Beer Can Turkey: Yes, it can be done.
I've spent the day with my folks wife and dog in tow. Its been a fairly good day, cooking, eating, sleeping, cheesecake, four hours working on getting Christmas light strands to work bulb by bulb. My nails look like they've been chewed by squirrels. I only mention that nightmare because that is what I just said "to hell with" in order to come in here and blog.
Today's entry is about Beer Can Turkey.
You've probably seen articles, or grilled yourself a beer can chicken. It works like this, you take a hot grill, a whole chicken, and a drink can. You fill the drink can with a liquid seasoning. Some use BBQ sauce diluted with vinegar or water, some just use the beer that was in the can. We often use Italian dressing. You place the can of liquid up the bottom of the chicken, and set the chicken on the grill where it is sitting on its butt, (with can base) legs sprawled out in front of it. Keep your fire stoked to 350 degrees, and cook for 20 minutes per pound. The science is that the can heats up, steams the seasoning which chimneys out the top of the can and into the meat from the inside. Any extra skin around the neck you use to cover the hole at the top so the steam doesn't escape out of the top.
The only difference between a chicken and a turkey when it comes down to it is the size of the can, and the time involved. Our turkey took three hours with a tall boy can filled with Italian dressing. It has a nice light seasoning, smoky goodness, and extremely moist everywhere.
Plus you get time outdoors, keeping the heat of the oven out of the kitchen, enjoying the smell of the charcoal and grilling. Today, at the same time we also used the beer can method on a chicken which we took later to a sick friend. Below is the "before" picture of proud birds standing on the grill.
They look like father and son don't they?
