A grilled turkey in a aluminum pan.

This summer had been an opportunity to try out a bunch of different meats and treatments. I thought I’d be doing everyone a solid by offering up the opportunity to grill our turkey for Thanksgiving.

It would free up an oven for all of the other various dishes but it would seem others had some apprehensions. They were a little nervous I would dry out the turkey or forget a step.

A turkey in an aluminum pan on a grill.

We were all wrong, this turkey was delicious. I think the most important thing to do with cooking a successful turkey is to brine the poultry.

Brining seems daunting. It’s not. You just need the tools. A big bucket or industrial-size ziplock bag is the best. Grab fresh or dried herbs to really give the brine some extra flavor.

A turkey in an aluminum pan.

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Grilled Turkey

Are you short on oven space this Thanksgiving? Try grilling your turkey instead! Grilled turkey is a great option for the holidays and results in a crisp and juicy bird. 
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Brining Time 2 days
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings 16 servings

Ingredients

  • 15 lb turkey
  • 1 gallon vegetable stock
  • 1 cup sea salt
  • 1 tbsp poultry seasoning
  • 1 tbsp dried sage
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp dried rosemary
  • 1 gallon ice water

Instructions

  • Clean the turkey by rinsing it and removing the neck and giblets. Pat the turkey dry.
  • Combine the vegetable stock and sea salt in a large stock pot over medium heat.
  • Bring the stock and sea salt to a boil and continue stirring.
  • Add in the poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, and rosemary.
  • Bring everything to a boil and stir occasionally.
  • Once the salt has dissolved, take the stock pot off the burner and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
  • Once the brining liquid has cooled to room temperature, add the liquid to the gallon of ice water in a large bucket or ziplock bag.
  • Submerge the turkey and seal up the bag or bucket. Place the brining turkey in the fridge or other cold place. Allow the turkey to brine for 24–48 hours.
  • Preheat the grill for 10–15 minutes on high heat to 500–550 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • While you are preheating the grill, rinse the brine and pat the turkey dry. Lightly brush the turkey with vegetable oil.
  • Place the turkey in a foil or roast pan, and turn down the grill to medium heat and keep the temperature around 400 degrees. The turkey will take 2–3 hours to cook. It is roughly 11–13 minutes per pound.
  • Baste the turkey every 20–25 minutes until the internal thigh temperature is 170 degrees. The breast should be 165 degrees. Take the turkey off the grill and set aside covered in foil. The internal temperature of the turkey should be around 180 degrees in the thigh.

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 65g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 217mg | Sodium: 8369mg | Potassium: 676mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3.1mg

One Comment

  1. As usual, it was a great meal. My daughters are incredibly talented in the kitchen and they didn’t get it from me. Love you all. The turkey from Amy, the veggie pizza appetizer from Meg, and the yummy homemade apple pie made by Katie were great. Love you guys…

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