Are you ready to move your Thanksgiving Day turkey cooking from the kitchen and to the backyard grill? Have you ever considered grilling a turkey for your family get-together? If you’re thinking, “No way!” Wait a moment, just because it’s November, doesn’t mean you can’t fire up the grill and enjoy some delicious food prepared in the out of doors.
You can grill your turkey, your sweet potatoes and even a pumpkin pie! If you have to cook more than one turkey for your gathering, you can cook one out of doors and the other in the traditional way in the oven. Grilling a turkey is a great way to cook a turkey in a different way that doesn’t involve deep frying it.
Grill Up A Thanksgiving Turkey
What does grilling a turkey for your Thanksgiving meal involve?
Take your whole fresh (or thoroughly thawed) ten to twelve pound turkey and start your grill. You can cook the turkey either on a gas grill or over charcoal. The way you decide to cook it will determine how long to cook it and the flavor the grilled turkey will have when it’s sliced and on your plates.
You will want to have a drop pan to catch the juices from the turkey that you can use for gravy. Put the drip pan under the turkey.
- Remove the turkey giblets from the cavity and cook them separately.
- Add lemon wedges, onion and fresh herbs to the turkey cavity. Pull the neck skin down and secure with a metal skewer. Cook your stuffing separately.
- Tuck the wing tips under and tie them with kitchen string.
- The turkey can be cooked on a rotisserie or in a pan on the grill.
- Spread butter on the turkey and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey leg.
- Place the turkey, breast-side up on your preheated grill.
- The turkey will need to cook for at least eleven to fifteen minutes per pound. If you’re cooking on charcoal, add a half a dozen briquets to each side of the fire every hour to keep the coals at medium heat.
- Brush the turkey with melted butter throughout the cooking cycle. Grill, covered until the thermometer reaches 185 degrees.
- Once the turkey is done, remove from the grill and let sit for up to fifteen minutes before carving the turkey.
A grilled turkey can be a new delicious tradition your family will enjoy!
Grill up some sweet potatoes to go with your dinner
Grilled sweet potatoes are quick and easy and delicious! Peel the sweet potatoes, slice into quarter-inch thick slices. Pain them with olive oil and sprinkle on salt before placing on a hot grill.
Grill fifteen minutes then flip. Cook until they are soft when pricked with a fork.
You can also wrap the sweet potatoes in foil, after you’ve pricked them with a fork and drizzled butter and cinnamon on top of them. Wrap in the foil and toss on the grill. It may take up to 30-45 minutes to cook them. Once they’re done, slice them open and place mini marshmallows inside. Place on the covered grill until the marshmallows are melted. For an even more delicious taste, grill the marshmallows and place on the sweet potatoes before serving.
These are a perfect companion dish with your grilled turkey.