Best Whole Grilled Turkey – Canadian Turkey BBQ Bootcamp

Disclosure: This post about the Canadian Turkey BBQ Bootcamp and the Best Whole Grilled Turkey recipe has been sponsored by Canadian Turkey. As always, all opinions are my own. 

August is almost here and summer grilling season is in full swing. Kick your grilling game up this summer with the Canadian Turkey BBQ Bootcamp. We all need a little help getting out of our grilling rut, am I right? So how can they help? Read on to find out.

Well, Canadian Turkey is a healthy and delicious choice to bbq, smoke and sear into quick and easy meals your entire family will enjoy. Plus, there are lots of choices beyond just turkey breast!

Visit your local grocer or butcher to see the variety of cuts available at the meat counter, including ground meat, legs, drumsticks, thighs, breast steaks, breast rolls, breast roasts, drummettes, wings, sausages, and burgers. Since both white and dark meat turkey are lean choices, you can pick and choose based on your family’s taste preference.

Plus, since both white and dark meat turkey is lean, it reduces annoying flare ups on your bbq grill. Your eyebrows are safe with turkey!

We spend the vast majority of our summers at the lake. Since it’s such a nice get away from the city, we end up hosting guests almost every weekend. I love that turkey is something that everyone enjoys and you can feed a few or a crowd. Grilling or smoking a whole turkey is a great way to feed a crowd inexpensively and healthfully.

7 Ways To Grill Up Big Flavour With Your Turkey Cuts:

1. Learn to use direct and indirect heat. Direct heat makes great sears and grill marks. It also cooks thinner cuts with ease. Have a bigger piece of turkey to cook? You’ll want indirect heat so it cooks low and slow to get the most flavour.
2. Smoke and sizzle mean big flavour! The high heat on your BBQ makes caramelization that adds big, bold flavour and keeps your meat juicy and tender.  Smoke adds that unique and special BBQ taste, allowing you to cut down on salt, sugar and fat.
3. Get creative with wet and dry rubs to season your turkey cuts. Experiment with your favourite herb and spice combos to enhance taste and texture. Turkey pairs well with everything so the sky is the limit!
4. Cook your entire meal on the BBQ – appetizers, side dishes, vegetables and even desserts can be cooked over the grill. Cooking the entire meals on the grill will give you juicy meat and tasty vegetables while keeping your kitchen cool. Visit canadianturkey.ca to explore a library of amazing grilled turkey recipes!
5. Marinate your cuts to add big flavour and help to keep your turkey moist and juicy. Infuse flavour into your meats by marinating with healthy fats like olive oil, and adding citrus, beer, wine or vinegar and fresh herbs, spices and rubs.
6. Prep your turkey meat for the grill. Remove your turkey from the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before cooking to allow the meat to come to room temperature.  Dry the meat off with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.  This will promote an even sear and avoid steaming the meat.
7. Don’t crowd the meat! When grilling your turkey, leave space between the turkey pieces to promote even heat circulation and ensure consistent cooking.

Canadian Turkey Everything About Cuts BBQ Bootcamp Grilling Guide (Free Download)

Don’t forget to download the Everything About Cuts Guide for everything you need to know to get tasty, nutritious and versatile Canadian turkey on your table this summer!

Best Whole Grilled Turkey Recipe

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Yield: 12

Best Whole Grilled Turkey

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes

Feeding a crowd this summer? BBQ a whole turkey on the grill! 

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Ingredients

• 1 whole Canadian turkey, 12 – 16 lbs
• 3 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 2 lemons, quartered
• Salt and pepper to taste

Thyme finishing sauce:

• 1/2 cup melted butter or olive oil, warmed
• 1/23 cup minced fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Dry turkey, inside and out, with paper towels.
2. Season the turkey with oil, salt and pepper, inside and out. Stuff the cavity with lemon pieces.
3. Pre-heat BBQ to 350°F (175°C).
4. BBQ, with indirect heat, for 15 minutes per pound, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 180°F (82°C). Ensure you use a meat thermometer to check for doneness as cooking times can vary significantly with individual BBQ’s.
5. Combine finishing sauce ingredients in a bowl.
6. During the last hour of cooking, baste the turkey with the finishing sauce, every 15 minutes. Discard any sauce that may remain.
7. Remove the turkey from the BBQ and let rest for at least 20 – 30 minutes.
8. Discard lemon pieces from the cavity.
9. Carve and serve.

Notes

TIP: If your turkey starts to char a little on the grill, cover loosely with tin foil. Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking to let the skin crisp up.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 407Saturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 174mgSodium: 308mgCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 46g