Grilled Lemon Garlic Turkey Recipes

ROAST TURKEY WITH LEMON & GARLIC

Steps:

• Up to two days ahead, make the salt mix by grinding the salt with the thyme leaves and pepper in a spice grinder or using a pestle and mortar. Sit the turkey in a roasting tin and gently push your fingers under the skin, starting from the neck, until you can push your whole hand in down the length of the breast. Take care not to tear the skin.
• Season the bird all over with the salt mix, inside and out and under the skin. Leave the turkey in the tin, breast-side up, and put in the fridge for up to two days - the longer you salt it, the more succulent the turkey will be. For the crispest skin, leave the turkey uncovered so it dries out, but loosely cover it if you prefer.
• Tip the butter, vegetable stock powder and lemon zest into a small bowl and mix until completely combined. Cover and chill. Can be made a few days ahead or frozen, wrapped in cling film, for one month.
• Remove the turkey from the fridge an hour or so before you want to cook it. Remove the butter from the fridge to soften. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Work out your cooking time based on 40 mins per kg for the first 4kg, plus 45 mins for every kg after that.
• Use your hands to spread the butter under the skin so that it covers the entire breast area and work it into the crevice between the thigh and the main body, then smooth the skin over with your hands. Put the onion, lemon halves, and garlic in the cavity.
• Cover the tin loosely with foil and roast for the calculated cooking time. Around 30 mins before the end of cooking, increase the oven temperature to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, remove the foil, baste the turkey and return to the oven. When the turkey is beautifully brown and cooked through, remove from the oven and leave to rest on a warm platter covered with foil for up to 1 hr. Save the juices from the tin to make gravy.

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.

LEMON-GARLIC TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Line bottom of a greased 6-qt. slow cooker with three-fourths of the lemon slices. Place turkey over lemons, breast side up. Mix parsley, garlic, lemon zest, pepper seasoning and salt; rub over turkey. Top with remaining lemon slices. Cook, covered, on low until turkey is tender, 5-6 hours., Remove turkey from slow cooker; tent with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before carving. If desired, skim fat and thicken pan drippings for sauce; serve with turkey.

GRILLED LEMON-GARLIC TURKEY

Steps:

• For the marinade, place all ingredients in blender. Cover and blend until smooth.
• Make Lemon-Garlic Marinade. Using meat injector, fill injector container to 1-ounce line. Inject marinade into turkey breasts, thighs and legs, every 1 to 2 inches, pushing plunger down slowly. Refill container and continue to inject turkey until marinade is used. (Or pour marinade over turkey in large glass dish.
• Sprinkle Cajun seasoning inside cavity and over outside of turkey. Fasten neck skin to back with skewer. Fold wings across back with tips touching. Tuck drumsticks under band of skin at tail. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• If using charcoal grill, place drip pan directly under grilling area, and arrange coals around edge of firebox. Heat coals or gas grill for indirect heat.
• Insert barbecue meat thermometer in turkey so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh muscle and does not touch bone.
• Cover and grill turkey, breast side up, over drip pan or over unheated side of gas grill and 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 3 to 4 hours or until thermometer reads 180°F and juice is no longer pink when center of thigh is cut. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.

LEMON-HERB TURKEY WITH LEMON-GARLIC GRAVY

Steps:

• For lemon-herb butter:
• Make 4 long 1/2-inch-deep cuts in lemon. Place in microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high 2 minutes. Place garlic head in medium microwave-safe bowl; add enough water to cover garlic. Cover bowl and microwave on high until soft, about 3 minutes. Transfer garlic to work surface; cool and peel.
• Pour any lemon juice from bowl into small cup. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into same cup; reserve juice for gravy. Scrape all fruit and pith from inside peel halves; discard insides. Chop peel. Blend peel and garlic in mini processor until finely chopped. Add butter and all remaining ingredients; process to blend. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Transfer to bowl. Cover lemon juice and lemon-herb butter separately; chill. Bring butter to room temperature before using. WELL PRESERVED: The microwave method for the lemon is a neat trick. It's a two-minute way to make fresh-tasting Moroccan-style "preserved" lemons (which usually take from one week to one month to cure). TEST-KITCHEN TIP: Fennel fronds, those delicate, feathery, dark-green leaves rising from the fresh fennel bulb, are jampacked with fennel flavor. At the market, look for fennel bulbs that still have the fronds attached (you'll find that some bulbs have been too closely trimmed).
• For turkey:
• Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 325°F. Transfer 2 tablespoons lemon-herb butter to small bowl; reserve for gravy. Sprinkle main turkey cavity with salt and pepper and spread with 2 tablespoons lemon butter. Starting at neck end of turkey, carefully slide hand between skin and meat of breast, thighs, and upper drumsticks to loosen skin. Spread lemon butter over thigh and drumstick on both sides. Arrange a few lemon slices under skin. Spread remaining butter over breast meat; place lemon slices atop butter under skin. Fill main cavity with any remaining lemon slices, parsley and sage sprigs, and fennel fronds. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Tuck wing tips under.
• Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub outside of turkey all over with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour stock into pan. Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F to 170°F, about 3 hours. Tilt turkey so juices from main cavity run into pan. Transfer turkey to platter. Tent very loosely with foil; let rest at least 30 minutes (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees). Reserve pan.
• For gravy:
• Scrape juices and browned bits from reserved roasting pan into large glass measuring cup. Spoon off fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Add enough stock to juices to measure 1 2/3 cups.
• Heat reserved 2 tablespoons fat in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallot; sauté 2 minutes. Add flour; whisk until golden, about 4 minutes. Add degreased pan juices and 2 cups stock. Bring to boil, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat and simmer until gravy is reduced to desired consistency, about 4 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons reserved lemon butter, 2 tablespoons reserved lemon juice, lemon peel, and sugar, then herbs. Whisk in crème fraîche, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• *Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

GARLIC AND HERB ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat turkey dry. Combine the seasonings and garlic; rub over the outside and inside of turkey. Place lemon and orange wedges in cavity. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan., Bake at 325° for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until a thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly. Remove turkey to a serving platter; Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving., Pour pan drippings and loosened brown bits into a measuring cup. Skim fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Add enough water to measure 2 cups. In a small saucepan, combine flour and fat until smooth. Gradually stir in drippings. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with turkey.

GARLIC AND LEMON ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• In small bowl, mix garlic, lemon peel, parsley, salt and pepper. Using fingers, gently loosen skin covering turkey breast. Spread garlic-lemon mixture under the skin. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour but no longer than 8 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. On rack in shallow roasting pan, place turkey breast. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of breast and does not touch bone. Brush turkey with butter.
• Roast uncovered 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes or until thermometer reads 170°F.

LEMON-HERB ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and minced thyme. Pat turkey dry. Sprinkle salt and pepper over skin of turkey and inside cavity; brush with butter mixture. Place the lemon, onion, garlic and thyme sprigs inside cavity. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together., Place flour in oven bag and shake to coat. Place bag in a roasting pan; add turkey to bag, breast side up. Cut six 1/2-in. slits in top of bag; close bag with tie provided., Bake at 350° for 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 180°. Remove turkey to a serving platter and keep warm. Let stand for 15 minutes before carving. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy. Freeze option: Freeze cooled turkey and gravy in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered skillet, gently stirring and adding a little broth or water if necessary.

LEMON-HERB GRILLED TURKEY

Steps:

• If using charcoal grill, place drip pan directly under grilling area, and arrange coals around edge of firebox. Heat coals or gas grill for indirect heat.
• Rub cavity of turkey with salt and pepper; place onion and lemons in cavity. Brush oil over turkey. Insert barbecue meat thermometer so tip is in the thickest part of inside thigh muscle and does not touch bone.
• Mix butter and thyme; brush over turkey. Cover and grill turkey, breast side up, over drip pan or over unheated side of gas grill and 5 to 6 inches from medium heat 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes or until thermometer reads 165° and drumsticks move easily when lifted or twisted. If using charcoal grill, add about 15 briquettes every hour. Let turkey stand 15 minutes. Remove onion and lemons before carving.