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Grilled Turkey

Recipe Image

This recipe was adapted from Tessamae Website

Ingredients

  • 1 whole Turkey (about 12 pounds), thawed if frozen, giblets discarded
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil combined with 1 clove garlic
  • coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • 4 springs thyme
  • 2 T. lemon juice plus 2 T. olive oil
  • 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 ribs celery, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

    • Directions

    1. Set your gas grill to high and let it heat up for about 15 minutes, until it
    reaches 500. (For charcoal grilling instructions, we trust the experts at
    Webber). Set a roasting rack inside a double layer of disposable aluminum
    pans.

    2. Turkey tip: Clean out your kitchen sink and do all of the turkey prep that
    follows inside it! Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and tuck the wing tips
    underneath the turkey body. With your fingers, starting at the back cavity,
    gently loosen the skin over the breast from the meat, without tearing the
    skin. Spread most of the olive oil/garlic mixture evenly under the skin. Rub a
    very light layer of mixture over the outside of the breast, legs, and thighs.

    3. Season the whole bird, including inside the cavity, with salt and pepper.
    Stuff the lemon and thyme in the cavity. Place the bird on the prepared
    roasting rack, breast side up. Wash your greased up hands and then tie the
    turkey legs together with kitchen twine. Scatter the veggies around the bird.

    4. Reduce the grill heat to medium. (For three burner grills, set front and back
    burners to medium and turn off center burner. For two burner grills, turn the
    front and back burners to medium. Keep grill covered during cooking).
    Position the turkey in the center of the cooking grate. Add 2 cups water to
    the pan and close the grill lid. (Throughout cooking, if the pan dries, add a
    little more water).

    5. Cook about 12 minutes per pound or until an instant read thermometer
    inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, registers 170, and the juices run
    clear. About 2 ½ hours for our 12 pound turkey. Baste the turkey with the
    olive oil/ lemon juice mixture throughout cooking. If your turkey is getting too
    brown for your liking, lightly tent with foil. Transfer the turkey to a cutting
    board and let rest for 30 minutes before carving and serving.