Mesquite Smoked Cajun Whole Turkey Cooked On Gas Grill Recipes

GAS GRILL TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place turkey breast-side up in a roasting pan.
• Put water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add butter, seasoned salt, bouillon cubes, and black pepper to the pot; stir basting liquid well to combine.
• Draw up 30 milliliters basting liquid in a marinade injector; inject throughout bird. Pour remaining liquid into bottom of roasting pan, cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake turkey on the preheated grill, basting every 30 minutes, until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove turkey from grill, keep covered, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

MESQUITE SMOKED CAJUN WHOLE TURKEY COOKED ON GAS GRILL

Steps:

• Preheat grill on high. Turn down to maintain (medium) 350 degrees.
• Place smoker box of wet mesquite chips on grill.
• Remove neck and giblets from cavity, rinse turkey, and pat dry.
• Mix spices in a small bowl, set aside 1 TBSP of mixture, and put some of the mixture in the cavity and some under the skin.
• Spray turkey with butter spray and pat reserved spice mixture on the skin of the turkey.
• Place turkey breast side down, turning back wing tips, on the grill over a dip pan.
• Cook turkey for 11 to 13 minutes per pound (internal temperature 180 degrees in thigh and 170 degrees in breast.
• Note: At halfway point, turn turkey if needed for even cooking. 10- 18 pound turkey takes 2 to 3 hours. We turned our turkey at 1 1/2 hours. To reach internal temperature of 170 in breast we cooked it for 1 1/2 more.
• Let stand 15 minutes before carving.

SMOKED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove the turkey from the fridge and allow to sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking.
• Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal grill or smoker for indirect heat, at approximately 275 degrees F. Sprinkle in wood chips (such as hickory, apple or pecan wood) that have soaked in cold water for at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours, and allow them to char before cooking.
• Place the turkey in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Brush the entire turkey with the oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
• Place the turkey in the grill or smoker and cook for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together the chicken stock, honey and vinegar. Baste the turkey after cooking for 45 minutes. Repeat the basting every 45 minutes until the internal temperature of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the breast registers 155 degrees F, about 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the bird.
• Remove the turkey to a large cutting board and let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

SMOKED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat the turkey dry. Put 2 tablespoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, the sugar, paprika, rosemary and orange zest in a food processor and pulse until combined. Carefully loosen the skin from the breast and legs with your fingers; rub the salt mixture under the skin, inside the cavity and all over the turkey. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare the grill, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Soak 2 to 3 cups apple, cherry and/or pecan wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes; drain. Heat a grill to 325˚ F to 350˚ F and prepare for indirect cooking: On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to the sides of the grill; on a gas grill, turn off half the burners. Place a large drip pan under the grates on the cooler side of the grill.
• Gently drizzle and pat the vegetable oil all over the turkey. If using a charcoal grill, scatter about half of the wood chips over the coals; for a gas grill, fill a smoker box with the wood chips and use according to the manufacturer's directions. When the wood chips start to smoke, place the turkey, breast-side up, over indirect heat so that the legs are closest to direct heat.
• Cover the grill and smoke the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165˚ F, 3 to 4 hours, adding the remaining wood chips to the grill about halfway through; add more charcoal or adjust the vents as needed to maintain the temperature.
• Carefully move the turkey to direct heat and grill, uncovered, until the bottom of the turkey crisps up a bit, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 to 45 minutes before carving.

BRINED MESQUITE GRILLED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Mix brine ingredients into water and stir until salt is completely dissolved. Place rinsed turkey into brine mixture in a food-safe container (roasting bags are good) with enough brine mixture to cover completely when bag is cinched. Refrigerate bird in brine mixture for about 12 hours.
• Drain bird and pat dry. Meanwhile, soak mesquite chips in enough water to cover for approximately 30 minutes. Drain chips and place in small handfuls onto foil and make pouches with little holes pricked in the foil with a fork.
• Prepare grill for indirect heat using a drip pan. Place liquid of your choice into drip pan (water or low carb beer is good). Rub turkey breast with softened butter on the outside and season with salt and pepper (add garlic if you like). Oil grill screen and put a pouch of mesquite chips directly on the coals.
• Place turkey over the drip pan and cover grill. Grill for several hours, turning turkey as needed, and adding a pouch of chips and a few new coals about every 30-45 minutes to maintain a steady heat. Cook until meat in the deepest part of the breast reads 170°F (you will need an instant read thermometer for this). Allow bird to sit for 15-30 minutes, undisturbed, before carving to maintain juiciness.

MESQUITE GRILLED CAJUN TURKEY

Steps:

• Prepare grill using mesquite chips or coals.
• Brush turkey with oil.
• Combine remaining ingredients and sprinkle over turkey.
• Place turkey on grill.
• Cover grill and cook according to package directions.
• Wrap in foil and let stand 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove netting from turkey and slice it.