Aside from that, turkey has numerous ways and methods to be cooked, utilizing different cooking equipment such as the oven and the ever popular microwave. Here we offer you different methods that can be used for cooking turkey.

Here are some varieties of grills available in the market, as well as the basic instructions to properly use them..

Covered Charcoal Grill

First, you must have well prepared and clean equipment for this and good quality charcoal. Put up a pyramid of charcoal on one side. Set fire to the charcoal until it gets red hot. Place a thermometer on the food rack to check the temperature of the grill. This will give the cook an exact reading of the meat’s temperature when cooking.

In the center of the grill where the turkey will be placed, carefully arrange the charcoal around the edge evenly. Place the grill rack and set the prepared turkey on it. The turkey’s breast should be side-up. Simply maintain its temperature. Then cover the grill. If you want, you can add seasonings for the turkey to have flavor as it is cooking. Do not ever use softwood like cedar and pine because it gives the food a different taste and makes the turkey’s skin turn black.

When the inner thigh temperature reads 180 degree Fahrenheit, the turkey is ready. That is why it is very important to use a food thermometer.

Covered gas Grill

The gas grill can be provided by using either propane tanks or natural gas. If your gas grill has only one burner, a water pan should be placed under the grate to create indirect heat. If you have two or three burners, make sure the turkey is placed away from the flame. This is done by turning off one burner and placing the turkey in that area.

Aside from grilling, you can also roast turkey by using the oven.

Turkey can be successfully cooked in whole or in parts using the microwave oven. But sometimes it is not advisable to cook it whole because it makes the turkey cook unevenly. The turkey may not be cooked to the proper internal temperature. Full size microwave ovens with 650 to 700 watts can only accommodate a small turkey ranging 8 to 10 pounds. Given that metal thermometers cannot be used here, merely check when the cooking is completed. Insert an instant read thermometer on different parts of the turkey.

Electric Roaster Oven

This appliance serves as an extra oven for cooking a large roast.

Heat the oven first to about 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Then place the turkey on a oven rack or any other meat rack for the turkey to be kept out the juices that collect in the bottom of the oven. Leave the cover throughout cooking, removing it as little as possible to avoid the slowing of the cooking process. Check the internal temperature of the inner thigh until it reaches to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Oven cooking bag method

This is one of the safest methods in roasting turkey. It is a delicious alternative to the traditional way of cooking turkey.

Pre-heat the oven using an oven-cooking bag to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. A tablespoon of dry flour should be shaken around to coat the empty bag to avoid bursting. The pan must be large enough for the turkey to sit easily in the center. Allocate space for the bag to enlarge during cooking so that it will not touch any part of the oven or it will melt.

A meat thermometer is inserted right through the thickest part of the plastic to know if the temperature of the turkey’s thigh reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Any of these methods of cooking your turkey will result in a delicious meal.

About the author:

Niall Barco has been learning about turkey hunting for five years. Turkey-Hunting.info offers news, information, tips and views about turkey grills and ovens.

Copyright http://Turkey-Hunting.info All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links back to Turkey-Hunting.info are included intact.

Written By: Niall Barco

– Chicken breast

– Turkey breast or tenderloin

– Ground turkey, chicken or lean hamburger (add great seasonings)

– Veggie/grain/soy burgers

– Vegetables

– Turkey hot dogs or sausages/brats

– Light smoked sausage or turkey polska kielbasa

– Fish (salmon, swordfish, shrimp, catfish, trout, red snapper, tuna, etc)

– Or, if you choose beef, select a high-quality but small portion

Marinades are easy to make and allow you to use some creativity in your cooking! If you’re making your own marinade, plan on about a half cup per pound of meat. There are usually 3-4 components to a marinade. You’ll definitely need an acid such as citrus juices, vinegars, or wine. This acid will serve to break down the protein tissues in the meat, which serves to tenderize. For flavor, you also need to include some oil (canola, olive, sesame, or other) and seasonings (salt and pepper, dried or fresh herbs, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustards, garlic, gingerroot, onion, chili peppers, etc). You also might want to add a sugary ingredient like honey, jam, or molasses to add a touch of sweetness and caramelization to your grilled food. About a quarter to a third of the marinade should be the acid, a few tablespoons should be oil, about a tablespoon of your sugar ingredient, and seasonings can really be however much you’d like.

Make sure to always marinate in the refrigerator. Large ziploc bags are great for marinating. Otherwise, use a shallow glass or plastic container. Avoid metal which will react with the acid in the marinade. The longer you marinate, it will also cut down a little bit on cooking times. Depending on what you’re marinating, the times will vary. Here are some general rules to follow:

– Large cuts of meat (over 4 pounds) – 8 hours to overnight

– Smaller cuts of meat – 1/2 to 3 hours

– Whole fish – 3 hours to overnight

– Fillets of fish (depending on size) – 1 hour to overnight

– Fruits and vegetables – 1 to 3 hours

Don’t use leftover marinade for basting or as a sauce, unless you first boil it for 5 minutes to kill any bacteria. To prevent food from sticking to the grill, lightly coat your grilling surface with a small amount of cooking oil or spray. Some companies now make nonstick sprays specifically for the grill.

To ensure proper doneness, it helps to keep a meat thermometer handy at the grill. Here are temperature guidelines for different types of meat.

1. Poultry: 165-170 degrees F

2. Fish: 130-135 degrees F (fish will begin to flake and turn opaque)

3. Beef, lamb, pork:

Rare – 140 degrees F, red center. Fine for steaks and lamb. Pork should not be eaten rare.

Medium rare – 145-150 degrees F. Red center. Medium rare is fine for all beef.

Medium – 155-160 degrees F. Pink center. Medium is good for pork, beef and lamb. Hamburgers should be cooked to 160 degrees.

Medium well – 165 degrees F. Light gray warm center. Pork will be all white at the center.

Well done – 170-180 degrees F. Hot gray center; no pink.

With these ideas and guidelines, you will easily be able to put together dozens of delicious and healthy grilled meals this summer – or whenever you feel like using your grill. Whether you’re craving Italian, Tex-Mex, Asian, or plain old American – you can create a wonderful taste on your grill.

About the Author

Erin Rogers, a work-at-home mom of two, is the founder of Health-E-Meals.com, providing practical healthy living resources for busy people. She’s also the author of the Healthy Express Cookbook: 101 Fresh, Light & Quick Dinners (http://www.health-e-meals.com/ebook.html). Visit her website (http://www.health-e-meals.com/DOTD.html) to sign up for her FREE electronic newsletter, ‘Dinners on the Double’ – offering a quick and healthy, no-recipe dinner idea and more each week. Erin can be reached via email at erin@health-e-meals.com.

Written By: Erin Rogers

When you are ready to buy your turkey, the first thing to consider is the size of your grill. You don’t want a bird that is so enormous that it can’t fit on the grill rack. Ideally, the turkey you select should sit on the grill and the lid should close without touching the bird. If this isn’t possible, don’t worry, you can still grill your turkey. You’ll need some heavy duty aluminum foil and either a V shaped grill stand or another metal cooking instrument that you can safely use to prop open the lid of the grill.

Prepare and stuff the turkey as you normally would. Place it on the grill so that it is positioned over one burner that you can turn off. Turn that burner off and the other burner or burners on. Since you can’t really “flip” a turkey, you want the turkey to cook by indirect heat, not by a direct flame underneath it.

You get the smoky flavor by using wood chips. If you haven’t used wood chips before, they’re easy to use. You soak them in water so that as they dry out from the heat of the grill, they’ll release a flavored smoke that infuses the turkey. You can purchase a tray that is designed for putting wood chips on the grill or you can make one yourself from heavy duty aluminum foil. Take the wood chips out of the water and put them into your tray. Place the tray on the grill over the lit burner.

Next, close the lid fully if possible. If not possible, prop the lid up just enough to keep it from touching the turkey. Then cover the remainder of the opening with aluminum foil. If heat gets out you will probably have to cook the turkey longer. However, the foil creates enough of a barrier so the smoke is kept circulating inside the grill and flavoring the turkey.

The time required to cook the turkey will vary depending on whether or not you were able to close your grill completely. If you can, it will take less time. If you can’t, you might want to increase the heat on the other burner or burners to try to make up for the lost heat by having to prop open the grill. After a couple of hours, rotate the turkey 180 degrees to help ensure even cooking.

As with any method of cooking poultry, it’s important to make sure that the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Ideally you should use a meat thermometer to monitor the temperature as you cook. If you don’t have one, then you’ll have to check the readiness by poking the thigh with a fork or skewer. If the juices that run out are clear and the turkey has turned a nice golden-brown color, then you are ready to remove it from the grill. Consider glazing the turkey with a sauce you use on other meats, or possibly adding barbecue sauce to the traditional cranberry sauce as a condiment. Don’t be afraid to experiment – enjoy the new twist you’re putting on an old family tradition.

About the author:

Mike Wolderbaum reviews natura l gas grills models and brands at http://www.Natural-Gas- Grills.info where you can learn how natural gas grills work, tips and tricks on using the grills and how to shop for grills and accessories.

Written By: Mike Wolderbaum