Christmas Turkey on a Gas Barbecue

Complete your Christmas celebrations or special occasions by grilling a turkey on your gas barbecue. The infusion of smoky flavours, tender juicy meat, and crispy skin achieved through this grilling technique is bound to leave a memorable mark on both you and your guests. However, perfecting the art of grilling a turkey demands finesse, attention, and mastering the right methods. In this blog post, Broil King® will be helping you to create the perfect barbecued turkey this festive season.

How to Prepare

Preparing and serving the ideal turkey begins with thorough preparation. Setting up your barbecue plays a crucial role in imparting the desired flavours and taste. You’ll want to start by selecting the right turkey: Opting for a fresh or thawed turkey, preferably weighing around 5-6kg, ensures a comfortable fit on your gas barbecue. If you’re planning on using a frozen turkey, it’s important to ensure complete thawing in the refrigerator before grilling. It’s also essential to remove the giblets and neck from the turkey, give it a thorough rinse, and then gently pat it dry using paper towels.

Brining or Marinating

To optimise the flavour of your turkey, consider brining it overnight in a blend of salt, water, herbs, and spices. You can also choose a marinade if you prefer. When preparing the grill, start by igniting your gas barbecue and preheating it consistently to a temperature range of around 175-190°C. Whilst it’s preheating, thoroughly clean the grates and lightly oil them to prevent sticking during the cooking process.

The Cooking Process

Season the turkey generously with your preferred blend of spices and herbs, and then secure the turkey by tying the legs together and tucking the wings beneath to ensure uniform cooking. Position the seasoned turkey on the grill grates above the unlit side (indirect heat zone) with the breast side facing upward. Close the grill lid securely. Maintain a steady temperature between 175-190°C by adjusting the gas levels as needed. You can estimate the cooking duration based on the turkey’s weight, for example, a 5-6kg turkey typically requires about 2.5 to 3.5 hours to cook thoroughly.

Every hour, baste the turkey with melted butter or oil to enhance moisture and flavour. Use a meat thermometer such as our Side Table Thermometer, or the Instant Read Thermometer to check the turkey’s internal temperature, aiming for 74°C in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.

Serving

Once the turkey is cooked fully, remove it from the barbecue and cover it loosely with aluminium foil. Allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes, enabling the juices to redistribute. Carve the turkey and serve it while hot, savouring the deliciously, grilled flavours.

Pellet Barbecues – An Alternative to Gas

As an alternative to grilling on a gas barbecue, you could also try grilling your turkey on a Broil King® pellet barbecue. Our range of pellet barbecues are perfect for winter cooking and for creating those traditional smoked flavours that we all know and love.

Pellet barbecues have grown very popular over the past few years because they offer authentic, wood-fired flavour without the inconvenience of monitoring a barbecue.

Crafted from compressed wood shavings, and moulded into compact tablet shapes under pressure, pellet barbecues plug into a standard outlet and the digital controller monitors the temperature inside the grill. Within the hopper, the barbecue will automatically add or subtract pellets into the burner to maintain the selected temperature setting for you.

The biggest difference (and convenience) from regular gas barbecues: you don’t have to add the pellets yourself and stay with the barbecue for the entirety of the grilling process. Simply press the button to start, set your temperature and you’re good to go.

They are the perfect fit for doing larger roasts such as a turkey. It ensures keeping the original flavours of your meat, fish, or vegetables of choice, without drying them out. If you’re looking to grill without experience while still getting the traditional, smoky flavours; a pellet grill is definitely worth your investment!

Check out our full range of pellet barbecues now, as well as our accompanying selection of pellet accessories, and start smoking, searing and roasting with Broil King Spain and Portugal!