Thanksgiving and Christmas are times for family and the possibility of serving a bad turkey. It is actually the turkey's fault that it becomes dry and not the cook's, since white meat cooks faster than the dark meat and the turkey possesses both. Grilling at the optimum temperature of 180 degrees F can leave you with a turkey reminiscent of the Griswold family's turkey in "Christmas Vacation," but you can use a brine to keep the bird moist while you slow-grill it on a Weber gas grill, leaving your kitchen oven available for stuffing and essential side dishes.
Step 1
Pour 1 1/4 cups sea salt and 1 qt. of hot water into a large stainless steel stock pot. Whisk the salt and hot water together until the salt dissolves.
Step 2
Stir in 4 qt. of cold water, 1 cup maple syrup, a thinly sliced medium onion, 4 peeled and crushed cloves of garlic, 10 black peppercorns and five bay leaves. Add four 1 1/2-inch-by-1/2-inch pieces of lemon rind, making sure the rind does not contain any of the white pith that separates the lemon from the rind, and two cloves into the salt water. Let the mixture, or brine, cool to room temperature.
Step 3
Remove the package of giblets from the body of a 12 lb. thawed turkey. Remove any excess fat deposits from inside the turkey's body. Rinse the turkey, inside and out, under cold water. Drain the water from the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels.
Step 4
Place the turkey into the brine. Fill a 1-gallon food storage bag with cold water and place it on top of the turkey. The bag of water helps keep the turkey submerged in the brine.
Step 5
Cover the stew pot with the lid or plastic wrap. Place the pot with the turkey in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 6
Soak hardwood chips, such as oak, apple, cherry, mesquite or hickory in water for about 1 hour. Wrap the soaked chips in a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Poke three or four holes in the top of the foil.
Step 7
Open the lid on the grill and turn all burner control knobs on your Weber gas grill to the "Off" position. Turn the gas cylinder control valve counterclockwise slowly to allow the gas to flow to the grill burners.
Step 8
Turn the first Weber burner control knob to the "Start" position. Push and hold the igniter button on the grill until the first burner lights. Turn all the burner control knobs to "High." Use a fireplace match or barbecue lighter to light the first burner through the match-light hole if the igniter does not start the burner.
Step 9
Place the aluminum wrapped wood chips over one of the side burners. Close the lid, allowing the grill to preheat for about 15 minutes and heat the wood chips.
Step 10
Turn off the center burners on the Weber grill. Turn the side burner knobs to "Medium."
Step 11
Place the turkey, breast up, onto the center of the grill grate and away from the lit Weber gas grill burners. Melt 4 to 6 tbsp. butter and baste the turkey. Baste the turkey with more of the melted butter every hour as it grills.
Step 12
Grill the turkey for two to three hours, about 10 to 15 minutes per pound, in a closed Weber grill. Check the internal temperature of the turkey after two hours with an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey's thigh, taking care not to touch the leg bone. When the turkey is done, the temperature should read 180 degrees F.
Tips and Warnings
- Cover the skin and the wing tips loosely with aluminum foil if the skin begins to burn during the grilling process.
Things You'll Need
- 1 1/4 cups sea salt
- 1 qt. hot water
- Large stainless steel stock pot
- Whisk
- 4 qt. cold water
- 1 cup maple syrup
- Medium onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 5 bay leaves
- Lemon rind
- 2 cloves
- 12 lb. thawed turkey
- Paper towels
- 1-gallon food storage bag
- Plastic wrap
- Hardwood chips
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Fireplace match or barbecue lighter
- 4 to 6 tbsp. butter
- Basting brush
- Instant-read meat thermometer
References
- Weber: Grilling Tips: Poultry Grilling Guide
- Weber: Grilling Tips: Direct/Indirect Grilling
- "Steve Raichlen's BBQ USA"; Steve Raichlen; 2003
- Weber; Genesis Gas Grill LP Gas Grill Owner's Guide; February 2008
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