Brined Mesquite Grilled Turkey Breast Recipes

Steps:

• Mix brine ingredients into water and stir until salt is completely dissolved. Place rinsed turkey into brine mixture in a food-safe container (roasting bags are good) with enough brine mixture to cover completely when bag is cinched. Refrigerate bird in brine mixture for about 12 hours.
• Drain bird and pat dry. Meanwhile, soak mesquite chips in enough water to cover for approximately 30 minutes. Drain chips and place in small handfuls onto foil and make pouches with little holes pricked in the foil with a fork.
• Prepare grill for indirect heat using a drip pan. Place liquid of your choice into drip pan (water or low carb beer is good). Rub turkey breast with softened butter on the outside and season with salt and pepper (add garlic if you like). Oil grill screen and put a pouch of mesquite chips directly on the coals.
• Place turkey over the drip pan and cover grill. Grill for several hours, turning turkey as needed, and adding a pouch of chips and a few new coals about every 30-45 minutes to maintain a steady heat. Cook until meat in the deepest part of the breast reads 170°F (you will need an instant read thermometer for this). Allow bird to sit for 15-30 minutes, undisturbed, before carving to maintain juiciness.

Steps:

• The day before cooking the chicken, pat it dry with paper towels and put on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
• Stir together the smoked paprika, granulated garlic, onion powder, sugar, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Rub a generous amount in the cavity of the chicken then sprinkle the remaining Cajun seasoning all over the outside of the bird to create a thick coating on the skin. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Combine the mayonnaise, parsley, scallions, cornichons, mustard, ketchup, capers, garlic and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Stir to combine then season with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate the remoulade, covered, until ready to serve.
• Let the chicken rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.
• Preheat a pellet grill to 400 degrees F (see Cook's Note).
• Brush the outside of the chicken all over with the melted butter. Tuck the wings behind the chicken's back and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Place the chicken directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part of one of the breasts reaches 160 degrees F, 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes. Serve the chicken whole or carved into parts, with soft dinner rolls and the remoulade on the side.

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.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups apple cider, salt, thyme and rosemary.
• Add turkey breast and enough water to cover the bird. Cover and let brine in the refrigerator 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the glaze:.
• In a small saucepan, saute onions in oil until softened.
• Add peaches, honey, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, rosemary and remaining 2 tablespoons apple cider. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until peaches break down and glaze thickens, about 12 minutes.
• Remove turkey from brine and throughly pat dry with paper towels. Brush with oil and season with pepper.
• Place turkey in a roasting pan. Cook 15 minutes or until skin begins to turn golden.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Brush the top generously with the glaze, continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 45 minutes.
• Let the turkey rest at least 10 minutes.

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.

Steps:

• Mix water, salt, and sugar in a 6-quart container or stockpot, stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.
• Add turkey.
• Cover ; refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in large shallow roasting pan.
• Fill cavity with onion, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper over turkey.
• Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of turkey and does not touch bone.
• Mix butter and wine.
• Soak 16-inch square of cheesecloth in butter mixture until completely saturated; cover turkey completely with cheesecloth.
• Roast 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Remove cheesecloth.
• Remove onion and herbs from turkey, but leave in pan.
• Bake 30-60 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 165° and juice of turkey is no longer pink when center is cut.

Steps:

• Stir the kosher salt and brown sugar into hot water until dissolved.
• Mix in apple juice and ice.
• Place the turkey breast in a 2 gallon resalable plastic bag; pour the brine over, seal and place in refrigerator for about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and roast the turkey breast side up on a rack over a shallow roasting pan.
• After the first hour begin basting the breast with the maple-butter glaze.
• Baste every 15 minutes until the temperature of the breast reaches 165 degrees.
• Remove from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Steps:

• In 6-quart container or stockpot, mix water, salt and sugar; stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add turkey. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
• Place onion on center of rack in large shallow roasting pan; top with rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Place turkey, skin side up, over onion and herbs.
• In small bowl, mix butter and wine. Soak 16-inch square of cheesecloth in butter mixture until completely saturated; cover turkey completely with cheesecloth. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Remove cheesecloth. Place onion and herbs in pan with drippings if using drippings to make gravy (or discard). Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of turkey and does not touch bone. Turn turkey skin side down. Roast 30 to 60 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 165°F.