Grilled Turkey

For our Office Christmas Lunch, my co-worker Lou and I made the menu. I work with a bunch of men, so the menu was much different than any normal lunch for me!
Over Thanksgiving, Lou was in Alabama with his family and they made a turkey on the grill. He was telling me about it, and jokingly said we should make a grilled turkey for Christmas... so we did! He brought a grill and set it up in the parking lot at work. The turkey was made really simply with a rub of EVOO, salt, pepper and minced garlic (lots!).
The turkey had amazing flavor from the grill, the wood, and the garlic. It was very tender, no need for gravy (not that we had any)... Lou used alder hardwood when he added the coals, but you can use any variety to flavor it how you'd like.
I brought in a lasagna and cookies and blondies, and he also made some green beans, which I'll be re-creating this week!

Grilled Turkey

15-20 lb. Turkey (flat is better than tall)

EVOO to coat

Salt and Pepper

1/4 cup minced garlic

Handful of onion powder

Rub the bird with olive oil, and then heavy coarse black pepper, salt, onion powder and garlic.

Start with 25 coals on both sides of the grill.

Put a drip pan on the bottom between the coals to catch the drippings.

Each hour, add 6 coals and a piece of wood per side and cover back up.

Keep the bottom and top air vent holes open the whole time.

Rotate the lid holes each hour when you add the coals.

Put the lid on long ways, the head of the bird, then the butt next time.

Based on a 15# bird, you'll only have to add coals twice. It will be done in exactly the time you allowed, will be golden brown, and will be delicious.

After taking it off, let it stand 10 minutes or so before carving.

Total Cooking Time - 11 minutes per pound.

For this 21lb. turkey, we cooked it for about 4 hours.