Jerk Beer Can Turkey
I got this recipe about 7 years ago; it works great for grilling or in a Dutch oven. This grilled turkey gets moisture from the beer can and the great flavor of jerk seasonings. This turkey is full of flavor, moist, and tender.
I got this recipe about 7 years ago; it works great for grilling or in a Dutch oven. This grilled turkey gets moisture from the beer can and the great flavor of jerk seasonings. This turkey is full of flavor, moist, and tender.
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 can beer
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 whole turkey
- 1 cup green onion
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 2 whole shallots
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons ground allspice
- 3 whole scotch bonnet peppers (or other hot pepper)
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- Carbohydrate 12.2231304191233 g
- Cholesterol 26.23 mg
- Fat 11.888473542105 g
- Fiber 0.815300000532746 g
- Protein 7.28677791699234 g
- Saturated Fat 1.39108441675328 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (109g)
- Sodium 194.990375003637 mg
- Sugar 11.4078304185906 g
- Trans Fat 0.440908687618895 g
- Calories 188 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare grill for indirect grilling.
- Combine all ingredients except the turkey and the beer in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Prepare turkey and rub jerk mixture all over the surface of the turkey.
- Try to work it under the skin as much as possible.
- Open can of beer and "dispose" of about 1/4 of the beer however you see fit.
- Place excess rub/beer back into the beer can.
- Place beer can into the cavity of the turkey, then place the turkey onto the grill.
- Cook over medium high heat for about 20 minutes per pound.
- Check for an internal temperature in the thigh of the turkey of 180 degrees F before removing from the grill.
- Allow the turkey to rest before carving.
- When preparing your turkey in the dutch oven follow the same process of blending the rub minus the 24 oz of beer.
- Place a roasting rack/spacer to keep the bottom of the turkey from getting direct heat on the bottom of the dutch oven.
- Pour the 24 oz of beer in the bottom of the dutch oven.
- I used the hand test cooking temperature methods from http://www.dutchovendude.com/campfire-cooking.shtml and kept the same number of coals on the top and under the dutch oven.
- I rotated the dutch oven and the lid approx. ever 30 minutes and added coals ever hour to maintain temperature.
- I also cooked the turkey in a fire pit (to protect the coals from the wind) on Thanksgiving day in Wisconsin (it was about 30 degrees F most of the day).
Monitoring the internal temperature of the thigh until it registers 180 degrees Fahrenheit is the single most critical factor in determining when the bird is safe to remove from the heat source. Achieving crisp skin and succulent meat requires careful attention to fat rendering and moisture management throughout the cooking process. Working the marinade directly beneath the skin establishes a direct contact point between the aromatics and the muscle tissue, ensuring the pungent flavors of allspice and scotch bonnet peppers penetrate deeply rather than simply scorching on the exterior.
- Scotch bonnet peppers pack between 100,000 and 350,000 Scoville units of heat; habaneros serve as a direct 1:1 substitute if scotch bonnets are unavailable, whereas jalapeños will yield a significantly milder profile requiring a much larger quantity to match the heat level.
- Indirect grilling demands that coals be pushed to the perimeter of the firebox to prevent direct radiant heat from burning the bird during the multi-hour cook time calculated at roughly 20 minutes per pound.
- When substituting the grill for a Dutch oven, elevating the poultry on a roasting rack or metal spacer is non-negotiable to keep the bottom of the bird from scorching against the cast iron while liquid steams in the base.
- Testing the temperature of a campfire or charcoal Dutch oven relies on holding an open palm five inches above the bottom grate; if the hand must be withdrawn after four to five seconds, the heat is at the medium level required for stable roasting.
- Allowing the carved turkey to rest uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing redistributes internal juices back toward the center of the breast meat, preventing dryness during portioning.
Cast iron requires consistent coal rotation every 30 minutes to compensate for hotspots generated by campfire drafts. Proper resting phases safeguard moisture retention before the meat is served.
