Best Beer Can Turkey Recipes

BEER-CAN TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium (about 350 degrees F) on one side. Pour the beer into a turkey sitter (a ceramic stand that holds liquid). Or open the beer can, pour out a few tablespoons and place in a beer-can turkey stand.
• Combine the mustard powder, garlic powder, dried onion, paprika, granulated garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl.
• Remove the neck, giblets and any excess fat from the turkey; discard. Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the cavity with 2 to 3 teaspoons of the spice mixture. Brush the outside of the turkey with the canola oil and place drumstick-end down on the sitter or stand. Rub the remaining spice mixture all over the turkey.
• Place the turkey (on the sitter or stand) on the cooler side of the grill. Cover and cook until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 185 degrees F and 170 degrees F in the breast, 2 to 3 hours. Carefully remove the turkey from the grill, remove from the sitter or stand, and discard the beer. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

"BEER CAN" TURKEY BREAST WITH BBQ GRAVY

Steps:

• Combine the water, brown sugar, and 3/4 cup kosher salt in a 2-gallon or larger stockpot or other nonreactive container, and whisk until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Submerge the turkey breast in the brine and refrigerate it for 8 hours.
• Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it, and pat it dry with paper towels. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to cook.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high.
• In a medium bowl, combine the onions, celery, garlic, oregano bundle, 1 teaspoon of the Rib Rub, and the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 cup of the tomatoes, and stir together. Pour the vegetables into the outer well of the vertical roaster. Fill the inner well with beer, and pour the remaining beer over the vegetables.
• Brush the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over the turkey breast. Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons Rib Rub over the outside of the turkey, and season it lightly with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Position the turkey breast over the inner well of the roaster so that it sits securely upright. Place the roaster on the grill, close the lid, and cook, basting every 20 minutes with the accumulated pan juices, until the turkey is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest portion of the breast registers 165 degrees, usually about 1 hour. (If the skin browns too quickly during cooking, cover the turkey with foil. If the liquid in the well of the roaster evaporates during cooking and before the turkey is done, add more chicken broth as necessary.)
• Remove the roaster from the grill, and set the turkey on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Transfer the vegetables and pan juices from the inner and outer wells of the roaster to a blender, and set aside.
• While the turkey is resting, make the gravy: In a small saucepan, whisk together the vinegar, remaining 1 cup canned tomatoes, dark brown sugar, molasses, salt, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the flavors blend and the sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Add the barbecue sauce to the vegetables in the blender, and blend until smooth. (Please be cautious while blending the hot sauce, as the steam may cause the top of the blender to open. Either hold the lid down with a towel or wait for the sauce to cool slightly before blending.) Transfer the gravy to a bowl or sauceboat, and keep it warm until ready to serve.
• Carve the turkey breast into thin slices, and serve with the BBQ gravy.

SLOW COOKER BACON-RANCH BEER-CAN TURKEY

Steps:

• Spray the inside of a large slow cooker with cooking spray.
• Stir butter and 1/2 the ranch dressing mix together in a bowl until completely combined.
• Carefully loosen each side of the skin of the turkey breast and spread the butter-ranch mixture under the skin. Transfer turkey, skin-side up, to the slow cooker.
• Sprinkle remaining 1/2 ranch dressing mix over turkey breast. Lay bacon strips evenly across turkey. Pour beer around turkey breast.
• Cook in the slow cooker set to High for 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and cook until turkey is tender, 6 to 8 hours.

"BEER CAN" TURKEY BREAST WITH BBQ GRAVY

Steps:

• Combine water, brown sugar, and 3/4 cup kosher salt in a 2-gallon or larger stockpot, Whisk until sugar and salt have dissolved. Submerge turkey breast in brine and refrigerate for 8 hours. Remove turkey from brine, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to cook. Preheat a grill to medium-high. In medium bowl, combine onions, celery, garlic, oregano bundle, 1 t of the Rib Rub, and 2 T olive oil. Add 1 cup of tomatoes, and stir together. Pour vegetables into outer well of vertical roaster. Fill inner well with beer, and pour remaining beer over the vegetables. Brush remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over turkey breast. Sprinkle remaining 2 t Rib Rub over outside of turkey, and season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Position breast over inner well of roaster so that it sits upright. Place roaster on grill, close lid, and cook, basting every 20 minutes with accumulated pan juices, until turkey is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into deepest portion of the breast registers 165 degrees, about 1 hour. (If skin browns too quickly during cooking, cover turkey with foil. If liquid in the well of roaster evaporates during cooking and before turkey is done, add more chicken broth as necessary.) Remove roaster from grill, and set turkey on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Transfer vegetables and pan juices from the roaster to a blender, and set aside. 8. While turkey is resting, make the gravy: In a small saucepan, whisk together vinegar, remaining 1 cup canned tomatoes, dark brown sugar, molasses, salt, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the flavors blend and the sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Add barbecue sauce to vegetables in blender, and blend until smooth. Transfer gravy to a bowl or sauceboat, and keep it warm until ready to serve.