Beer-Can Turkey

4 from 1 ratings

You’ll find that a beer-can turkey is smoky, succulent, tender, and, most of all, mind-blowingly delicious. It’ll instantly take the stage for many holidays to come, and you’ll finally believe us when we say that it’s not just for Thanksgiving, and make it all year round. Click here to see How to Make a Beer-Can Turkey

Servings

servings

Ingredients

one 13-pound turkey, thawed
salt and pepper, to taste
one 24-ounce beer can
barbecue spice rub, as needed

Directions

Place the turkey on a clean work surface and remove the plastic piece binding its legs together. Coat the top of the turkey evenly with barbecue rub, salt, and pepper, to taste.
Open the can of beer and pour a few ounces out into a cup or into the sink. Set the can in the middle of an aluminum disposable pan and slide the turkey on top. Coat the underside of the turkey evenly with barbecue rub and salt and pepper, to taste.
Remove the grill grates from a grill or smoker and heat to 300 degrees.
Tuck the turkey's wings inside of itself and place the pan directly onto the heat source. Close the grill or smoker and let the turkey smoke for 1 hour. After 1 hour, baste the turkey all over using the juices that have collected at the bottom of the pan. Cover, and continue to cook for thirty minutes longer. Baste the turkey again after thirty minutes, and continue to baste until the turkey is golden brown and and has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees, about 2 hours and 45 minutes. If the top of the turkey begins to brown too quickly at any point during cooking, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil.
Remove the turkey from the grill and let it rest under a tent of aluminum foil for 30 minutes before carving so that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.