Thanksgiving isn’t too far away and some of you foodies might desire to branch out of your traditional cooking methods. Most people prefer to cook turkeys in their ovens, but you can cook a perfectly delicious turkey on your propane grill.

If you live in the South, grilling a turkey might not be a big deal. Here in upstate New York, the weather could be significantly colder, but grilling a turkey is still an option.

Why Grill a Turkey?

Smoky Flavor

By adding wood chunks to your propane grill, you create a wonderful smoky flavor to your bird, and many people believe turkey tastes best smoked. If you’ve never tasted a delicious smoked turkey, give it a try. You may never go back!

More Cooking Space

By omitting a giant bird from the contents of your oven, you now have so much more cooking space. For those of you with a sweet tooth, you can now bake a variety of different pies in your propane oven! Your extensive pie selection is sure to be a hit with your guests.

Escape From Annoying Family Members

Do you have a drunk aunt or an uncle who can’t help but discuss his incredibly offensive political views? Escape from their toxic company by manning the grill. You could even sneak a beer or two in while you’re at it.

Thaw Turkey

Make sure that your turkey is totally thawed before you cook it. Turkeys take quite some time to thaw, so prepare to thaw your turkey in the refrigerator for a few days. The general rule of thumb is to thaw your turkey 24 hours for every five pounds of meat. On Thanksgiving Day, make sure to take the turkey out of the refrigerator and sit for about an hour before grilling.

Prepping the Bird

First, pull out any giblets then pull the leg truss off the bird. Don’t tie the legs together because you want the air to circulate through the bird while it is grilling. Drain any excess fluids out of the bird and pat it dry.

At this time, soak wood chunks in water for twenty minutes to an hour. Wood chunks offer a wonderful smoked flavor, perfectly enhancing the tender turkey. If you want to take your smokiness to the next level, use cherry or peach-flavored wood chunks.

Cover the Turkey in Delicious Herbed Butter

For optimal flavor, extra juiciness and a crispy skin, rub your turkey with herbed butter. If you are a fan of citrus, you could mix strips of orange skin with fresh rosemary, pepper and salt into softened butter. You could also your favorite combination of fresh herbs and minced garlic into the butter as well.

Make sure to rub both the inside and outside of the bird in your amazing butter mix, getting into all those crevices. Next, you’ll need to wrap the drumstick ends and wingtips with tinfoil so that they will not burn.

Preheating the Grill

Make sure that you have a large drip pan to catch any drippings from the turkey or else your grill could catch fire. Place the drip pan under the grate and turn your burners onto the high heat setting. Close the lid and lower the heat to about 300 degrees. Turn the burner under the pan off; you’ll adjust other burners to maintain the right temperature from this point forward.

Take your wood chunks out of the water and place them in a smoker box if you have one. If you don’t, wrap the chunks in tin foil and poke a bunch of holes into the packet. Either way, the wood chunks need to be placed over a lit burner.

Oil a shallow pan and place your turkey in the pan, breast side up. Place your turkey pan on the grill, cover it, and let the burners work their magic. The meat will take at least 90 minutes or longer to cook, so make sure to check it at the 90-minute mark. When your turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, it’s ready.

Even in the late fall, you can still get some amazing use out of your propane grill. You’ll need the most reliable source of propane for your propane kitchen appliances and propane grill, so contact DiSanto Propane today. Our propane suppliers in upstate New York offer propane delivery and other convenient propane services so you’ll always have an abundant propane supply.