Roasting a Turkey in a Charcoal Grill

Step 6 Stoking the Fire

The coals you loaded into the grill at the start are not enough to cook a turkey over more than 3 hours. Every 45 minutes lift the lid and tamp the burning coals with tongs. You will be surprised at how much ash falls off of the coals and how few there suddenly seem to be. Pile new unlit coals on top of the burning coals and close the lid. The new coals will ignite in a few minutes. The candy thermometer will register a dramatically lower air temperature inside the grill for a few minutes, but it will come back to a more accurate reading in a short time.