How to Grill a Whole Turkey

What You'll Need

Before starting, make sure you have everything on this list. We recommend Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets and Kingsford® BBQ Smoking Chips or Chunks (Hickory). And don’t skip the digital meat thermometer — it’s the best way to make sure your turkey is done.

FUELS AND TOOLS

Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets
2 cups Kingsford® BBQ Smoking Chips (Hickory) or Kingsford® BBQ Smoking Chunks (Hickory)
Kingsford® Chimney Starter (Optional)
Preferred Ignition Aid (Fire Starters, Kindling or Lighter Fluid)
Large Container for Brining or Brining Bag (Depending on the size of your turkey, you may want to purchase a food-grade, 5-gallon bucket from your local hardware or restaurant supply store.)
Digital Meat Thermometer
Aluminum Pan
Tongs
Paper Towels

INGREDIENTS

Our charcoal has been proudly made in the USA since 1920. Available in a variety of flavors to give you a delicious, smoky taste for any occasion.

Brining your turkey will prevent it from drying out. It’s easy to do and makes a world of difference in keeping the turkey meat moist. Before brining your turkey, you should remove the neck and giblets, and store them in the refrigerator if you want to use them later to make gravy.
Once your turkey has been brined, rinsed in cold water and patted dry with paper towels, it’s time to season it inside and out. Place your choice of chopped aromatics inside the cavity of your turkey.
A great option is to put softened butter with herbs beneath the skin of your turkey for extra moisture and great flavor.
Next, put a light coat of olive oil or butter on the outside of your turkey to bring out the flavor and help to form that crispy mahogany skin.
Finally, season the outside of your turkey with salt and pepper, fresh or dried herbs, or even a BBQ rub. Go easy on the salt since the turkey’s been brined.

Give your top grill grate a good brushing and set it aside. Pour Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets into a chimney — or pour them in a mound and light. Wait for coals to light fully.
Once the charcoal turns gray with ash, arrange coals in a Two-Zone Fire: Parallel Configuration with coals along each side of the grill, and a void in the middle to place an aluminum pan with water. On top of the coals, add 2 cups Kingsford® BBQ Smoking Chips or Chunks (Hickory) that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes.
Coals should be at Medium Heat — about 350°F. How to control the heat when grilling with charcoal.
Add the grate and let it heat up.
There are many types of charcoal grills that work well, such as a Kettle Grill or an Offset Smoker. You may also consider the convenience of a Pellet Grill where most models ignite with the press of a button. For more details, see How to Prep a Charcoal Grill.
When you’re at temp, put cooking oil on a folded paper towel. Grab the oiled paper towel with long-handled tongs and oil the grate thoroughly.

Grill your turkey with the lid on at about 350°F, using the vents to regulate temperature.
If you baste your turkey, try not to leave the grill lid open for very long so you don’t lose too much heat. Baste with pan drippings or melted butter.
Smoke your turkey until your digital meat thermometer reads 165°F inside the thickest part of the breast, and about 175°F in the thigh. It’ll take roughly three hours for your turkey to reach this temperature, depending on its size.

Once your turkey reaches the target temperature, take it off of the grill and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes to allow juices to redistribute throughout the turkey.
For easy carving, remove each side of the breast in one piece, then slice across the grain.
Now, watch your family and friends gobble up this juicy turkey!

^For safe meat and other food preparation, reference the USDA website.^