Recipes BBQ & Grilling Turkey The Greatest Grilled Turkey 4.9 (58) 50 Reviews 14 Photos Learn how to grill a turkey for Thanksgiving with this easy recipe. Although not very traditional, cooking turkey on the grill is the best way to ensure tender and juicy meat and crispy skin every time. With minimal prep time and extra space in the oven for all your holiday sides, this grilled turkey recipe is one to try! Submitted by Bob Cody Updated on November 7, 2023 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Close Add Photo 14 14 14 14 Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs Additional Time: 15 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Servings: 8 Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe If you've never made grilled turkey for Thanksgiving, this is your year! Trust us: Once you try grilling, you'll never go back to roasting. Tocs Why Grill a Turkey? The better question is: "Why wouldn't you grill a turkey?" Not only does this method result in wonderfully crispy skin and a smoky flavor that you can't get from roasting alone, it frees up oven space on the big day — so you'll have plenty of room to cook as many side dishes as you want. Grilled Turkey Ingredients These are the ingredients you'll need to make the best grilled turkey of your life: · Turkey: This recipe calls for a 12-pound whole turkey. If your bird is larger or smaller, you'll have to adjust the grilling time.· Oil: Vegetable oil seals in moisture, while giving the seasonings something to stick to.· Seasonings: This grilled turkey is flavored with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. How to Grill a Turkey Alport You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you grill a turkey: 1. Prepare the turkey: Remove and discard the giblets. Turn the wings back to hold neck skin in place, then return the legs to a tucked position2. Season the turkey: Brush the turkey with oil, then season the inside and outside with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.3. Grill the turkey: Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a metal grate inside a large roasting pan. Place the pan over indirect heat on the preheated grill and grill until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F. How Long to Grill a Turkey This recipe should result in a perfectly cooked 12-pound turkey in about two to three hours. You'll need to adjust the roasting time for larger or smaller birds. Of course, you'll need to take the turkey's internal temperature before serving. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 180 degrees F. Learn more: How to Check the Temperature of a Turkey What to Serve With Grilled Turkey When you make this grilled turkey recipe, you'll have plenty of oven space to make lots of Thanksgiving side dishes. In need of a little delicious inspiration? Explore these mouthwatering collections: · 15 Best Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes· The 10 Essential Thanksgiving Dishes for a Traditional Holiday Spread· Our 15 Best Veggie Side Dishes for Thanksgiving Dinner More Turkey FAQs Here at Allrecipes, we know a thing or two about cooking the perfect Thanksgiving feast — that's why we've made it our mission to answer your most burning turkey questions. Check out some of our best turkey tips, tricks, and guides from over the years: · How to Brine a Turkey· 3 Ways to Safely Thaw a Frozen Turkey· How Much Turkey Per Person Do You Need?· How to Truss a Turkey the Easy Way· How to Smoke a Turkey· How to Carve a Turkey the Easy Way Explore our entire collection of Thanksgiving Tips and Tricks. Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise "I will never cook a turkey any other way now," says one Allrecipes community member. "The grilling process made my turkey turn out absolutely delicious. I especially loved the smokey flavor and the caramelization." "Great," according to BOOTS741. "I did two turkeys, one in the oven and one on the grill. The one on the grill got much better reviews. It cooked quicker than the oven and stayed very moist. I also added some apples and oranges to the cavity." "Very helpful for large holiday dinners when oven space is crowded," says MAGPIE0_1. "Flavor is great! Keep fluid of some type in the roasting pan to make awesome gravy. The turkey was tender and moist." Editorial contributions by Corey Williams Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 (12 pound) whole turkey 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or more to taste salt and ground black pepper to taste Directions Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect medium-high heat. Remove and discard giblets. Rinse turkey and pat dry. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place. Return legs to a tucked position. Brush turkey with oil. Season inside and out with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Place turkey, breast-side up, on a metal grate inside a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan over indirect heat on the preheated grill. Grill until the internal thigh temperature is 180 degrees F (85 degrees C), 2 to 3 hours. Remove from the grill and let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving. Recipe Tip If you want to use the turkey drippings for gravy, place a metal pan under turkey inside the roasting pan. Add 1/2 cup water to the metal pan, and more as necessary during grilling, to prevent the drippings from scorching. Remove the pan about 30 minutes before turkey is done cooking. Editor's Note: Please note the differences in yield, as well as the addition of a honey-Sriracha glaze when using the magazine version of this recipe. I Made It Print 170 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 460 Calories 22g Fat 0g Carbs 61g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 460 % Daily Value * Total Fat 22g 28% Saturated Fat 6g 32% Cholesterol 179mg 60% Sodium 148mg 6% Total Carbohydrate 0g 0% Protein 61g 122% Calcium 58mg 4% Iron 4mg 22% Potassium 612mg 13% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.