How to Barbecue a Turkey

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about how to barbecue a turkey and more.

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…well 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.

Making Sure the Turkey is Completely Cooked Through

The suggested time is 11 minutes of cooking per pound for a fresh or completely defrosted turkey without stuffing, and 13 minutes per pound for a fresh or completely defrosted turkey with stuffing.

But since there are variables associated with cooking a turkey such as, but not limited to; how hot the coals are, how much stuffing is packed in the cavity of the turkey and the amount of moisture in the stuffing, it’s very important not to completely rely on this timing for the turkey to be thoroughly cooked.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY TO MAKE SURE YOUR TURKEY IS COMPLETEY COOKED…WHICH IS BY CHECKING THE TEMPERATURE.   

Here’s a helpful link that discusses how to know when your turkey is completely cooked from the Butterball (Turkey) website “HOW TO CHECK FOR DONENESS”.

Below the following step-by-step instructions is an example of how to figure out the time it should 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.

Here are more holiday side dishes you may like “Cherry, Pineapple and Mandarin Orange Ambrosia“, “Sage Sausage Stuffing (Dressing)” and “Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Mashed Potatoes“.

The following instructions were last updated on June 16, 2019.

Here’s what is needed:

FOR THE TURKEY:

A whole fresh or completely defrosted turkey, butter, salt, ground black pepper and granulated garlic

FOR THE BARBECUE GRILL, ACCESSORIES, AND 2 TYPES OF CHARCOAL BRIQUETS:

1) Weber 22.5” Charcoal Kettle Standing Barbecue 

2) 1 Bag (7.9 pounds) Mesquite Charcoal Briquets – these Mesquite briquets are used multiple times during the cooking process.

3) 1 Bag (6.3 pounds) Match Light with Mesquite Charcoal Briquets – these Match Light briquets are used only one time…when initially prepping the barbecue with the charcoal).

4) Charcoal Rails – this is an accessory that fits onto the bottom grate that’s in the kettle barbecue; the rails keep the coals off to the sides for indirect cooking.

5) Hinged Cooking Grate – this is an accessory that is used as the top rack where the turkey is placed when cooking; it has hinged sides so that just the sides can be lifted in order to add more coals; the hinged sides on this rack need to be placed right over the sides of the “Charcoal Rack with Rails” where the charcoal is placed (picture below).  Some of the newer Weber Kettle Barbecue Grills may already come with this grate.

6) Multi-Purpose Utility Lighter with a Long Durable Wand for Lighting Barbecue Grills – this is used to light the coals

FOR THE DRIP PAN AND OTHER COOKING ITEMS:

1) A Metal Pan (9″ x 12.5″) – this rectangular baking pan is placed on the “Charcoal Rack with Rails” in between the 2 sides where the charcoal is placed.  This pan is used to catch the drippings from the turkey that is placed right above it on the “Hinged Cooking Grate”.

2) A Long Handled 2-Pronged Cooking Fork – this is used to lift and close each of the 2 sides of the “Hinged Cooking Grate” when adding the “Mesquite Charcoal Briquets” during the cooking process.

3) Sturdy Extra Long Barbecue Hot Mitts – these may be used to assist with lifting the fully cooked turkey from the grill.  After the turkey is removed from the “Hinged Cooking Grate” these mitts are used to remove the very hot “Hinged Cooking Grate” from the barbecue in order to get access to the dripping pan.  These mitts are also used to lift out the very hot metal dripping pan so that the drippings can be used to make gravy.

(The type of BBQ, grates (accessories), and equipment that is needed is also 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 the following step-by-step instructions).

PREPARING THE GRILL:

Placing the Charcoal Rails in the BBQ:

Clip the “Charcoal Rails” onto the lower grate inside of the barbecue.

Adding Charcoal to the BBQ:

In this initial stage, only the Match Light briquets are added to the barbecue. 

THIS IS THE ONE AND ONLY TIME THAT THE MATCH LIGHT BRIQUETS ARE USED.    

The non-Match Light briquets will be added later during the cooking process.

Put plastic gloves on (for handling the briquets) 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.

SO AFTER ADDING THE MATCH LIGHT BRIQUETS TO THE GRILL, SEAL THE BAG THAT THEY ARE IN AND MOVE THEM FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM THE GRILL TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT USED AGAIN IN THIS COOKING PROCESS. 

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

Stack the charcoal as evenly as possible from side to side.

Make sure that the coals are behind the charcoal rails.

What you don’t want to happen is for one of the charcoal briquets to be stacked so high that it tips over the rail and falls into the turkey drippings pan that will be placed in the middle between the 2 charcoal rails.

The drippings in this pan are used to make the gravy.

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 mesquite charcoal briquets (non-Match Light briquets).

TIP – When all of the Match Light briquets have been added, close the bag and store them away so not to mistakenly use them in the actual cooking process.

Lighting the Charcoal Briquets:

Next, according to the instructions on the bag of Match Light with Mesquite Briquets, step away as much as possible and carefully light up a few of the coals with a multi-purpose utility lighter with a long wand that is used for lighting barbecue grills.

Light a few of the coals…

…on one side to get them going.

Then go to the other side where the unlit coals are, and according to the instructions on the package of Match Light with Mesquite Briquets, step away as much as possible and carefully light a few of the unlit coals with the multi-purpose utility lighter.

No need to put the lid on yet.

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

But they should 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 large sturdy baking pan.

Drizzle melted butter over the entire turkey (in the cavity too).

Then sprinkle the entire turkey (including the cavity) with the granulated garlic, 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.

PLACING THE DRIPPINGS PAN IN THE BARBECUE: 

Once the coals are hot (when they turn a gray color), using sturdy oven mitts, carefully (be careful not to touch the hot coals, rack, barbecue kettle or other hot surfaces) place the metal drippings pan on the lower rack 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.

COOKING THE FRESH OR COMPLETELY DEFROSTED TURKEY: 

Using hot mitts, carefully (be careful not to touch the hot coals, rack, barbecue kettle or other hot surfaces) 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.

Transfer the turkey from the platter onto the cooking grate…

…and 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 on top of the lid open.

Adding the Regular Mesquite Charcoal During the Cooking Process:

Every hour, (starting from when the initial coals were added), using a long handled 2-pronged cooking fork…open each side of the hinged cooking grate (charcoal rails) and carefully (be careful not to touch the hot coals, rack, barbecue kettle or other hot surfaces) add 10 regular mesquite coals to each side of the charcoal rails.

DO NOT USE the Match Light coals

FOR THE FIRST ADDITION OF MESQUITE BRIQUETS – 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, and using the cooking fork, open the hinged cooking grates, and carefully add 10 regular mesquite coals to each side (be careful not to touch the hot coals, rack, barbecue kettle or other hot surfaces).

Then put the lid back on (with the vent open).

Then for every hour thereafter,

…continue to use a cooking fork to open and close each side of the hinged cooking grates and carefully add 10 regular mesquite coals (DO NOT USE the Match Light coals)…

…to each side of the charcoal rails (be careful not to touch the hot coals, rack, barbecue kettle or other hot surfaces).

Here’s what the turkey looks like after about 1-1/2 hours 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 (this not only adds to the beautiful golden color of the turkey but will allow the delicious juice to drip into the gravy-drippings pan that’s sitting on a rack under 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.

REMOVING THE FULLY COOKED TURKEY FROM THE BARBECUE:

WHEN THE TURKEY IS THOROUGHLY COOKED…

…using sturdy oven mitts, carefully remove it from the grill onto 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 onto 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 (be careful not to touch the hot coals, rack, barbecue kettle or other hot surfaces) remove the drippings pan from the grill.

TIP – THE DRIPPINGS PAN WILL BE VERY HOT SO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A HEAT PROOF SURFACE TO SET THIS PAN ON AFTER REMOVING IT FROM THE BARBECUE GRILL.

While the turkey is resting, use these drippings to make your gravy.

Here’s a helpful link on how to carve a turkey from the Kitchn “How to Carve a Turkey: the Simplest, Easiest Method”.

Serve the carved turkey with delicious gravy made from the drippings, and then it’s time to eat!

A) Determine When You Want To Serve Your Cooked Turkey:

The printable recipe is below.

Thank you so much for stopping by CCC!

More Holiday Recipes You May Like:

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Sage and Ham

No-Bake Cherry Cheese Pie with Helpful Hints

Homestyle Elbow Macaroni Salad

Easy Potato Salad with Egg

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