Cooking a Turkey w/charcoal

[EricSan]

I was wondering if I could get any tips on cooking a turkey on my charcoal grill? I was at a get together and someone made one and it was GOOD!!!! How long for an avg size turkey and any other info would be GREAT!!! Thanks

[Eric Wettschreck]

I put like a bunch of charcoal in the weber. When the coals are ready to go I spread em out around the outside and put a bread pan full of water right smack dab in the middle of the coals.

Put the gobbler, seasoned as you like, on the grate, or a rottisserie if you have one, and let er buck. As the coals burn off you can add ones on top to keep it warm.

I've found it takes right about the same time on the grill as it would in the oven.

This is how I do roasts and phesants and duckies and geese and dang is it yummy. Use a weber and not a gas grill and you're in for a treat.

[IFallsRon]

I generally go with a half bag of charcoal spread around one half of the kettle. Prep your turkey as you prefer. I start with a 10-12 lb. turkey uncovered in a foil pan. After about the first hour, I'll baste and rotate the pan. If the turkey is browning, I'll cover it with foil. I'll check and baste every 30 minutes thereafter. Typically it'll take 2.5 to three hours. A popup temp gage helps.

Some people start with the back up so that cooking juices flow into the breast, flipping it over halfway so the breast browns. You'll have to refine your process as you become more experienced.

I cook whole chickens on the grill, too. I slice the chicken up the backbone and lay it open with the breast up, flipping halfway through to ensure even cooking.

[Kylersk]

check out weber's HSOforum, they have a recipe/instructions on doing it. I use that. I also add a drip pan underneath the turkey, between the charcoal, and make gravy from it. The smokey flavor that you get in the gravy is really good.

[irvingdog]

IFallsRon: That is the best trick I've ever learned for turkey. We've done 2 birds side by side, and there is no comparison: Cook them BREAST SIDE DOWN!!! Not a show-room pretty bird any more, but who cares? It is considerably more juicy. Juicier?

/Hate English

[BobT]

I've never tried breast side down. Will have to give it a go sometime.

My weber easily holds up to 14# bird. I use Lawry's season salt and apply liberally inside and out. I place my coals on opposite sides in the grill with a drip pan in the middle. This keeps the grill cleaner plus helps contain the coals. After the coals are ready and you place the grate back on, be sure the handles are directly over the coals. This way you can add more coals while cooking without removing the grate. Put the lid on and just check it periodically for more coals. About 1 hour per 4# should be adequate. I begin basting with a stick of butter during the last 1/2 hour or so.

NO PICKING?? This is dangerous and should not be done by even the most experienced grillers. My father-in-law and I found this out the hard way. Our wives had gone to town and left us in charge of the bird and beer. Okay, it could be argued that what followed was their fault because they left us in charge. Well, we gave in to temptation and started picking at the bird as it was getting nice and brown. Well, by the time the women returned we had consumed the entire bird along with our supply of beer. It was good though.

Bob

[IFallsRon]

Here's a tip for the pickers. I've been known to cut the wings off and cook them separately on the side as they tend to get done faster than the rest of the bird.