Trash-Can Turkey Recipe

Dec 8, 2019 by Mark Wilcox

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Equipment:

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.

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.

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