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LET'S EAT RECIPE CARD

Beer-Can Turkey

Yield: 10 servings.
1 can Foster's Lager

3 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory)

1 (10-pound) turkey, thawed

2 tablespoons poultry seasoning

4 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground sage

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) salted butter, melted, divided

Pop the tab off the beer can. Pour out half the beer; drink it or use
to soak the wood. Put the wood in a small pan; cover with beer and/or
water. Soak for 1 hour.

Using a church key-style can opener, make two additional holes in the
top of the beer can.

Some turkeys come with a wire truss that holds the legs together.
You'll need to remove this to position the beer can in the turkey.
Gently wiggle the truss free, or cut it with wire cutters.

To make the rub, combine poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, sage and
oregano in a small bowl; stir to mix.

Remove the giblets from the front and body cavities of the turkey; set
them aside for gravy or another use. Remove and discard the fat inside
the body and neck cavities. Rinse the turkey, inside and out, under
cold running water; drain and blot dry with paper towels, inside and
out.

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the rub inside the body cavity and 1 teaspoon
rub in the neck cavity of the turkey. Brush the outside of the turkey
with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey
with 1 1/2 tablespoons rub; rub it all over the skin. Stir 1
tablespoon rub into the remaining melted butter; set aside.

Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see note).

Spoon any remaining rub through the holes in the top of the can into
the beer. The beer will foam. Holding the turkey upright, with the
opening of the body cavity at the bottom, lower the turkey onto the
beer can, fitting the can into the cavity. Pull the legs forward to
form a sort of tripod so that the bird can stand upright. (The rear
leg of the tripod is the beer can.) Tuck the wing tips behind the
turkey's back.

When ready to cook, toss half the wood chips onto the coals. (If using
a gas grill, place all the chips in the smoker box or in a foil smoker
pouch and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to
medium.) Stand the turkey upright in the center of the grate, over the
drip pan and away from the heat. Pull the legs forward to give the
turkey stability.

Cover the grill; cook until the skin is a dark golden brown and very
crisp and the meat is cooked through (175 degrees on an instant-read
meat thermometer inserted into the thigh), 2 to 2 1/2 hours. If using
a charcoal grill, you'll need to add 12 fresh coals and 3/4 cup wood
chips per side after 1 hour. Baste the turkey with the butter-rub
mixture every 30 minutes. (Steady the turkey with one hand at the top
to keep it from tipping.) If the skin starts to brown too much,
loosely tent the bird with foil.

Using tongs, carefully transfer the turkey in its upright position on
the beer can to a platter. Let rest for 10 minutes, then carefully
lift the bird off the beer can. Take care not to spill the hot beer or
burn yourself. Carve the turkey and serve at once.

PER (3-OUNCE) SERVING WHITE MEAT: 142 calories; 4g fat (25 percent
calories from fat); 1.5g saturated fat; 62mg cholesterol; 26g protein;
0.5g carbohydrate; no sugar; no fiber; 244mg sodium; 21mg calcium;
268mg potassium.

PER (3-OUNCE) SERVING DARK MEAT: 169 calories; 7.5g fat (40 percent
calories from fat); 3g saturated fat; 75mg cholesterol; 25g protein;
0.5g carbohydrate; no sugar; no fiber; 256mg sodium; 32mg calcium;
255mg potassium.

Note: If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal in a chimney
starter, then rake the lighted coals into two piles at opposite sides
of the grill. Place an aluminum foil drip pan in the center. After
adding the turkey, adjust the vent holes so that the bottom is wide
open and the top mostly open to obtain a temperature of about 325
degrees.

On a two-burner gas grill, light one side on high and roast the turkey
on the other. On a three-burner gas grill, light the outside or front
and rear burners on medium and cook the turkey over the unlighted
burner in the center. On a four- or six-burner gas grill, light the
outside burners and cook the bird in the center.

If your gas grill has a dedicated smoker box, place the hickory chips
in it. Otherwise, you can wrap the chips in heavy-duty foil, poke
holes in the top of the resulting bundle and place it under the grate
directly over one of the burners.

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