The Greatest Grilled Turkey

If you've never made grilled turkey for Thanksgiving, this is your year! Trust us: Once you try grilling, you'll never go back to roasting.

Why Grill a Turkey?

The better question is: "Why wouldn't you grill a turkey?" Not only does this method result in wonderfully crispy skin and a smoky flavor that you can't get from roasting alone, it frees up oven space on the big day — so you'll have plenty of room to cook as many side dishes as you want.

Grilled Turkey Ingredients

These are the ingredients you'll need to make the best grilled turkey of your life:

· Turkey: This recipe calls for a 12-pound whole turkey. If your bird is larger or smaller, you'll have to adjust the grilling time.· Oil: Vegetable oil seals in moisture, while giving the seasonings something to stick to.· Seasonings: This grilled turkey is flavored with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

How to Grill a Turkey

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you grill a turkey:

1. Prepare the turkey: Remove and discard the giblets. Turn the wings back to hold neck skin in place, then return the legs to a tucked position2. Season the turkey: Brush the turkey with oil, then season the inside and outside with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.3. Grill the turkey: Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a metal grate inside a large roasting pan. Place the pan over indirect heat on the preheated grill and grill until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F.

How Long to Grill a Turkey

This recipe should result in a perfectly cooked 12-pound turkey in about two to three hours. You’ll need to adjust the roasting time for larger or smaller birds.

Of course, you'll need to take the turkey's internal temperature before serving. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 180 degrees F.

Learn more: How to Check the Temperature of a Turkey

What to Serve With Grilled Turkey

When you make this grilled turkey recipe, you'll have plenty of oven space to make lots of Thanksgiving side dishes. In need of a little delicious inspiration? Explore these mouthwatering collections:

· 15 Best Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes· The 10 Essential Thanksgiving Dishes for a Traditional Holiday Spread· Our 15 Best Veggie Side Dishes for Thanksgiving Dinner

More Turkey FAQs

Here at Cookdap, we know a thing or two about cooking the perfect Thanksgiving feast — that's why we've made it our mission to answer your most burning turkey questions. Check out some of our best turkey tips, tricks, and guides from over the years:

· How to Brine a Turkey· 3 Ways to Safely Thaw a Frozen Turkey· How Much Turkey Per Person Do You Need?· How to Truss a Turkey the Easy Way· How to Smoke a Turkey· How to Carve a Turkey the Easy Way

Explore our entire collection of Thanksgiving Tips and Tricks.

Cookdap Community Tips and Praise

"I will never cook a turkey any other way now," says one Cookdap community member. "The grilling process made my turkey turn out absolutely delicious. I especially loved the smokey flavor and the caramelization."

"Great," according to BOOTS741. "I did two turkeys, one in the oven and one on the grill. The one on the grill got much better reviews. It cooked quicker than the oven and stayed very moist. I also added some apples and oranges to the cavity."

"Very helpful for large holiday dinners when oven space is crowded," says MAGPIE0_1. "Flavor is great! Keep fluid of some type in the roasting pan to make awesome gravy. The turkey was tender and moist."