Grilled Turkey Recipe

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When a whole turkey is cooked on the grill, the skin becomes crisp and nicely browned and the meat becomes tender and juicy with that distinctive grilled taste. Try cooking a whole turkey on the grill for Thanksgiving as an alternative to oven roasting.

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Servings:

Ingredients

whole turkey - 12 to 14 pounds
olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
choice of herbs

Container:Charcoal or gas grill

Directions

PREP

30 mins

COOK

3 hrs

READY IN

4 hrs

If the turkey is frozen, defrost it completely before grilling.
Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity. Wash the outside and cavity of the turkey. Pat dry.
Rub the outside of bird with olive oil. Season the inside with salt, pepper, and choice of herbs.
If the turkey is to be placed direcly on the grill rack or in a drip pan, coat the rack or the pan with olive oil or something similar to prevent the turkey from sticking.
Position the turkey with the breast side up on the grill rack or in the pan; then place it on the grill.
Keep the grill lid closed as much as possible to prevent heat loss. The temperature should be maintained at 325ÂºF.
Grill approximately 13 to 15 minutes per pound if cooking on a charcoal grill or 20 minutes per pound for a gas grill. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 180ÂºF or 170ÂºF when inserted into the breast.
A 12 to 14 pound turkey will require approximately 2-1/2 to 3 hours cooking time depending on how steady the cooking temperature was maintainted.
If the turkey begins to brown too quickly, cover it with a foil tent.
Remove the turkey from the grill and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving, which will allow the juices to evenly distribute.

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