Grill-Roasted Turkey for Charcoal Grill
By America's Test KitchenPublished on December 7, 2011
Time
3 hours, plus 12 hours brining, 1 hour soaking, and 20 minutes resting
Yield
Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Charcoal gives you the opportunity to add wood twice -- at the outset of grilling and when the bird is turned breast-side up at the one-hour mark -- for a stronger smoke flavor. If you're using wood chips, don't forget to add fresh briquettes at the same time you add the second packet of wood chips. Wood chunks throw off enough heat as they burn to make additional briquettes unnecessary. Hickory and mesquite are widely available in chunk and chip form; both work well in this recipe. Hardwood charcoal burns faster than briquettes, so be sure to use briquettes in this recipe. The total cooking time is 2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the bird, the ambient conditions (the bird will require more time on a cool, windy day), and the intensity of the fire. Check the internal temperature in the thigh when rotating the bird. If the thigh is below 145 degrees, wait 30 minutes, otherwise check in about 15 minutes.
Instructions
- Dissolve salt in 2 gallons water in large (at least 16-quart) stockpot or clean bucket. Add turkey and refrigerate, or set in a very cool spot (between 32 and 40 degrees), 12 hours or overnight. (If refrigerator space is at a premium, you can use a more concentrated brine for a shorter period of time. Double the salt in the solution, place four or five ice gel packs in the brine with the turkey cover, and place in a very cool spot for 4 hours.)
- Toward end of brining time, soak wood chunks in bowl with cold water to cover for 1 hour and drain. Alternatively, place half the chips on 18-inch square of heavy-duty aluminum foil and seal to make a packet. Use fork to tear about six holes in foil to allow smoke to escape. Repeat with remaining 3 cups wood chips and another sheet of foil; set aside. Fill 1 large chimney generously with charcoal (about 70 briquettes) and ignite; burn until briquettes are completely covered with light gray ash.
- Meanwhile, spray V-rack with nonstick cooking spray. Remove turkey from brine and rinse inside and out under cool running water to remove all traces of salt. Pat turkey dry with paper towels; brush both sides with melted butter. Set turkey, breast-side down, in V-rack.
- Empty coals into grill and pile onto one side. Place 3 soaked and drained wood chunks or 1 wood chip packet on top of coals. Set the top grate in position, heat briefly, an then scrape the grate clean with a wire brush. Position grill rack over coals and place V-rack with turkey over cool part of grill; open grill lid vent halfway and cover, positioning vent over turkey. Cover and grill-roast 1 hour.
- Remove lid from grill. Using thick potholders, transfer V-rack with turkey to rimmed cookie sheet or roasting pan. Remove grill rack and add 3 remaining soaked wood chunks or 12 new briquettes and remaining wood chip packet on top of coals; replace grill rack. With wad of paper towels in each hand, flip turkey breast-side up in rack (see illustrations below). Return V-rack with turkey to cool side of grill so that leg and wing that were facing coals are now facing away. Cover and grill-roast 45 minutes.
- Using thick potholders, carefully turn V-rack with turkey (breast remains up) so that leg and wing that were facing coals are now facing away. Insert instant-read thermometer into each thigh to check temperature and gauge how much longer turkey must cook (see note following recipe title, above). Cover and continue grill-roasting until thermometer inserted into thigh registers 175 to 180 degrees, 15 to 45 minutes more. Remove turkey from grill, cover loosely with foil, and let rest 20 to 30 minutes; carve and serve.
Time
3 hours, plus 12 hours brining, 1 hour soaking, and 20 minutes restingYield
Serves 10 to 12Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a grill-roasted turkey recipe with crisp skin and moist meat wonderfully perfumed with smoke, we determined that a small (less than 14 pounds) bird was best; the skin on larger birds will burn before the meat is done. Brining the turkey in a mixture of water and salt before cooking helped to keep the meat from drying out. To protect the skin and promote slow cooking in our grill-roasted turkey recipe, we placed the turkey on the opposite side of the glowing charcoals. Using a V-rack also helped, as did turning the turkey three times instead of twice so that all four sides got equal exposure to the hot side of the grill.
Before You Begin
Charcoal gives you the opportunity to add wood twice -- at the outset of grilling and when the bird is turned breast-side up at the one-hour mark -- for a stronger smoke flavor. If you're using wood chips, don't forget to add fresh briquettes at the same time you add the second packet of wood chips. Wood chunks throw off enough heat as they burn to make additional briquettes unnecessary. Hickory and mesquite are widely available in chunk and chip form; both work well in this recipe. Hardwood charcoal burns faster than briquettes, so be sure to use briquettes in this recipe. The total cooking time is 2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the bird, the ambient conditions (the bird will require more time on a cool, windy day), and the intensity of the fire. Check the internal temperature in the thigh when rotating the bird. If the thigh is below 145 degrees, wait 30 minutes, otherwise check in about 15 minutes.
Instructions
- Dissolve salt in 2 gallons water in large (at least 16-quart) stockpot or clean bucket. Add turkey and refrigerate, or set in a very cool spot (between 32 and 40 degrees), 12 hours or overnight. (If refrigerator space is at a premium, you can use a more concentrated brine for a shorter period of time. Double the salt in the solution, place four or five ice gel packs in the brine with the turkey cover, and place in a very cool spot for 4 hours.)
- Toward end of brining time, soak wood chunks in bowl with cold water to cover for 1 hour and drain. Alternatively, place half the chips on 18-inch square of heavy-duty aluminum foil and seal to make a packet. Use fork to tear about six holes in foil to allow smoke to escape. Repeat with remaining 3 cups wood chips and another sheet of foil; set aside. Fill 1 large chimney generously with charcoal (about 70 briquettes) and ignite; burn until briquettes are completely covered with light gray ash.
- Meanwhile, spray V-rack with nonstick cooking spray. Remove turkey from brine and rinse inside and out under cool running water to remove all traces of salt. Pat turkey dry with paper towels; brush both sides with melted butter. Set turkey, breast-side down, in V-rack.
- Empty coals into grill and pile onto one side. Place 3 soaked and drained wood chunks or 1 wood chip packet on top of coals. Set the top grate in position, heat briefly, an then scrape the grate clean with a wire brush. Position grill rack over coals and place V-rack with turkey over cool part of grill; open grill lid vent halfway and cover, positioning vent over turkey. Cover and grill-roast 1 hour.
- Remove lid from grill. Using thick potholders, transfer V-rack with turkey to rimmed cookie sheet or roasting pan. Remove grill rack and add 3 remaining soaked wood chunks or 12 new briquettes and remaining wood chip packet on top of coals; replace grill rack. With wad of paper towels in each hand, flip turkey breast-side up in rack (see illustrations below). Return V-rack with turkey to cool side of grill so that leg and wing that were facing coals are now facing away. Cover and grill-roast 45 minutes.
- Using thick potholders, carefully turn V-rack with turkey (breast remains up) so that leg and wing that were facing coals are now facing away. Insert instant-read thermometer into each thigh to check temperature and gauge how much longer turkey must cook (see note following recipe title, above). Cover and continue grill-roasting until thermometer inserted into thigh registers 175 to 180 degrees, 15 to 45 minutes more. Remove turkey from grill, cover loosely with foil, and let rest 20 to 30 minutes; carve and serve.
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