Garbage Can Turkey

Galvanize Can – It’s ok to use, but prep the can first, by doing a burn using charcoal first. That will burn the zinc off. After that, you need to store the can inside in a dry area and do not use it for anything but cooking. You cook at about 700 degrees, so the cooking time is substantially shortened. Be careful not to over cook. I use the insert from a turkey fryer standing straight up and then a foil tray to catch all the drippings. yum. It’s on the weaker side, so you need to add support on both sides to keep the bird upright.

I have done this 6 or 7 times. It is wonderful, I use a large injection needle for the marinade. I also do a spicy rub and let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of days to absorb all the flavors. Making an aluminum rack for the bird was easy, I took a 4′ piece of flat stock from Tractor Supply, cut it in half bent it leaving a small area to bolt it together. That gives me a 4 leg holder that can be put through the dishwasher. Using a galvanized can does NOT pose a health issue. It does NOT get hot enough to vaporize the plated zinc. The zinc plating needs to be burned and you have to inhale the fumes (like from a cutting torch) for quite a long time. At that point you may get Anosmia which can effect your sense of smell but that takes a ton of breathing it. If you take cold pills they contain zinc, as a matter of point zinc is required for a number of healthy reasons.. Cook your bird and enjoy!

This is a great way to make the perfect turkey, outside. It is extremely moist because it cooks so fast, and does not have a chance to dry out. Here is a video of the same process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWZxkK8JUPk

Don’t use a zinc coated garbage can to cook in. The metal zinc platting will outgas into your food and is toxic.

We’ve done this a number of times, the turkey turns out great!

My hostess used mesquite flavored charcoal and the meat was so juicy and flavorful, I couldn’t believe it had only cooked for 2 hours ! There was a faint charcoal hint to the flavor, which I love.

Had entire family at cottage this past weekend, 90+ outside and I annouced we were having turkey. Everyone thought I was crazy. My son helped me with my adventure. I used suggestions from others and used a bundt pan to “sit” the turkey in and used 4 wire bent coathangers, covered in aluminum foil, push up the pan into the bird as the support. Soaked the bird in “out of this world brine” by SUDEMERS from Allrecipes. This was the best turkey we have had! We will now be cooking our Thanksgiving turkey this way. would give more than 5 stars if I could.

I use a steel stake wrapped in foil. also use a bunt pan. stake goes right through the middle of pan and collects all the juices.

This works great every time!

Excellent Way to do a Turkey. Moist everytime. I rub the inside and outside of the bird with spices before I put it on the stick. There is not any issue with using galvanized cans for cooking, as some major BBQ grill manufacturers have switched to galvanized. When galvanized metal has reached such a high temperature it vaporizes (as in welding) it becomes an issue. Your garbage can will not come close to this temperature to lech zinc into your food.

my husband loves making turkey this way. it is good but I like the traditional way. still tender & juicy very the second time around. good

my husband loves making turkey this way. it is good but I like the traditional way. still tender & juicy very the second time around. good

I was at a friend’s cottage this summer and her husband made this – when she said we were having garbage can turkey, a few of us looked at each other in trepidation, but it was AWESOME! The turkey was moist and falling off the bone. And what a great way to have a turkey on a summer day without heating up your house.

Great recipe! As a scout leader I have done over 100 various versions of this recipe over the years. To create a more perfect wheel, I combined a bunt pan and a mechs jack stand to create a reusable turkey stand. The jack stand is seperated to allow the bunt pan to slide over the jack stands shaft. then the top is repinned back in its upright postion. Wrap the whole thing in foil and waaallaaa! Insert the over the top of the stand and your all set. The stand is ajustable for chicken, of bigger birds, and the bunt pan catches all the drippings, thus allowing the makeings for gravy too! The bunt pan also stops the bird from sliding onto the foil below. Try this if you use it alot, and try a herb and butter rub between the skin and meat too! Yummy!

THIS WAS AWESOME!!! Will be making this again and again!

This is easy and good. Turkey is always moist. Like others, we have done this when camping and at home.

If you use a wood dowel 3/4″ and put a bunt cake pan at the bottom, it can catch the juices and make an awesome turkey. Did it last year and was great.

I have been doing this for years. We camp and do it there most of the time. the night before we actually cook the turkey we have a huge camp fire and burn all the bad things off the can in the bon fire, by the next day the can is ready to cook the turkey. It comes out perfect every single time. No need to add any beer cans or anything to it. Juicy, smokey and just simply wonderful every single time.

I’ve done this many times while camping through the summers. We have found that it doesn’t seem to matter if it’s hot out or cold and snowy. It always works out great. You should also try it with a couple chickens, one on top of the other, and reduce cook time to about 1 hour. Also good using a pork loin or eye of the round, again reducing cook time. Season to taste. Be careful when removing can. Ashes can blow around, especially on a windy day.

Please do not use a galvanized garbage can. The zinc fumes are toxic. It will also seep into the turkey and thus you can get poisoned eating it. If you are using a galvanized garbage can, please burn the inside off first! Just don’t inhale the fumes! We would hate to have someone in the hospital on Thanksgiving Day!

I have made turkeys like this for years for our Boy Scout troop. It is easy, delicious, fun, great for camping, and always a hit!