Beer-Can Turkey — It's Not Just For Thanksgiving

So you've mastered a perfectly roasted turkey. You've purchased the best roasting pan and have found your favorite baster; you've narrowed down what kinds of brine you'll use and how you'll make your gravy. Last year you may have even succeeded at a different kind of turkey, such as a deep-fried turkey or a bacon-wrapped turkey. But have you tried turkey on the grill, as in, beer-can turkey?

Click here to see How to Make a Beer-Can Turkey (Slideshow)

Beer-can chicken is such a popular dish to prepare on the backyard barbecue that there's even an entire cookbook dedicated to variations of the fairly simple recipe. The beauty of the recipe is that a partial can of beer, shoved up a chicken's, uh, well, cavity, takes a boring bird to an extraordinary one. When the beer begins to steam from the heat of the grill, it starts a constant basting process for the poultry from the inside out, guaranteeing a moist bird, every time.

But what if the guest list is more than just a handful of people, or there isn't any room on the grill for a second, or even a third, chicken? Well, then it's time to bring in a bigger bird, like turkey. Beer-can turkey is just as easy to do as chicken, and it's a great way to prepare a delicious Thanksgiving turkey that will soon become a time-honored tradition in your family, far more than the deep-fried or bacon-wrapped ones.

Click here to see the Beer-Can Turkey Recipe

Beer-can turkey is not just for Thanksgiving, either. As the warmer days still hold out, now is the time to practice outside on the grill so that the centerpiece of Thanksgiving is not a first-time recipe. And besides, it doesn't have to be Thanksgiving to have succulent and smoked turkey, so head to the store for a Foster's and follow our lead, because we're going to show you how to make a beer-can turkey.