Grilled Turkey Help

[comissaryqueen]

I am looking for a recipe for grilled Turkey. I would like to do it over charcoal has anyone ever tried this?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I've done a bunch of these and always get rave reviews. I just follow the Webber kettle directions and add my own variences. Here's how it works.

First, add the cold chacoal to the grill and seperate into two piles, leaving a 5 to 6 inch space between the piles. Make a drip pan out of two sheets, or 1 thick sheet of aluminum foil to place between the charcoal piles. cut several sticks of apple, maple, birch, white oak, hickory, or mesquite into lengths that will lay over the charcoal. Place the sticks in a bucket of water and let them soak for an hour or so.

When the bird is thawed, remove the giblets and place on the stove in a pan of boiling water. There should be about 4 cups of water. Add a tbs. of salt, cover and turn to simmer.

Wipe the bird inside and out to dry completely. Rub with butter, shortening, or cooking oil. place a bit of foil around the leg and wing ends to prevent them from burning. Place the bird on a rack (if you have one) and salt the skin. rub more salt into the cavity and place a couple leaves of sage and few rosemary stems into the cavity as well.

Douse charcoal with lighter fluid and ignite.

While the charcoal is getting hot, inject turkey or chicken broth into the bird in numerous locations. When the charcoal is ready, place the drip pan between the charcoal banks and fill halfway with water. Put sticks onto the hot coals.

Place the top rack onto the grill and put the turkey right in the middle. Insert a meat thermometer into the breast and push the tip right next to the leg hip joint, taking care not to let it touch the bone. Put cover on the grill and adjust all vents to halfway open position. Cook for about ten minutes per pound. Do not take lid off until that time has elapsed, except to regulate the fire or add more wood. Sometimes, the fire will get tricky and will need more air to re-ignite. Make sure it remains hot enough to produce smoke. Remove the bird when the thermometer reads 150 degrees Farenheight and let sit for twenty minutes.

To let everyone get their share of that yumy skin, cut the whole breasts off of the bird and carve across the grain, as you would a piece of flank steak. This will give you a more thender presentation. You just place the carved breast slices onto a plater as if the whole breasts were sitting there, side-by-side. Arrange the drumsticks, thighs, and wings to the sides, where they would be on the bird, and garnish with something pretty, like red-leaf lettuce or flowering kale. Place a dollop of your dressing at the tope and bottom of the breasts and serve with all the sides.

And this carving technique saves the oysters (little baby-fist sized chunks of meat that sit on the carcass back) for yourself. The oysters are the choicest meat on the turkey .

Use the remaining carcass for a yummy turkey-rice soup.

You don't have to add wood if you prefer a more traditional turkey flavor, but you will still get the natural smoke flavor from the charcoal.

I have served this turkey at weddings, at pot-lucks both at work and at church, and have been asked by many to teach them how to cook this wonderfully juicy and tender turkey.

Have a great thanksgiving.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[QSis]

Goodweed, have you ever considered not using charcoal lighter fluid? Many of us who are competitive barbecuers and caterers use a chimney starter. You fill it up and place it over crumbled newspaper or a cube of parafin (I get the ones made by Weber), light the cube or paper, and when the coals are hot, dump them in the cooker, either by themselves or on top of a pile of cold coals for a longer cook.

http://www.weberstuff.com/webcharchims.html

Lee

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Yep, I have considered using other starting methods. I have used rolled up newspaper, a great one is used paper cups that have been rinced clean. The parafin on the cups works very well. I have used a "green" starting product that was supposed to be environmentally freindly, and I have build a fire with shavings, twigs, and sticks that then had charcoal placed over the fire.

But for this application, I prefer the starter as it allows me to shape the charcoal before lighting. I let it burn a good fifteen to twenty minutes while I prepare the bird. This burns off all of the lighter fluid and I get no off-tastes.

I would think that the chimney would be great for producing a solid bed of hot coals. And I've thought about purchasing one. I'll get around to it one of these days. And thanks for thinking about it for me. I appreciate all of you who are so very helpful so very often.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North