Trash-Can Turkey Recipe
If you click and purchase with one of our links, we earn a commission. Thanks.
Equipment:
- 20 Gallon Metal Garbage Can
- Wooden pole - 1-inch diameter by 3-foot length
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- 20 pounds of charcoal
- String or twine
Ingredients:
- 1 15 pound turkey
Additional:
- Any sides you like to make such as Cowgirl supper
Instructions:
- Thoroughly rinse the bird and remove the giblets and neck
- Tie wings back with twine
- Do not stuff the turkey or add any more moisture
- Light the charcoal
- Drive the wooden pole into the ground
- Slope ground toward the wooden pole so juices stay under the garbage can or you can trap with a foil pan
- Line ground with foil (laid flat) and wrap the wooden pole with foil
- Make a ball of foil and put it on top of the pole to prevent the bird from sliding down
- Place bird on the pole, legs down
- Place the can over the bird. The bird should be centered in the can. The can should be pressed firmly into the ground to create a tight seal. Sand works well under your foil.
- If using a 20 gallon can make a trench around the diameter of the can. So that it will make a tighter seal with the ground. This will allow the bird to cook faster.
- Place the lit charcoal on top of the can and around the bottom of the can - all of it. All 20 pounds of it.
- It will take 2 hours to cook the bird, so plan your cooking time for any other sides around that.
- LEAVE THE CAN ALONE AND WAIT 2 HOURS
- After 2 hours, you can lift the can and check on the bird. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. According to the USDA, it’s done at 165.
Notes:
- Make sure to place foil on the ground in case the bird does slide down the pole.
- Sloping the ground allows you to catch the juices - either to use or to at least make sure it doesn’t leak and extinguish the charcoal.
