How to Roast Turkey on a Spit

If you have a gas or charcoal cooker that has a spit attachment, you can roast a turkey in a couple hours. The meat is flavorful and there's no mess to clean in the house. Plus, the oven is then available to cook any other goodies you want to go with the turkey.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Barbecue grill with rotisserie attachment
• 3- to 4-pound turkey
• Cotton string
• Oil, butter or shortening
• Lemon or orange slices
• Tarragon
• Rosemary
• Meat thermometer

1. Wash the turkey inside and out. Pat it dry with a paper towel.
2. Grease the bird well inside and out. You can stuff it now if you like, but generally stuffing is safer if you cook it in the oven in a separate dish. The turkey tastes better when you place lemon or orange slices and herbs in the cavity.
3. Truss the bird with cotton string. Tie the legs and wings close to the body so they don't flop when the bird turns over. Make the bird compact and balanced so it can turn evenly on the spit.
4. Prepare the barbecue. Place a drip pan under the spit to catch the drippings so the fire doesn't flare up. If you are using a covered charcoal cooker, place the drip pan on the lower rack with coals on either side of it.
5. Run the spit through the turkey and place the bird on the rotisserie. Make sure the bird remains balanced on the spit.
6. Roast a 3- to 4-pound turkey about 1 ½ hours to 2 hours. Roast a 6 to 8 pound bird 2 ½ to 3 hours. Baste the bird with pan drippings as it cooks to keep the skin tender and flavorful.
7. Test for doneness with a meat thermometer. The turkey is ready to eat when the thick part of the inner thigh registers 185 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the grill and let it stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Tips & Warnings

• It's better to cook two small turkeys rather than one large one.

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