The best Grilled Turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner is so simple and incredibly delicious. Once you try cooking your holiday turkey on the grill, you'll never go back to oven roasted again.
Cooking turkey on the grill is a great way to change up the Thanksgiving menu without loosing too much tradition. We also love making Smoked Chicken and Dressing to go with our holiday meal.
The secret to a tender, juicy and flavorful grilled turkey is to brine it. If you think you don't have time to brine, listen up! We never brine our turkey for more than 4 hours.
Ingredients for Grilled Turkey Brine:
- Warm Water
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper Corns
- Lemon
- Fresh Rosemary
- Fresh Garlic
- Ice
Ingredients for Grilled Turkey:
- Whole Turkey
- Salted Butter
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Rosemary
- Dry Rub
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How to Brine Turkey:
- In a large pan or bowl, combine warm water with kosher salt. Whisk until salt is dissolved.
- Cut lemon into quarters, squeeze the juice into the water and add the lemon rinds.
- Slice garlic cloves in half and place into the brine with rosemary sprigs.
- Add ice and stir to cool down the brine.
- Lower turkey into brine.
- Cover and refrigerate 1- 4 hours.
- Drain turkey and discard the brine.
How to Grill Thanksgiving Turkey:
- Prepare a grill fire to about 350°. Hickory or pecan chunks will add amazing smoke flavor.
- Pat turkey dry with paper towels, inside and out.
- Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Melt to tablespoons of butter in a small pan. Add minced garlic and rosemary, cook 1 minute.
- In a small bowl, add softened butter with garlic butter mixture. Use a fork to combine.
- Carefully separate the skin from the turkey breast.
- Rub butter all under skin and over the top of the the turkey skin.
- Sprinkle with dry rub.
- Use butcher twine to truss the turkey.
- Cook turkey over indirect fire with the grill closed.
- Check the turkey about every 30 minutes, turning if it is browning more on one side than the other.
- Continue to cook until turkey reaches 160° using a digital meat thermometer the check in the thick part of the thigh, near the bone.
- Remove from grill and rest about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
How Long to Grill Turkey:
Figure on about 15 -20 minutes per pound for grilled turkey if the grill temperature is between 300° and 350°. Between 3 and 4 hours total cooking time for about a 12- 15 pound turkey. Using a digital thermometer is the best way to make sure the grilled turkey is perfectly cooked.
How to Store and Reheat Grilled Turkey:
Turkey should be sliced and removed from the bone. Place in an airtight container or plastic zip top bags and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Keep the turkey carcass in a plastic bag to make homemade turkey stock. It's perfect to have on hand to make turkey noodle soup or homemade dumplings.
Turkey can be served cold for Turkey Club Sandwiches or use the dark meat to make this amazing Turkey Salad.
To heat leftover turkey, place in a pan with a bit of broth or water, cook over medium heat until heated through.
Turkey can be frozen in a vacuum sealed bag or freezer bag up to 3 months.
This grilled Thanksgiving turkey turns out incredibly juicy, tender and flavorful with the perfect amount of smoky flavor. The skin gets crispy and wonderful for seriously the best tasting turkey you've ever had.
We love grilled turkey so much that we will often pick up several during the holiday season so we will have them on hand to grill throughout the year. It is a great meal to add to the weekly dinner menu that makes the best leftovers.
If you are looking for an alternative to turkey, this Grilled Duck with Orange Sauce is a great option for the holidays.
More Delicious Turkey Recipes You Must Try:
You might also like this Cranberry BBQ Sauce as an alternative to the classic cranberry sauce to serve with your grilled turkey.
Change up your Thanksgiving menu and start a brand new tradition with a Grilled Turkey this year. It's a tried and true favorite that is guaranteed to be a show-stopper for your holiday gathering.
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Grilled Turkey
The best Grilled Turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner is so simple and incredibly delicious. Once you try cooking your holiday turkey on the grill, you'll never go back to oven roasted again.
Ingredients
For the Brine:
- 4 quarts of warm water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
- 1 tablespoons peppercorns
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 cups ice cubes
For the Turkey
- 12 pound turkey
- ½ cup butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
Instructions
- In a large pan, combine warm water with kosher salt. Whisk until salt is dissolved.
- Squeeze the juice into the water and add the lemon rinds.
- Slice garlic cloves in half and place into the brine with rosemary sprigs.
- Add ice and stir to cool down the brine.
- Lower turkey into brine.
- Cover and refrigerate 1- 4 hours.
- Drain turkey and discard the brine.
- Prepare a grill fire to about 350°. Hickory or pecan chunks will add amazing smoke flavor.
- Pat turkey dry with paper towels, inside and out.
- Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Melt to tablespoons of butter in a small pan. Add minced garlic and rosemary, cook 1 minute.
- In a small bowl, add softened butter with garlic butter mixture. Use a fork to combine.
- Carefully separate the skin from the turkey breast.
- Rub butter all under skin and over the top of the the turkey skin.
- Sprinkle with dry rub.
- Use butcher twine to truss the turkey.
- Cook turkey over indirect fire with the grill closed.
- Check the turkey about every 30 minutes, turning if it is browning more on one side than the other.
- Cook until turkey reaches 160° using a digital meat thermometer the check in the thick part of the thigh, near the bone.
- Remove from grill and rest about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
How Long to Grill Turkey:
Figure on about 15 -20 minutes per pound for grilled turkey if the grill temperature is between 300° and 350°. Between 3 and 4 hours total cooking time for about a 12- 15 pound turkey. Using a digital thermometer is the best way to make sure the grilled turkey is perfectly cooked.
How to Store and Reheat Grilled Turkey:
Turkey should be sliced and removed from the bone. Place in an airtight container or plastic zip top bags and refrigerate up to 3 days.
To heat leftover turkey, place in a pan with a bit of broth or water, cook over medium heat until heated through.
Turkey can be frozen in a vacuum sealed bag or freezer bag up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 641Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 350mgSodium: 373mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 86g
Nutritional information is estimated and may not be accurate.
Tommy
Hickory Bird
Nothing can compare to that
Natural taste ,Delicious Recipe.