The holidays bring with them thoughts of carving and preparing great tasting turkey plates to your best friends and family. Tradition has its supporters, but perhaps this holiday season you would like to consider a twist with your turkey recipe.
If you've got a propane gas grill and like the smoky flavoring of grilled meats, why not try grilling your turkey this year? It isn't just achieveable, it is very simple. And it can deliver a mouth-watering flavored turkey on your dining room table. Additionally, cooking the turkey on the bbq as opposed to the oven results in you with all the space you require to put together the rest of your dinner a lot sooner.
When you are ready to buy your turkey, one thing to think about is the proportions of your grill. You do not want a turkey that's so gigantic that it is unable to place on the barbecue grill slab. Ideally, the turkey you choose should sit on the grill and the cover should shut without coming in contact with the bird. If that isn't workable, no problem, you can continue to grill your turkey. You will need some strong aluminum foil and either a V shaped barbecue grill stand or another metal cooking instrument that you can safely use to prop open the cover of the grill.
Prepare and stuff the turkey as you normally would. Place it over the grill so that it's located over one burner that you're able to switch off. Just turn that burner off and the other burner or burners on. Since you can't really "flip" a turkey, you want the turkey to cook by indirect heat, not by a direct fire beneath it.
You aquire the smoky flavoring by using wood chips. In case you haven't used wood chips before, they are simple to use. You soak them in water so that as they dry out from the heat of the grill, they'll produce a flavored smoke that infuses the turkey. You can buy a dish that is designed for placing wood chips on the grill or you can put together one yourself from strong aluminum foil. Take the wood chips out of the water and set them into your tray. Position the tray on the barbecue grill over the lit burner.
Next, close the lid fully if at all possible. If not possible, brace the cover up just enough to keep it from coming in contact with the turkey. Then cover the rest of the opening with aluminum foil. If heat gets out you will have to cook the turkey longer. However, the foil provides enough of a barrier so the smoke is kept circulating inside the barbecue grill and flavoring the turkey.
The amount of time necessary to cook the turkey will vary depending on whether or not you were able to close your grill fully. If you're able to, it will take a shorter period. If you're unable to, you might want to raise the temperature on the other burner or burners to try to compensate for the lost heat by having to prop open the barbecue grill. After a couple of hrs, turn the turkey 180 degrees to help ensure uniform cooking.
As with any method of cooking turkey, it is important to ensure that the internal temperature of the meat gets to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Ideally you should employ a meat thermometer to check the temperature as you cook. If you do not have one, then you will need to check the readiness by poking the thigh with a fork or skewer. If the juices that run out are clear and the turkey has turned a nice golden-brown color, then you're ready to remove it from the grill. Have a look at glazing the turkey with a gravy you use on other meats, or even adding barbecue sauce to the regular cranberry sauce as a condiment. Don't be afraid to play with it - have fun with the new twist you're putting on an old family tradition.
If you've got a propane gas grill and like the smoky flavoring of grilled meats, why not try grilling your turkey this year? It isn't just achieveable, it is very simple. And it can deliver a mouth-watering flavored turkey on your dining room table. Additionally, cooking the turkey on the bbq as opposed to the oven results in you with all the space you require to put together the rest of your dinner a lot sooner.
When you are ready to buy your turkey, one thing to think about is the proportions of your grill. You do not want a turkey that's so gigantic that it is unable to place on the barbecue grill slab. Ideally, the turkey you choose should sit on the grill and the cover should shut without coming in contact with the bird. If that isn't workable, no problem, you can continue to grill your turkey. You will need some strong aluminum foil and either a V shaped barbecue grill stand or another metal cooking instrument that you can safely use to prop open the cover of the grill.
Prepare and stuff the turkey as you normally would. Place it over the grill so that it's located over one burner that you're able to switch off. Just turn that burner off and the other burner or burners on. Since you can't really "flip" a turkey, you want the turkey to cook by indirect heat, not by a direct fire beneath it.
You aquire the smoky flavoring by using wood chips. In case you haven't used wood chips before, they are simple to use. You soak them in water so that as they dry out from the heat of the grill, they'll produce a flavored smoke that infuses the turkey. You can buy a dish that is designed for placing wood chips on the grill or you can put together one yourself from strong aluminum foil. Take the wood chips out of the water and set them into your tray. Position the tray on the barbecue grill over the lit burner.
Next, close the lid fully if at all possible. If not possible, brace the cover up just enough to keep it from coming in contact with the turkey. Then cover the rest of the opening with aluminum foil. If heat gets out you will have to cook the turkey longer. However, the foil provides enough of a barrier so the smoke is kept circulating inside the barbecue grill and flavoring the turkey.
The amount of time necessary to cook the turkey will vary depending on whether or not you were able to close your grill fully. If you're able to, it will take a shorter period. If you're unable to, you might want to raise the temperature on the other burner or burners to try to compensate for the lost heat by having to prop open the barbecue grill. After a couple of hrs, turn the turkey 180 degrees to help ensure uniform cooking.
As with any method of cooking turkey, it is important to ensure that the internal temperature of the meat gets to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Ideally you should employ a meat thermometer to check the temperature as you cook. If you do not have one, then you will need to check the readiness by poking the thigh with a fork or skewer. If the juices that run out are clear and the turkey has turned a nice golden-brown color, then you're ready to remove it from the grill. Have a look at glazing the turkey with a gravy you use on other meats, or even adding barbecue sauce to the regular cranberry sauce as a condiment. Don't be afraid to play with it - have fun with the new twist you're putting on an old family tradition.
About the Author:
Roman Rothschild is an author and internet marketer. Please visit his site at http://www.tocookaturkey.com for more great tips on how to cook a turkey.. Check here for free reprint license: Easy Methods To Cook Turkey On Natural Gas Barbecues.