Grilled Brined Turkey Recipes

Steps:

• In heavy large stockpot over high heat, bring 2 gallons water to boil. Stir in salt and sugar until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add carrots, onions, celery, leeks, bay leaves, peppercorns, coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, star anise, thyme, sage, and parsley. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Line large cooler with large heavy-duty garbage bag. Strain brine into cooler, discarding solids.
• Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Transfer, breast side up, to cooler. If necessary, place large plate on top to keep turkey submerged in liquid. Tie bag tightly, then close cooler and transfer to cool place. Allow turkey to brine for 12 hours, turning over once halfway through. Using probe thermometer, check temperature of liquid every 3 hours and if necessary, add freezer packs enclosed in resealable plastic bags to keep temperature at or below 40°F.
• Line large, rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and top with wire rack. Remove turkey from brine and transfer, breast side up, to rack. Let stand 30 minutes to drain completely, then pat dry. Transfer to roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under breast and tie drumsticks loosely together with kitchen string. Place butter in pan next to turkey.
• If using gas grill, open hood, light all burners, and set on high. Close hood and preheat 10 minutes.
• If using charcoal grill, open bottom and lid vents and light charcoal. Let coals burn until completely coated in gray ash, about 25 minutes, then arrange around perimeter of grill to form circle.
• Transfer roasting pan to grill rack and cover grill. If using gas grill, turn all burners to low. During cooking, adjust burners to maintain temperature at 450°F.
• If using charcoal grill, if necessary lower temperature by partially closing vents (do not close completely). Maintain temperature by adding 60 new coals, prelit in chimney starter until completely covered in gray ash, every hour.
• Cook turkey, basting every 15 minutes with pan juices (tilt pan to let juices run out of cavity) and rotating pan 180° every hour, until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, about 1 1/2 hours. (Time may be longer in cold weather. Avoid opening lid often because of rapid heat loss.)
• Transfer turkey to platter, cover loosely with foil, and let stand 20 minutes before carving.

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:

• 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.

Steps:

• Bring 6 1/2 quarts water to boil in large pot. Remove from heat. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from 3 lemons (yellow part only). Add peel, tea bags, and 6 rosemary sprigs to water; steep 20 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add salt and sugar; stir to dissolve. Stir in lemon juice. Cool to lukewarm. Add ice to reduce temperature to below 45°F.
• Place 1 roasting bag inside the second, forming 2 layers. Place inside large pot. Place turkey in roasting bags, breast side down. Pour brine over turkey. Tie bags tightly, eliminating any air pockets. Refrigerate 36 to 48 hours. Or, place bags into large cooler, pour brine over turkey, and tie bags securely. Pour ice over and around turkey in bags. Place lid securely on cooler. Check twice a day to ensure that turkey is covered with ice (some ice will melt). Remove top rack from grill. Place disposable aluminum baking pan in center of barbecue (if using 2-burner gas grill, place pan on 1 side of grill; if using 3-burner grill, place pan over center burner).
• Prepare barbecue (medium-low heat). If using charcoal grill, arrange coals on each side of aluminum baking pan, dividing equally. (You will need to add about 6 briquettes to each side of aluminum pan every 30 minutes to maintain temperature while cooking turkey.) If using 3-burner gas grill, light burner(s) on left and right, leaving center burner(s) off. If using 2-burner gas grill, light burner on side opposite disposable pan. Insert instant-read thermometer into top vent of grill. Maintain temperature at around 350°F.
• Drain turkey; discard brine. Pat turkey dry. Pierce 2 lemons all over with fork. Stuff turkey with lemons, 5 sprigs rosemary, celery, and onion. Tie legs together. Brush turkey all over with oil.
• Place turkey directly on grill above aluminum pan. Close grill. Adjust temperature to maintain 350��F. Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, about 3 hours. Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with foil. Allow to rest 30 minutes before carving (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees). Serve with gravy.

Steps:

• Determine how much salt you need for your bird: Figure about 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt per pound of turkey, or 2/3 tsp. Morton kosher salt per pound of turkey. For example, for a 12-pound turkey, use 1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or 2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Morton kosher salt.
• Whisk salt, mustard powder, paprika, thyme, pepper, garlic powder, brown sugar, and onion powder in a small bowl.
• Place turkey, breast side down, on a large cutting board. Cut along each side of backbone with kitchen shears-this will take some force (you can ask your butcher to do this). Discard backbone or reserve for another use (like stock for gravy).
• With turkey skin side down, use a knife to score long oblong bone in center of breast all the way down. Turn turkey skin side up, then firmly press down with both hands on breastbone until you hear a cracking sound. The bone should be cracked completely in half; if not, use your knife to cut the bone the rest of the way in half.
• Pat turkey very dry with paper towels. Rub spice mixture all over skin and flesh sides. Splay open, skin side up, on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Tuck wing tips under breasts. Chill, uncovered, at least 1 day, preferably 2, and up to 3. If you'd rather cover the bird, loosely cover with plastic wrap, then uncover for the final 4-6 hours of chilling. Do not rinse turkey after brining. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before cooking.
• Prepare a grill for medium heat (if your grill has a thermometer, it should register about 350°F). Wrap bricks or cinder block in foil.
• Oil grates well and transfer turkey, skin side down, onto grill. Wearing heatproof gloves, arrange bricks on top of turkey, with 3 across breast and 1 across drumsticks, or place cinder block in the center. Cover grill and cook, checking every 5 minutes, until skin side is deep golden brown and crispy, 10-15 minutes total.
• Wearing heatproof gloves, carefully remove bricks or cinder block and flip bird over, skin side up. Cover grill and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F (take temperature in a few places including thickest part of thigh and breast), 65-80 minutes more, replenishing coals if needed. Transfer turkey to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.
• Do Ahead
• Turkey can be seasoned with dry brine ideally 2 days but up to 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

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:

• Dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons cold water in a large (at least 16 quart) stockpot or a clean bucket. (You can also add fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or bay leaf, or aromatics like onions and garlic.) Add the turkey, cover and refrigerate, or set in a very cold place (that stays somewhere between 32 to 40 degrees F) for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Remove the turkey from the brine 1 hour before grilling. Rinse well under cold water and pat dry to remove the salt.
• Prepare a charcoal grill for indirect grilling. The temperature inside the grill should be 350 degrees F.
• Place the turkey on the grill, cover and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 175 degrees F, 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 1/2 hours. Let the turkey rest 1 hour before carving.

Steps:

• Rinse turkey inside and out and reserve neck, giblets, and liver for another use. In a container large enough to hold turkey and 8 quarts water (we used a 5-gallon bucket lined with a large heavy-duty plastic bag) stir together water, salt, and brown sugar until solids are dissolved. Soak turkey in brine, covered and chilled, 10 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine and pat dry inside and out. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with a small skewer. If desired, secure wings to body with small skewers. Set an oiled metal rack in a roasting pan that will fit in covered grill. Transfer turkey to rack in pan and sprinkle with chili powder. Loosely tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Turkey may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Prepare grill:
• Preheat gas grill. (If using a charcoal grill, open vents in lid and bottom of grill and divide 50 briquettes between 2 opposite sides of bottom, leaving middle clear. Position grill rack with wider openings over briquettes and light briquettes. They will be ready for cooking as soon as they are lightly coated with gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes.)
• Put turkey in roasting pan on grill and cover grill. Turn all gas settings to low. Grill-roast turkey, basting with pan juices and rotating pan 180 degrees every hour, 3 hours. (If using charcoal grill, add 10 more briquettes to each mound of coals every hour to maintain even temperature.)
• After 3 hours insert an instant-read thermometer in fleshy part of an inner thigh. If thermometer registers 175°F. and juices run clear when thigh is pierced, turkey is done. If turkey is not done, continue to cook (if using charcoal grill, add 10 more briquettes to each mound of coals), checking for doneness every 20 minutes. Transfer turkey to a heated platter and discard string. Loosely cover turkey with foil and let stand 20 minutes before carving. Garnish turkey with chiles, garlic, and tomatillos and serve with salsa verde.

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.