How to Barbecue a Turkey

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about how to barbecue a turkey (and maybe even more).  It smells incredible when it’s cooking and the taste is even better.  And the drippings make the most amazing lightly smoky flavored gravy that you’ll want to put on everything on your dinner plate!

Have you ever tasted turkey cooked on a Weber Kettle Charcoal Grill?

The smoky flavor is amazingly, unbelievably, over-the-top delicious. 

It’s so juicy and tender too.

We’ve made our holiday turkeys on the BBQ for a number of years and the outcome is consistently magazine-cover-ready.  I can’t even tell you how good the leftovers are with the smoky flavor.

And the gravy that’s made from the drippings is the best I’ve ever had.

I put it on everything…ok maybe not the pumpkin pie.

Here’s a link for how to make this delicious gravy “How to Make Turkey Gravy from Pan Drippings“).

The reason that the outcome is so consistent is that the cooking time and number of mesquite coals used is calculated based on the weight of the turkey.

It’s just 11 minutes of cooking time per pound for a turkey without stuffing, and 13 minutes per pound for a turkey with stuffing.

Below I give an example on how to figure out the time it will take to prep the BBQ, cook, and rest the turkey.   It’s actually very easy and the smell from the turkey cooking in the BBQ is out of this world…it actually smells like it tastes if that makes sense.

I apologize in advance if my explanation below about the cooking time sounds like some sort of a math exam, but the results are so worth it.

You’ll need:

Mesquite charcoal briquets, a whole fresh or completely defrosted turkey, dripping pan, butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder.   Also, the type of BBQ and grates (accessories) used are noted at the bottom in the printable recipe.

Here’s how to make it.

First, determine when you should start the cooking process (see the explanation on how to do this at the bottom of this recipe).

Preparing the Grill:

To start, put plastic gloves on (for handling the briquetes) and add 25 Match Light with Mesquite briquets on each side of the BBQ inside the charcoal rails.

Since the Match Light briquets are infused with lighter fluid you’ll only use them for the initial stage of getting the coals hot.

There will be some black colored coals and some light brown coals which are the mesquite briquets.

These charcoal rails are an accessory, and are so handy when making this recipe.

The hardest part of adding the coals is keeping the right count.

Oops…forgot one.

The coals added later in the cooking process will just be the regular (non-Match Light) mesquite charcoal briquets.

TIP – Now that the Match Light briquets have been added it’s a good idea to close the bag and store them away so not to mistakenly use them in the actual cooking process.

Carefully light up the coals with a fire starter.

Light a few of the coals…

…on one side to get them going.

Then go to the other side and light a few of the coals.

No need to put the lid on yet.

You’ll see some flames for just a short while.

But they’ll die down fairly quickly.

Let the coals get hot (about 45 minutes).

Preparing the Fresh or Completely Defrosted Turkey (do this while the coals are heating up):

While the coals are getting hot, put the turkey (a fresh or completely defrosted turkey) on a large platter or sturdy baking pan.  Drizzle the melted butter over the entire turkey (in the cavity too).  Then sprinkle the entire turkey (including the cavity) with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

When preparing a turkey, the legs and wings should be compact to the bird so that it cooks evenly.  A cooked turkey also looks so pretty and professional when the wings and legs are tight to the bird.

Although we haven’t gotten to the step yet where the turkey is placed on the grill, I included the picture above to point out a few things related to the preparation of the turkey.

In the picture above you can see what is called a “hock lock” holding the legs together.  The hock lock generally comes with the turkey and is either metal or plastic.

TIP – When I first started cooking turkeys I thought that I was supposed to take that off and throw it away!  Don’t be like me and do that!  The hock lock needs to stay on the bird to secure the hind legs (or hock) of the turkey so that the turkey will cook evenly. 

TIP – If your turkey doesn’t come with a hock lock it may need to be “trussed” (or tied).  Trussing, or tying a turkey with twine into a compact shape allows the turkey to cook evenly.  Here’s a helpful link that you may like from Epicurious.com “How to Truss a Turkey:  The Simple, No-Fuss Way” .

It’s great if your turkey comes with a hock lock, but what about the wings, they need to also be tight to the bird so they don’t burn or get too crispy and brown.

TIP – Since I generally have toothpicks on hand I use them to secure the wings to the bird like in the picture above.  As an alternative, the wing tips can be tucked behind the shoulders to lock them in place.  Here’s a link to a slide from the article “How to Stuff and Prepare Your Thanksgiving Turkey” on MarthaStewart.com that shows how to tuck the wings under a turkey.

After the turkey is prepared, set it aside just until the coals are ready.

Once the coals are hot (they will turn a gray color), using sturdy oven mitts, carefully put the pan for the drippings in between the charcoal rails.

TIP – When putting the pan in the BBQ, be very careful not to get close to the hot charcoal or bump the rack that the briquets are on so that the dust from the charcoal won’t fly into the pan (since the pan will have drippings in it that the gravy is made out of).

These drippings make the most amaaaazing lightly smoky flavored gravy.

I use this old faithful metal pan.

But you can also use a sturdy disposable foil pan if you prefer.

Carefully put the hinged cooking grate in the BBQ (this is also a handy accessory).

TIP – When putting the hinged cooking grate in the BBQ, try to do it gently so not to bump, move or disturb the briquets so the very light dust on them doesn’t get into the dripping pan.

Cooking the Fresh or Completely Defrosted Turkey:

Transfer the turkey from the platter on to the cooking grate…

…center the turkey…

…right over the pan that will collect the drippings.

Oh, and about those toothpicks that I use to hold the wings tight to the bird…

…after the turkey has thoroughly cooked, and while it’s resting, I carefully remove all of the toothpicks and the wings generally stay in place nicely.

Put the lid on the BBQ with the vent open.

Every hour, (starting from when the initial coals were added), add 10 regular mesquite coals (not the Match Light coals) to each side of the charcoal rails…

…so about 15 minutes after putting the turkey on the grill (this timing assumes that the turkey was put on the grill 45 minutes after lighting the briquets which would equal a total of 1 hour after the coals were initially lit), take off the lid, open the hinged cooking grates, and add 10 regular mesquite coals to each side.

Then put the lid back on.

Then for every hour thereafter,

continue to add 10 regular mesquite coals (not the Match Light coals)…

…to each side of the charcoal rails.

Here’s what the turkey looks like after about an hour and a half of cooking.

Basting the Turkey – Every ½ hour or so, use a bulb-type baster to transfer the liquid from the cavity of the turkey, to the top of the turkey.

TIP – If the top of the turkey is cooking faster than the rest of the bird, put a piece of foil (just large enough to cover the brown area) on top of the turkey.

This isn’t required but if you happen to have a citrus tree in your patio or yard,

add some of the leaves to the coals…

…during the last hour of cooking for some added flavor.

When the turkey is thoroughly cooked, using sturdy oven mitts, carefully remove it from the grill on to a large platter to let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.

TIP – Removing the turkey from the BBQ is a two-person task because one person needs to hold on to the platter while the other person transfers the turkey from the BBQ to the platter (using sturdy hot mitts).

TIP – The turkey should be transferred to a large sturdy platter with edges because there will be juice that comes off of the turkey.  So it’s not a good idea to transfer the turkey from the BBQ directly on to a cutting board because the juice from the turkey will run over the sides of the cutting board and make a mess.

Using sturdy hot mitts, carefully remove the dripping pan from the grill.  While the turkey is cooling, use these drippings to make your gravy.

Then dig in and enjoy.

Thank you so much for stopping by CCC!

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Items used in this recipe: