Thanksgiving on the Grill: Reinventing the Classics
Holiday Outdoor Cooking Tips from the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association

Year-round outdoor cooking is on the rise as consumers are becoming more adventurous chefs, forgoing the oven or stove-top and opting for turkey and trimmings cooked on the grill, smoker or fryer. According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) 2011 Barbecue Consumer Survey, 62 percent of consumers are cooking outdoors year-round and 15 percent are cooking part of their Thanksgiving meals outside, up 9 percent from 2009! Whether it’s for the convenience, minimal cleanup or crisp fresh air, consumers are willing to prepare the entire Thanksgiving meal – from the turkey to desserts – outdoors.

To reinvent the classic Thanksgiving feast the whole family will love, HPBA provides the following tips and know-how for delicious, mouth-watering roasted, smoked or fried turkey this holiday season:

Roasted Taste – from the Grill (Using the Indirect Grilling Procedure)

• Purchase a turkey that is broad and flat to fit underneath the covered grill top. 
• Make sure there is at least one-inch of space between the turkey and the grill lid.
• Apply a thin coating of non-stick vegetable cooking oil to the unheated rack and brush the outer surface of the turkey with cooking oil.
• Do not tie the legs together when grilling a whole bird. The turkey will cook more evenly if hot air circulates to all areas of the bird.
• Allow for two to three hours of indirect cooking time for an eight to 12 pound turkey and three to four hours for a 12-16 pound turkey.

Smoked Turkey – for a Different, Flavorful Experience

• Be sure the smoker reaches an internal temperature of 250° F to 300° F before inserting the turkey.
• Place the turkey in the smoker with the breast facing up.
• Make sure there is at least one inch of space between the turkey and the smoker lid.
• If using a charcoal smoker, add charcoal often to maintain the 250° F to 300° F temperature necessary to produce the hot smoke that cooks the turkey.
• Smoke the turkey 20 to 30 minutes per pound.

Fried Turkey – a Crisp Alternative

• In addition to frying a whole turkey, turkey breasts, legs and thighs are also ideal for frying.
• If using an oil fryer, always use a high smoke point frying oil, such as peanut oil. Never allow the cooking oil to exceed 375° F.
• Always lower the turkey slowly into the hot oil.
• Allow three to four minutes of fry-time per pound for whole turkeys in an oil fryer and eight to ten minutes per pound in an infrared oil-less fryer.
• Allow oil to cool completely before removing from pot.
  
  

For more information, holiday tips and recipes, visit HPBA at www.hpba.org, www.facebook.com/TheBBQSource and www.twitter.com/TheBBQSource