If you’ve ever wondered if you can grill a turkey for Thanksgiving, the answer is yes! I love to bbq a turkey because it frees up oven space when I have so many other dishes to make when I’m hosting a holiday dinner. I’m sharing one of my favorite ways to cook a whole turkey that’ll be ready in just a few hours. The result is golden, juicy turkey with crispy skin, you’re going to love it!
It’s a similar method to a smoked turkey, however, grilling a turkey requires no flavored wood chips, so it has a more traditional roast turkey flavor. Cooking a turkey on the grill is actually really fun and other than basting a few times, it’s basically hands-off. It takes about 10 minutes of prep time and just a few simple ingredients for seasoning and that’s it!
I highly recommend that you brine the turkey beforehand to really ensure added moisture and juicy meat, but it’s not all the way necessary to grill a turkey with bang-on results. It’s definitely a bonus.
So, grab your turkey, check your propane tank, and enjoy this recipe for grilled turkey and other incredible side dishes this Thanksgiving!
Looking for something a little different (and way faster!) this year? Try my roast spatchcock turkey recipe because much like a butterflied chicken, this is the fastest way to roast a whole turkey!
You’ll also love my easy method for wrapping a turkey with bacon before roasting it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Doesn’t require the oven. Not only is the grill amazing in the summertime, but it’s also magic during the winter holidays too! Leave room in the oven for all of the other delicious items on your menu.
- It’s incredibly easy. There is nothing intimidating or complicated about this straightforward recipe.
- It’s so flavorful. Although getting a nice flavorful char on the meat is signature with most grilling recipes, I’m not sure you want that on a whole turkey. You still get amazing flavor grilling this way.
- Moist turkey meat. Grilling doesn’t take away the juices, in fact, when you brine the turkey, it adds even more moisture. With golden-brown skin, the results are spectacular!
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Turkey: I used a smaller 12 pound turkey but any size will work. Make sure that it’s completely thawed. For tips on how to thaw a turkey and for how long, check out my complete turkey guide.
- Butter, melted: This performs the same duty that oil would and serve a few purposes. It helps to brown the skin to a beautiful golden color. It helps to keep the turkey moist and the seasonings adhering to the outside of the turkey. It also adds flavor.
- Yellow onions & Garlic cloves: Stuffing the bird cavity with incredible aromatics gives all parts of the turkey flavor.
- Fresh herbs: Along with the aromatics, using fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, and/or thyme gives it another depth of flavor. So vibrant and delicious!
- Salt & Ground black pepper: A sprinkling of salt and pepper inside and outside the turkey is great but to enhance the flavor, even more, feel free to use this quick and easy turkey seasoning.
How to Grill a Turkey
- Prep. Preheat the grill (my grill is both a gas and charcoal grill, but I chose to use gas for the turkey) to 425-450°F (220-230°C). Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. Check both ends! Using kitchen shears, trim any excess skin and remove any pin feathers. Do NOT rinse the turkey. Pat dry with paper towels.
Tip!
If you plan to make homemade gravy, don’t discard your giblets. Use them for flavor. See below for tips in the FAQs section on making giblet gravy.
- Tress the legs. Tuck the wings in, and sprinkle the salt and pepper inside the cavity. Stuff the onions, garlic cloves, and fresh herbs inside and truss the legs using food-safe twine.
Tip!
Trussing the legs not only looks neater but it also keeps the smaller parts of the bird from being exposed to too much heat too quickly. We don’t want the legs burning!
- Season the turkey. Place the turkey in a disposable roasting pan, breast side up. Use a silicone brush to coat turkey with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
- Place on the grill. Turn off the burner just below the turkey and leave the side burners on. This way there isn’t too much direct heat for too long. The indirect heat is plenty hot enough to fully cook the turkey.
- Cook the turkey. Close the grill lid and after 30 minutes, add 1 cup of water or chicken or turkey stock to the bottom of the roaster. If you notice the turkey is browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil.
- Check on the turkey. Baste the turkey with the juices every 20-30 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, rotate the roaster and continue cooking and basting until it’s done.
- Check for doneness. Insert a kitchen thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. Once the internal temperature reads 165°F/74°C, the turkey is done. Remove the turkey from the grill immediately.
- Let it rest. Allow the bird to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes and even up to 1 hour before carving. This gives the juices a chance to settle and redistribute throughout the entire turkey, keeping it juicy and moist.
Top Tips
- Remove the turkey from the fridge one hour prior to cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Prior to grilling, make sure you have enough propane as you’ll be grilling the turkey for up to 3 hours.
- Always pat the turkey dry before seasoning. It helps create a nice crispy skin.
- Using disposable oval aluminum roaster pans that are big enough to fit your bird means easy clean-up.
- You may find you need to double up on roasting pans if they’re not strong enough to hold the weight of the turkey.
- Using a meat thermometer is the most accurate way to tell if your turkey is done. You can do for a leave in thermometer which is quite convenient, but a smaller and cheaper thermometer like this works just fine.
- Allowing the turkey to rest. Cutting too early will lose all the juices!
What to Serve with Grilled Turkey
Sides: This delicious holiday meat isn’t complete without some classic sides like green bean casserole, crockpot mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, and gravy.
For some options that may soon become your new traditions, serve a basket of Texas Roadhouse Rolls, sausage stuffed mushrooms, shaved Brussels sprouts salad, or bacon wrapped asparagus.
Dessert: Finish off your meal with a slice of sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie, or pecan pie. Or maybe all three! Pecan Pie Cheesecake and this adorable turkey dessert cheeseball are other great Thanksgiving dessert ideas.
FAQs
My turkey was 12 pounds/5.3kg and it took 2.5 hours to cook. The only way to really tell if your turkey is done is to use a thermometer. Give or take an hour depending on the size.
Not this time! The roasting pan does the catching for you. Then you’ll use all of the drippings to baste the turkey. This way there is no grease falling beneath the grill.
Other than having leftover turkey for days on end, you can use the meat to switch it up from time to time! Make these yummy turkey sliders for lunch one day or try this delicious turkey and rice soup. I love this leftover turkey casserole, it’s so easy and delicious! And this slow cooker turkey chili typically uses ground chili, but go ahead and use some shredded leftover turkey instead.
Then, when you’re all done with the turkey, save the carcass for turkey stock.
Giblets are the organs (liver, heart, neck, gizzards) of the turkey that have been removed and stored in the cavity. If you’re lucky, they will have already been cleaned and stored in a small bag for easy removal. If not, get to diggin’! Rinse off the giblets and add to boiling water and simmer for about an hour. Once completely cooked, you’ll save the water and chop up the giblets. They will be added to the gravy once you’ve made a roux and added in the pan drippings to make rich luscious gravy. They not only add flavor but added texture as well.
I hope you enjoy this grilled turkey recipe as much as I do! I would love for you to share it with others who enjoy using the BBQ too. Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Grilled Turkey
Equipment
- Grill
- Disposable oval aluminum roaster
Ingredients
- 10-20 pound whole turkey thawed
- 1 stick butter ½ cup – 8 tablespoons, melted
- 2 medium yellow onions
- 4 cloves garlic sliced into halves
- Fresh herbs rosemary, sage, or thyme or all
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 425-450°F (220-230°C). Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. Check both ends! Using kitchen shears, trip any excess skin and remove any pin feathers. Do NOT rinse the turkey. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Tuck the wings in, and sprinkle the salt and pepper inside the cavity. Stuff the onions, garlic cloves, and fresh herbs inside and truss the legs using food-safe twine.
- Place the turkey in a disposable aluminum roasting pan, breast side up. Use a silicone brush to coat turkey with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
- Turn off the burner just below the turkey and leave the side burners on. This way there isn’t too much direct heat for too long. The indirect heat is plenty hot enough to fully cook the turkey.
- Close the grill lid and after 30 minutes, add 1 cup of water or chicken broth/stock to the bottom of the roaster. If you notice the turkey is browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil.
- Baste the turkey with the juices every 20-30 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, rotate the roaster and continue cooking and basting until it’s done.
- Insert a kitchen thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. Once the internal temperature reads 165°F/74°C, the turkey is done. Remove the turkey from the grill immediately.
- Allow the bird to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes and even up to 1 hour before carving. This gives the juices a chance to settle and redistribute throughout the entire turkey, keeping it juicy and moist.
Notes:
- Prior to grilling, make sure you have enough propane as you’ll be grilling the turkey for up to 3 hours.
- The cooking time will depending on the size of your turkey. My turkey was 12 pounds/5.3kg and it took 2.5 hours to cook. The only way to really tell if your turkey is done is to use a thermometer. Give or take an hour depending on the size.
- If you’re grilling a natural turkey, I highly recommend that you brine it. I have an excellent turkey brine recipe that you can follow.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Patrick says
Covered all the questions I had great job.
Diana says
Thanks, Patrick! Glad you found all the answers here. I hope that you like the recipe!
Krista Cody says
Looking to try this!!
Diana says
Let me know what you think when you make it. And I hope that you like it, Krista!