It all started with the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line! My love of grilled turkey, that is! Early in my career, I managed and promoted the annual Thanksgiving help line. And every fall, all of the operators would gather together for a training session that would prepare these "cooking counselors" for the nation’s upcoming turkey trauma. Everyone was assigned a different turkey cooking method and brand of turkey so we could all be familiar with the different scenarios home cooks might face.
I watched all the veteran operators lobby to get the grilled and smoked turkey assignments, I wondered why. But after my first session, I knew! The flavor, texture and aroma of the grilled and smoked turkeys were far and away tastier than any other method, even the classic open-pan roasting method.
The natural convection-style heat of the outdoor grill is perfect for cooking a Thanksgiving turkey. But you must use a grill that has a lid and is configured for indirect heat. This is not a job for an open braiser! The lid down/indirect heat-method ensures that the skin is golden brown and crisp at the same time that the bird is done.
And there’s another benefit, too. All that hot air rotating around the big bird means the outdoor grill method takes less time than traditional oven roasting. Plus, moving the turkey onto the grill frees up oven space for all those wonderful sides you’re craving.
In recent years, I’ve upped my game by adding a brine to the recipe to produce the juiciest, tastiest, most golden brown and picture-perfect turkey you can image. The brine seasons the turkey to the bone and ensures it will be juicy. If you are brining the bird, it is important to buy a natural turkey that has not been pre-basted (pumped full of salt water).
It’s been many years since my Butterball days, yet every Thanksgiving, I am still "on call" for a select few. While I am cooking my own meal or getting ready to enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor, I am on speed dial wherever I am. And answering their calls — having a turkey trauma moment, a laugh and ultimately assuring them that the turkey is going to be great (always grilled!) — has become as much a part of my Thanksgiving tradition as the turkey itself.
Elizabeth Karmel is a grilling and Southern foods expert and executive chef at Hill Country Barbecue Market restaurants in New York and Washington, as well as Hill Country Chicken in New York. She is the author of three cookbooks, including "Soaked, Slathered and Seasoned."
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