Grilled Brined Turkey Recipes

BRINED GRILLED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine 1 quart water, salt, brown sugar and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Pour into a large bowl. Add remaining 1 quart cold water to cool the brine to room temperature. Add turkey breast; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours, turning occasionally., Prepare grill for indirect medium heat, using a drip pan. Meanwhile, combine basting sauce ingredients. Grill turkey, covered, until a thermometer reads 170°, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, basting occasionally with sauce. Remove to a cutting board. Cover and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

GRILLED APPLE-BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• To make the brine, in a large kettle, combine the first 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in oranges. Remove from the heat. Add cold water to cool the brine to room temperature., Remove giblets from turkey (discard or save for another use). Place a turkey-sized oven roasting bag inside a second roasting bag; add turkey. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bags and turn to coat. Place in a roasting pan or other large container. Refrigerate for 18-24 hours, turning occasionally., Prepare grill for indirect heat. Drain turkey, discarding brine. Rinse turkey under cold water; pat dry. Rub oil over skin. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together., Place breast side up on a rack in a disposable foil roasting pan. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 30-40 minutes. Tent turkey with foil; grill, covered, until a thermometer reads 165°, 2-1/2 to 3 hours longer. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

THE GREATEST GRILLED TURKEY

Steps:

• Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect medium-high heat.
• Rinse turkey and pat dry. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place. Return legs to tucked position. Brush turkey with oil. Season inside and out with Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a metal grate inside a large roasting pan. Arrange pan on the prepared grill. Grill 2 to 3 hours, to an internal thigh temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Remove turkey from grill and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

BARBECUE SPICE-BRINED GRILLED TURKEY

Steps:

• Mix paprika, savory, cumin, mustard powder, cayenne, and 1/4 cup brown sugar in a small bowl. Transfer 3 Tbsp. spice mixture to a medium bowl; mix in salt and remaining 3 Tbsp. brown sugar. Set remaining mixture aside for the next day. Cover turkey with dry brine, packing on until you've used it all. Chill on a rimmed baking sheet uncovered 8-12 hours.
• Thoroughly rinse turkey to remove brine; pat dry. Rub with reserved spice mixture and let sit 2 hours to bring to room temperature.
• Prepare grill for medium-high, indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off) and lightly oil grates. If using wood chips: Scatter over coals, if using a charcoal grill; place in a disposable foil pan and set over lit burner, if using a gas grill.
• Place turkey, skin side up, over indirect heat, breast halves facing each other, with legs closest to direct heat. Place oven thermometer in center of indirect heat zone; cover. Grill 20 minutes, then rotate halves so neck end is closest to coals. Check temperature inside grill; thermometer should register 325ºF (open or close vents as needed). Continue to grill turkey, checking for doneness after 20 minutes, then again every 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 150ºF, about 1 hour total.
• If desired, carefully move turkey over direct heat and turn skin side down. Grill to lightly char skin, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

GRILLED BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Bring 2 gallons of water to boil in a large stockpot. Stir in salt and sugar until completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the diced carrots, onion, celery, leeks, spices and fresh herbs. Place the stockpot in refrigerator until cold.
• Remove the giblets from the turkey. Add the turkey to the stockpot and place a plate on top to weigh the turkey down to insure full immersion. Refrigerate the whole turkey for 72 hours. Remove from brine and place the turkey in a large, disposable, aluminum-roasting pan. Allow the turkey to come to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, start the grill. When the coals are white hot, bank them up high along the perimeter of the grill so they form a circle. Place the roasting pan on the grill rack and cover with the lid. Control the temperature of the grill by opening and closing the vents. If the grill is too hot, close the vents slightly, but not all of the way. If the grill is too cold, open the vents. While the turkey is cooking, baste frequently with olive oil or butter and pan juices. It may be necessary to add more coals during the cooking process. If so, fire the coals in a cone separately and add them when they are hot.
• It's important to know that brined turkeys cook more rapidly than un-brined turkeys. So you should check the internal temperature of the turkey after 1 1/2 hours grilling time. Remove the turkey from the grill when the deepest part of the thigh reaches 160 F. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving.

BRINED, HERB GRILLED TURKEY

Steps:

• To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 3 gallons of cold water in a large clean, heavy-duty, food grade plastic storage bag. Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water. Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels inside and out.
• Place turkey, breast side up, in a large, foil roasting pan with a rack. Rub breast side with orange segments and rub on all sides with the butter, stuffing some underneath the skin.
• Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper.
• Stuff the turkey with the onion, remaining orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, sage and parsley.
• Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string. Grill the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour.
• Remove from the grill turn, and baste with 1/2 cup stock. Cover with foil and continue grilling with the breast side up until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the largest section of thigh about 3 to 3 1/2 hours total cooking time. Baste the turkey once every hour with 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock.
• Remove from the grill and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.

SPICED & GRILLED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a stockpot, combine water, paprika, chili powder, crab boil in bag, brown sugar, half of the onions rosemary, thyme and half of the garlic. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cold water to cool the brine to room temperature., Place one oven roasting bag inside the other. Place turkey inside both bags; pour in cooled brine. Seal bags, pressing out as much air as possible; turn to coat turkey. Place in a shallow roasting pan. Refrigerate 18-24 hours, turning occasionally., Remove turkey from brine, reserving brine in bag; rinse turkey and pat dry. Place remaining onion and garlic in turkey cavity. Drizzle oil over turkey. Mix rub ingredients; rub over skin., Prepare grill for indirect heat, placing a 13x9-in. disposable foil pan over coals. Carefully pour reserved brine into pan. Place turkey over pan on rack, breast side up. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat 1 hour. Tent turkey with foil; grill until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170-175°, 1-1/2 to 2 hours longer. Cover and let stand 20 minutes before carving.