to have your input too, as there are so few men around here, and you really know a lot. Thanks for bringing a smile to my face and thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge - I learn a lot from you. So, keep on posting!!!

Grace

[This message has been edited by Grace (edited 10-08-2000).]

[lanie]

Just want to thank you all very much - 'birdie' is about to go for the barbie - will let you know how he turns out - not stuffing - know that much - thanks for all that info Ed!!!!!!!! You people - I must say are great - I so enjoy 'being' here!

[Ed]

Hi Grace,

Thank you so much for the kind words, I really appreciate all that you said.

I'm kind of speechless now. Which reminds me, Sharon sends her thanks to you for that.

Thanks again,

Ed