North Carolina Barbecue Turkey
1 10-12 pound whole turkey, fresh or thawed
As needed cooking oil
1 1/2 Pound bacon
To taste salt
To taste pepper
1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes, crushed
1 Pint apple cider vinegar
1/2 Pint cold water
Cut turkey in half. Rub with oil. Wrap with bacon (If turkey is more than 12 pounds, use bacon substitute, as real bacon will burn).
Prepare grill for medium indirect heat cooking. For gas grills, place a drip pan under one half of the rack then spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray, turn on the heat on the other half of the grill. For charcoal grills, place the coals around the outside edges of the grill, place a drip pan in the center, spray the rack and light the charcoal.
Place turkey, breast side up, on grill rack over drip pan. Cover and grill turkey 2½-3 hours or until meat thermometer inserted into deepest portion of thigh reaches 180 degrees F and leg bone will turn and separate from meat. Turkey should be golden brown.
Allow turkey to cool. Remove turkey from bones and chop. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and mix well. Mix vinegar and water and sprinkle over meat. Stir gently into chopped turkey. Add water if vinegar mixture is too strong.
Serve with vinegar-based coleslaw.
Leave a Reply