Master Recipe
Grill-Roasted Turkey
NOTE: Make sure your grill lid is tall enough to accommodate
both your turkey and a V-rack. Brining before grill-roasting
improves the flavor and texture of the turkey. If you decide not
brine, rub the turkey generously with salt before grilling.
Grill-roasted turkey is a great choice for summer entertaining. The
usual summer poultry accompaniments—salsa or chutney to moisten the
bird, plus potato salad or cole slaw—can replace Thanksgiving
standbys like cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.
Serves 10 to 12.
1 turkey (12 to 14 pounds), rinsed thoroughly, giblets removed, and wing tips tucked behind back (see figure 31)
2 cups kosher salt or 11/3 cups table salt
3 3-inch wood chunks or 3 cups wood chips and heavy-duty aluminum foil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
3 thyme sprigs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. To brine turkey: Dissolve salt in 2 gallons of cold water in large stock pot or clean bucket. Add turkey, breast side down, and refrigerate or set in very cool (40 degrees or less) spot for 12 hours.
2. When almost ready to cook, soak wood chunks in cold water to cover for 1 hour and drain, or place wood chips on 18-inch square of aluminum foil, seal to make packet, and use fork to create about six holes to allow smoke to escape (see figures 5 and 6).
3. Remove turkey from salt water and rinse inside and out under cool running water for several minutes until all traces of salt are gone. Pat turkey dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Toss onion, carrot, celery, and thyme with 1 tablespoon melted butter and place mixture in cavity of turkey.
4. Meanwhile, light chimney filled with charcoal briquettes. Transfer hot coals from chimney to one side of kettle grill, piling them up in a mound three briquettes high. Keep bottom vents halfway open. When coals are covered with light gray ash, lay wood chunks or packet with chips on top of charcoal. Put cooking grate in place, position turkey, breast side down, in V-rack, and set V-rack securely on grate opposite fire (see figure 28). Open grill lid vents halfway and place lid on grill, turning lid so that vents are opposite wood chunks or chips to draw smoke through grill. (Initial temperature will be about 375 degrees and will drop to about 325 degrees after an hour.) Grill-roast turkey, covered, for about 1 hour.
5. Using thick pot holders, remove V-rack with turkey from grill and place it in large roasting pan. Working as quickly as possible, remove grill rack, move foil packet aside, if using, add 12 more briquettes, stir them into pile, return foil packet, if using, and place grill rack back in position. Baste back side of turkey with melted butter. With wad of paper towels in each hand, turn turkey breast side up in V-rack. Baste breast side of turkey. Return V-rack with turkey to grill so that the side of the turkey that was facing away from the fire now faces the coals. Quickly replace lid and continue grill-roasting until instant-read thermometer inserted into thigh registers between 165 and 170 degrees, 1 to 11/4 hours longer, depending on grill temperature. Remove turkey from the grill, let rest for 20 to 30 minutes, carve, and serve.
VARIATIONS:
Grill-Roasted Turkey on a Gas Grill
Follow Grill-Roasted Turkey Master Recipe, making the following changes: Place foil tray with soaked wood chips (see figures 7 through 10) of primary burner (see figure 11). Turn all burners to high and preheat with lid down until chips are smoking heavily, about 20 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). Position turkey in V-rack over cool part of grill. Grill-roast for an hour, turning and basting as directed, and continue to grill-roast until cooked through, 1 to 11/4 hours longer. (Temperature inside grill should average between 350 and 375 degrees; adjust lit burner as necessary.)
Grill-Roasted Turkey with Spice Rub
Follow Grill-Roasted Turkey Master Recipe or gas grill variation, making the following changes: Omit onion, carrot, celery, thyme, and butter. Coat skin with 1/2 cup of either spice rub. Grill-roast as directed.