In our last couple of blogs we’ve been sharing a few of our favorite recipes that allow you to take your leftover Thanksgiving turkey and turn it into another delicious meal. Many people don’t like to simply put their Turkey Day leftovers onto a plate and toss them into the microwave. Fortunately if you take a look at our blog archive you’ll see that we have come up with a few creative uses for all of your leftovers that mix things up enough to ensure a fresh spin.

We always say that when you buy a propane tank, you unlock a world of culinary possibilities and nowhere is this more true than with a Thanksgiving turkey. We know what some of you are asking–”can you grill a turkey for Thanksgiving?” As a matter of fact you can! In today’s blog we’ll walk you through our favorite method for making a delicious bird that everyone in the family will enjoy.

Why Grill a Turkey?

Some people out there might be wondering why you wouldn’t just throw your turkey in the oven like your family has done for five decades. That’s a perfectly valid question. If your family is interested in preserving your turkey tradition, perhaps it’s best to roll with it and try a grilled turkey at another time. If not though, and your family is up for an adventure to Flavorville, today’s post will provide you with the roadmap you need to get there.

One of the biggest complaints about any Thanksgiving feast is that the turkey is just too dry. It’s a complaint we’ve heard countless times–and one we’ve had ourselves too. You really have to get things just right for it to turn out well and when it doesn’t…well, when it doesn’t, you have to hope that it’s edible enough for the family to eat. Or that you have enough gravy to cover up the problem.

With a grilled turkey, that doesn’t happen nearly as much.

So How Do You Do It?

For starters, our suggestion is to check with your local butcher for a turkey rather than buying one from the grocery store. This isn’t mandatory by any means, but developing a good relationship with your butcher is never a bad thing. Not all butchers are going to deal in turkey, so be sure to check well in advance.

One major advantage of working with a butcher is that you’ll know exactly what’s been done with your turkey and where it came from. Getting a turkey from your butcher also means that you can add all of the flavor on your own rather than settling for whatever bird was brined with. Your own brine can be made any way you like. Do a quick Google search for common turkey brining techniques and then improvise to suit your tastes.

From there, it’s all about cooking your turkey low and slow over indirect heat. How long you cook it will of course depend on the size of your bird–just as it does when using an oven. This article over at Real Simple on why you should grill your Thanksgiving turkey sums it all up nicely and even includes a few helpful tips to get you started on your own.

Five Great Tricks to Keep in Mind

• Do your research. The more you read up on the process from a number of different sources, the better the end result is going to be. Spend some time researching and you’ll be just fine!
• Your oven is free. One of the biggest benefits to grilling a turkey is that your oven is now free for casseroles, pies, and other holiday treats. Getting the bird out of the kitchen and into a grill frees up a ton of valuable space.
• Watch the temperature. You’ll know your turkey is done when your meat thermometer reads 165 Fahrenheit. We told you you’d use it for something other than checking on burgers and brats, didn’t we?
• Mix it up. One thing you don’t want to do is leave your turkey stationary the entire time it’s on the grill. You’ll have to turn it over multiple times, so set a timer and prepare yourself in advance.
• Learn about trussing. Trussing–or tying–simply means that you will be tying back the legs to allow for easier cooking and a nicer presentation overall.

Bringing It All Together

So there you have it! Simply follow our tips and do your research and you’ll be just fine. As a matter of fact, you’ll be better than fine–you’ll have a moist turkey and you’ll wonder why you did it the other way for so long. Once you have your turkey this way, you’ll definitely agree that when you buy a propane tank, you unlock a world of culinary possibilities and you’ll never go back.

From the Mighty Flame family to yours, we’d like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. We hope that your time is filled with friends and family and, of course, great grilled foods. (Okay, we know that pie isn’t grilled, but that’s still good!) We’re sure thankful that we get to share these grilling tips and tricks with you on a regular basis–and we hope that you’re thankful to have them! Be sure to stay tuned because we’ll continue to bring you the same content you’ve been enjoying for quite some time now.