Why You Should Always Grill Turkey Over Indirect Heat

Turkey is a notoriously easy bird to overcook. Cooking it until it "looks" done — when you achieve that golden and crispy skin on the outside — often reveals dry and tough meat upon carving. In an oven, you don't have much control over where the heat originates and, therefore, how it affects your meal. However, grills are different. You can not only choose the temperature levels but also whether to place your meat directly over the heat source or off to the side. For some further advice, we spoke with Silvio Correa, the Brazilian Grill Master and Private Chef behind Silvio's BBQ, who maintains that grilling a turkey over an indirect source is the way to go.

"Indirect heat is best for grilling turkey," Correa explains. "It ensures even cooking without scorching the exterior." As for how to do this, Correa notes that the best way is to "place the turkey on the cooler side of the grill and use the direct heat side to maintain the overall grill temperature." This temperature should be anywhere between 325 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit so that the turkey cooks thoroughly without drying out. Resting over indirect heat at these temperatures, your turkey should cook nicely, and the skin should crisp without burning.

While you can place your turkey directly on the grill grates, Correa suggests using a roasting pan or an aluminum tray with a rack. This will help to catch any drippings and may even prevent a fire, which could interfere with meticulous heat conditions. Having a meat thermometer on hand is also wise to ensure your turkey is taken off the grill when the breast reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the thighs reach 175 degrees, thus avoiding drying out the meat. When grilling a turkey, the MEATER Plus Bluetooth Meat Thermometer makes things easy by notifying you directly on your smartphone when the bird reaches the desired temp.

The benefit to grilling your turkey is that this technique imparts a nice smokiness into the meat, so you achieve additional flavor without even trying. For the best results, use the same ingredients you would to upgrade a roast turkey; a dry rub, citrus, and compound butter are all excellent flavor boosters. You can even coat your turkey in mayonnaise for extra juicy meat. Serve it up with a glass of pinot noir, the absolute best wine pairing for turkey, and you've got yourself quite the elevated meal — whether it's for Thanksgiving or a random Saturday in July.