Can You Smoke a Turkey on a Gas Grill

Okay—I know what you lot're thinking. Is information technology actually possible to smoke a whole turkey on a gas grill? And if and then, why would I? Well the answer to the beginning question is yes , information technology is TOTALLY possible to smoke an entire turkey using your gas grill. To answer the second question, smoked turkey is delicious, and is a guaranteed oversupply-pleaser for any occasion. Just pic it now: your guests accept all arrived and all the side dishes are done. You've just stepped out and anybody is waiting with anticipation. And then, y'all walk in the backdoor with a giant turkey, perfectly browned, dripping with juices and flavor, and the aroma alone is plenty to satisfy the entire household. Why wouldn't you smoke a turkey? Everyone has had the usual (and often dry) oven-roasted turkey. Simply non everyone has had the risk to experience turkey in its all-time form—smoked and gilded brown fresh of the grill.

We are going to cover everything from tools, techniques, and pro-tips to make sure that you have no questions when getting ready for and smoking a turkey on your gas grill. Keep reading, get in the zone, and try not to drool on your computer thinking almost smoked turkey (I'm definitely non speaking from personal experience on that last one…).

What You Volition Need: Prepping and Tools

Starting time things first, every dandy culinary creation is just possible with the right tools for the job. What you need for smoking a turkey is nothing that you can't discover in your kitchen, and If you can't, won't suspension your wallet. This is a list of what you'll need.

• A gas grill big enough to fit a turkey
• I full tank of propane
• Smoke box or small metal dish
• Woods chips
• Metal or glass pan for drippings
• Turkey baster
• Your favorite poultry rub or spice blend
• Water
• Aluminum foil
• Meat Thermometer (digital or analogue)
• Craven & Turkey Rack
• Time and patience!

Prepping Your Gas Grill

Your grill is the star of the testify here. Dissimilar when using charcoal, using gas will allow yous to keep a abiding and steady temperature, which is exactly what you need when smoking large pieces of meat like a full turkey. You desire to start by soaking a few cups (effectually 3-iv handfuls) of woods chips in h2o for about thirty minutes to an hour, to help proceed them from burning up correct away. Also, if you are going to put the baste pan below the grilling surface, at present is the time to do it (read below nether "Prepping Your Turkey" for your baste pan options).

Pro-tip: Oak chips are a good choice for turkey because the thickness allows them to fume longer, and they bring a assuming balanced flavor when used with turkey.

Get your grill lit and pre-heated to around 300 degrees, using burners on the sides so as to avoid straight oestrus beneath your bird. I recommend this temperature because it is correct in the middle every bit far every bit minutes for pound (about 21 minutes per pound at 300 degrees), and the suggested temperature. The reason is that you want to avoid cooking it for too long and drying out the turkey, simply yous don't want to cook it too chop-chop and risk called-for the exterior earlier the interior cooks all the manner through! Once your grill reaches temperature, put your metal pan with the woods chips on the grill, in a corner away from your indirect turkey-cooking-zone. The fries volition have near 10 to xv minutes to start smoking. Once that's all finished, you're ready to become smoking!

Prepping Your Turkey

Once you take all of your culinary materials, begin by prepping your turkey. If you want to add together wet and weight to your bird, you can brine it using your favorite brine recipe, simply this isn't a requirement to get superb flavor. If you do choose to brine, brand sure y'all practice it in advance the night before. Utilise your favorite seasoning mix or rub , and become a good coat on all surfaces of the turkey.

Pro-tip: Make sure that you get underneath the skin of the bird where you can, to ensure that y'all get the most flavor possible. In one case the turkey is prepped, y'all're ready to put it on the grill.

Now you lot have a selection to brand: where do y'all put the drip pan? Most gas grills accept metal covers that sit above the burners, and below the grilling surface. This is one identify you lot can place the drip pan. Ideally these burners directly below the turkey will exist off, and so y'all aren't cooking with direct heat, and the drip pan will be fine in that location. The other choice is putting the turkey direct in the drip pan, and setting it on the grill surface. Personally, I like putting the turkey in the drip pan, considering it keeps moisture close to the bird, and makes basting it easier. Regardless of your choice, make certain y'all put a cup of water in the baste pan earlier putting the turkey on the grill. The last pace before starting your cooking time is to insert your thermometer if yous have one you desire to exit in for easy checking. The general dominion of thumb hither is putting it either in the thickest part of the breast, or the innermost part of the thigh. If you accept more than one, corking! Use both of them for the most accurate readings.

Pro-tip: If you want even more than smoky flavor on the table, employ the drippings from your turkey to make gravy. The gravy you get from smoked drippings is packed full of flavor!

Smoking Turkey On A Gas Grill

Now that your bird is on the grill, you're halfway done with finishing your delicious, mouth-watering smoked turkey. This is where using a gas grill to smoke your turkey really pays off. The steady temperature and consistency, added with directional cooking, means that your grill is going to do almost of the work, without much need for adjusting. Set a timer based on the size of your turkey, and monitor the temperature on your grill to ensure it stays steady around 300 degrees.

Pro-tip: Smoking foods is an easy way to add flavor, but information technology doesn't take a forest worth of wood fries! The nigh season that y'all will get infused into any given meat will only take nigh 2-iii hours of smoking. Once you have had your turkey on for that long, you don't need to worry nigh adding chips for more than flavour.

Bank check your thermometers at halfway through and 3-quarters of the way through, and drip your turkey as needed to ensure it stays moist. If you have the turkey sitting in the drip pan (information technology's the best manner!) you can always cover the pan with foil to assist stop information technology from browning. Yous can practise this after the offset couple hours, when the turkey has captivated as much smoke flavor as information technology will. If you do this, be careful because the pan will be hot! Once your turkey has reached 165 degrees at the thickest part of the breast and the innermost function of the thigh, you tin can remove it from the grill and begin letting the bird rest. At this signal I will warn you, the temptations volition be high to cut into your turkey and stuff your face up full of smoky turkey goodness—but don't! Just as important equally the cook, resting your turkey is key to keeping information technology juicy.

The Homestretch: Resting and Etching Your Turkey

You are so close; the cease line is only effectually the corner! One time yous take your turkey off the grill, it needs to rest. The rule of thumb hither is 20-xxx percent of the total cooking time. If you cooked the turkey in the drip pan, carefully accept it out of the drip pan and place it on a large cut board or platter (you might need to have a friend help yous with this, specially if you have a massive turkey). Cover the bird lightly with foil, and let it do its matter. While the turkey is resting, you can take the drip pan off the grill if you lot didn't cook the turkey in it, and make your gravy and starting time cleaning your grill. Afterwards the turkey has rested, you can cleave but as you would a turkey cooked any other way.

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Smoking a Turkey Using Your Gas Grill

Making a gas grilled smoked turkey is worth every second. Cooking your turkey low and slow in your gas grill can be one of the best ways to bring out the bird's subtle flavors, peculiarly with the right brine and rub.

Prep Time fifteen mins

Cook Time 7 hrs

Form: Main Form

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Smoked Turkey

Servings: 6

Calories: 160 kcal

Equipment

• A gas grill big enough to fit a turkey

• One total tank of propane

• Smoke box or small metal dish

• Woods chips

• Metal or glass pan for drippings

• Turkey baster

• H2o

• Aluminum foil

• Meat Thermometer (digital or analogue)

Ingredients

• 1 15 pound turkey
• Your favorite poultry rub or spice blend

Instructions

• Once you take all of your culinary materials, brainstorm by prepping your turkey.

• If you lot want to add moisture and weight to your bird, you can brine it using your favorite alkali recipe, but this isn't a requirement to get superb flavor.

• If you do choose to alkali, make certain you lot do it in advance the night before. Use yourfavorite seasoning mix or rub, and get a good coat on all surfaces of the turkey.

• Now that your bird is on the grill, you're halfway done with finishing your delicious, mouth-watering smoked turkey.

• This is where using a gas grill to smoke your turkey actually pays off.

• The steady temperature and consistency, added with directional cooking, ways that your grill is going to practice most of the piece of work, without much need for adjusting.

• Set a timer based on the size of your turkey, and monitor the temperature on your grill to ensure it stays steady around 300 degrees.

• Check your thermometers at halfway through and 3-quarters of the mode through, and baste your turkey as needed to ensure information technology stays moist.

•  If you lot take the turkey sitting in the drip pan (information technology'south the best way!) yous tin always cover the pan with foil to help stop it from browning.

• You lot tin can do this after the first couple hours, when the turkey has absorbed as much smoke flavor every bit it will.

• If y'all do this, be conscientious because the pan volition be hot!

• Once your turkey has reached 165 degrees at the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh, yous can remove it from the grill and begin letting the bird rest.

•  At this point I will warn you lot, the temptations will be high to cut into your turkey and stuff your face full of smoky turkey goodness—but don't! Just as of import equally the cook, resting your turkey is key to keeping it juicy.

• Once you have your turkey off the grill, information technology needs to residue.

• The dominion of thumb here is 20-30 percent of the total cooking time.

• If yous cooked the turkey in the drip pan, advisedly take it out of the drip pan and place it on a large cutting board or platter

• Cover the bird lightly with foil, and let it do its thing.

• While the turkey is resting, you tin can have the drip pan off the grill if you didn't cook the turkey in it, and make your gravy and offset cleaning your grill.

• After the turkey has rested, y'all can cleave just every bit you lot would a turkey cooked whatever other fashion.

• Serve and Savour

Nutrition

Serving: 100 k | Calories: 160 kcal

Serve and Enjoy

The all-time part of this unabridged procedure is eating the turkey. Every bite volition be well worth the time you put into smoking your turkey, and you're bound to receive praise from all of your family and guests. The merely downside is you might take people showing upwardly at your door asking you to fume more than turkeys!

Making a gas grilled smoked turkey is worth every 2nd. I hope you find this guide and our pro-tips helpful in making your smoked turkey as succulent as possible. Enjoy!

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Source: https://grillmasteruniversity.com/the-complete-guide-to-smoking-a-turkey-using-your-gas-grill/

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