Grilled Rotisserie Turkey with Stuffing

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 8 to 10 servings
  • Total: 3 hr (includes resting time)
  • Active: 40 min
We removed the hassle of constant basting from the Thanksgiving equation by popping the turkey on a rotisserie. As it rotates, it bastes itself to juicy, smoky perfection, plus the stuffing underneath catches all the flavorful drippings.
Advertisement

Ingredients

Turkey:

One 12- to 14-pound turkey, wing tips removed with kitchen shears

3 tablespoons brown sugar 

1 tablespoon paprika 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Vegetable oil, for the turkey 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

Stuffing (see Cook's Note):

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced 

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced 

3 stalks celery, diced 

2 yellow onions, diced 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

3 cups turkey or chicken broth 

2 large eggs 

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped 

16 cups cubed stale white bread 

Directions

Special equipment:
a rotisserie attachment for a grill; butcher's twine; a 9-by-13-inch disposable aluminum pan or half-sheet pan; an instant-read thermometer
  1. For the turkey: Prepare a grill fitted with a rotisserie attachment according to the manufacturer's instructions for cooking over medium-high heat.
  2. Truss the turkey with butcher's twine so it is compact, then mount the turkey on the rotisserie spit. Push in the spit forks so they are very secure; tighten the screws well.  
  3. Mix together the sugar, paprika, 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper in a small bowl until combined. Rub the turkey all over with oil and sprinkle with the seasoning. Place the spit on the rotisserie. If you are using a large kettle-style charcoal grill, position a 9-by-13-inch disposable aluminum pan under the turkey. If you are using a multi-burner gas grill, position a 9-by-13-inch disposable aluminum pan or a half-sheet pan under the turkey, depending on the clearance between the bird and the grill grates; if necessary, remove the grill grates and place the pan on the bars below. Cover the grill and cook until the skin starts to brown slightly, about 20 minutes. Uncover the grill, drizzle the turkey slowly with the melted butter as it turns, then cover the grill and continue to cook for another 40 minutes. 
  4. For the stuffing (see Cook's Note): Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage, thyme, celery, onions, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat. 
  5. Beat the eggs with the parsley in a large bowl. Add the bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss to combine.  
  6. After the turkey has been roasting for 1 hour, uncover the grill and carefully spoon the stuffing into the pan under the turkey. Cover the grill and continue to cook until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the stuffing is golden on top and hot throughout, another 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes; remove the stuffing earlier if it starts to brown too quickly on the bottom. Remove the turkey from the spit and let rest for 30 minutes before carving. Keep the stuffing warm until ready to serve.

Cook’s Note

If are using a multi-burner gas grill with a half-sheet pan to catch the drippings, you will have enough room to cook a double batch of stuffing.

Let's Get Cooking!

Sign up for the Recipe of the Day newsletter to receive editor-picked recipes,tips and videos delivered to your inbox daily. Privacy Policy

Thanks for subscribing to the Recipe of the Day newsletter. Check out all our other great newsletters from Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating Ideas and Chef Recipe Videos.

We're sorry, there was an error signing you up. Please try again later.

Advertisement

mvpearson1

We didn't make the stuffing, but we did follow the recipe for the rub and rotisseried our turkey. The rub was way too sweet for us - maybe 1 tbsp of brown sugar would have been better and then add in some other herbs for interest. And I don't know that we will ever rotisserie a turkey again - it cooked unevenly, which was very surprising. It was challenging to get the turkey somewhat balanced on the stake, and we thought we had, but one of the legs came out overdone and the other one underdone. It was also hard to control the temperature overall in Denver in late November - opening the lid would make it plummet. 

See All Reviews