My Sister Felicia prepped it by slathering the entire turkey over and under the skin with butter and seasonings. She stuffed the cavity with an orange and more seasoning.
You can prep your turkey whichever way you’d normally do it in the oven.
But the cook part is so simple.
Two charcoal baskets pushed to the back of the kettle.
A 12 lb bird fits perfect.
A layer of tin foil on the charcoal grate under where the bird will sit and then a drip pan on top of that.
A half of a chimney of lit coals split into the two charcoal baskets.
Close the lid, when the pit temp gets to 275 you place the bird on the grate breast side down legs facing the coals for one hour. Add one good sized chunk of pecan , cherry or apple.
My temps were running around 280. if they were running a little higher, anything up to 3-50 and i wouldn’t have bothered adjusting the vents. it would have been just fine.
After the first hour flip the turkey over and add 7 coals to each charcoal basket and stick a temp probe in the thickest part of the breast or thigh. I temped both.
At the second hour I poured 2/3 a stick of melted butter over the bird (with some help from my awesome daughter Madeline) and the color was amazing.
When it hits 265, pull that sucker off and let it rest for an hour or so.
Then dig in. The drippings that are collected in the drip pan underneath make excellent gravy!
Northeast BBQ 