Beer Can Turkey on Weber Kettle

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linus_torvalds

Newbie
Original poster
Jul 25, 2008
2
10
Hello,

I have a 22 inch weber kettle. I have made beer can chicken a number of times this summer and would like to try it with a turkey, but there is no way that would fit on my grill. Has anyone ever tried this on a kettle by removing the grill and placing the turkey on the charcoal grill and just banking the coals away from the bird as much as possible, or are there other options that people have tried using their kettle?

Thanks in advance.
 
Hi Linus!
I do not have a weber kettle, but would you consider spatchcocking the turkey and placing the liquid in a drip pan directly under the bird...with the coals around the side? Do the indirect heat method?

Here's a spatchcocked turkey I did on my drum awhile back....http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=20995

Or..maybe someone with a kettle like yours will be along to help you.

Also welcome to the forum. :)
 
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I've done a few turkeys on my Weber Kettle, 12-16 pounders with no problem but they weren't beer can style. Are you wanting to stand them up like a beer can chicken?
 
Yeah, I wanted to try and cook one standing up on a can just like a beer-can chicken.
 
As you said, lowering it down by removing the grill and cooking it on the lower charcoal grate should work.

If you have the Gold, then you might even be able to use the ash catcher as a coal box. Just fill it up with coals and open the bottom vent.

If it were me, I'd butterfly it and grill it. I just love spatchcocked poultry.
 
If you're really hooked on the beer, just lay the bird breast up with a foil pan of beer in the cavity. I'll admit, it's a bit much for a kettle. Maybe do no more than 12 pounder for first time and let us know how she goes? Do the coals on each side as always, carefully, might not be much space on sides.

Have fun with it. Maybe toss in a bit of foiled mesquite or hickory smoke chips, injectable marinade, or? I'll shut-up, it's your cook. Lots of possibilities...

Eric
 
I have cooked at least 6 turkey's in my weber kettle, and I never used the beer can method. I use indirect setup with charcoal racks on each side a drip pan in the center. On the cooking rack I use a roast rack and set the bird in that. I brine the bird, and stuff it, and truss it up both neck and rear cavity. It's been a couple of years since I last did it, I can't rem. how many briquettes I start with on each side but 30 ea. side sounds about right, and add about 10 per hour. Use a meat probe. You will need to put tin foil on the sides to keep the meat from getting over cooked after about 1.5 hours.
Results are super, very moist, great smoky flavor.

The idea about lowering the turkey to the charcoal grate isn't bad. I would do indirect building the coals on one side. Maybe get two bricks and lay a smaller rack across to get the bird up and place drip pan under the rack. You will have to turn the bird every 30 minutes to get it to cook evenly. You might want to try my indirect rack mod. Of course if you follow the above suggestion you won't have the cooking grate to insert the tray through, you will have to improvise another method of upper support.
 
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