How to Grill a Turkey

Grilling a turkey adds wonderful flavor. Although a gas grill can be used, charcoal briquettes give the bird a more robust flavor, as does a cider-based baste.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 4 tbsp. butter
• 1 (12- to 14-lb.) turkey
• 1/3 c. red onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 (12-oz.) bottle hard cider (alcoholic)
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 4 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary
• 4 tsp. fresh chopped sage
• salt to taste
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Foil Pans
• Skewers
• Charcoal
• Grills
• Plastic Wrap
• Wire Grill Brushes
• Groceries
• Kitchen Strings
• Meat Thermometers
• Oven Mitts
• Platters
• Roasting Pans
• Roasting Racks
• Saucepans
• Oven Mitts
• Plastic Wrap
• 1 Paper Towel Rolls
• Saucepans
• Oven mitts

Making the Baste

1. Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add red onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute.

3. Sprinkle onion mixture with 1 tbsp. chili powder and stir for 30 seconds.

4. Pour cider into mixture. Add 3 tsp. rosemary, 3 tsp. sage, and salt to taste.

5. Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.

6. Cool mixture and set aside.

Prepping the Turkey

7. Rinse a thawed turkey inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels.

8. Mix apple, onion, garlic, remaining chili powder, remaining rosemary, remaining sage and salt, to taste, in a small bowl.

9. Turn the turkey on its breast and fill the neck cavity with the apple mixture. Pack loosely.

10. Pin the neck skin of the turkey to its back with a skewer and tie the turkey's wings to the body with clean string. Fill the large body cavity with the rest of the apple mixture.

11. Tie the drumsticks together with clean string. Place the turkey on a roasting rack breast-side up in a foil pan.

12. Drape turkey with plastic wrap while you prepare grill.

Preparing the Grill and Cooking the Turkey

13. Light 5 pounds of charcoal briquettes and burn until white and ashy, about 30 minutes.

14. Spread the coals, using a small heatproof shovel and wearing oven mitts, into equal mounds on either side of the grill.

15. Set the roasting pan on the grate in the center of the grill.

16. Pour 2 c. water into the roasting pan and baste the turkey with the cider baste.

17. Cover grill. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees F, about 3 1/2 hours.

18. Let turkey rest 20 minutes before carving.

Tips & Warnings

• You will need to add more hot coals every half hour to keep the temperature of the grill at about 325 degrees F.
• Baste the turkey every half hour.
• Add water to the roasting pan as it evaporates.
• For a luscious brown turkey, remove the turkey from the roasting pan for the last 30 minutes of grilling time and set directly on grill grate.
• If you like to use mesquite chips, soak about 6 c. in water for 30 minutes before using, and sprinkle handfuls over the coals as the turkey is grilling.

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