Grilled Lemon Garlic Turkey Recipes

GRILLED BASIL LEMON TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Prepare your grill with chimney allowing about 30 minutes.
• Cut off lemon rind, remove outside white, discard or use for different purpose. Mince lemon pulp, discard seeds.
• Combine lemon, cheese, basil, and garlic.
• With fingers, carefully loosen skin from the turkey breast; place mixture under the skin.
• Rub oil on turkey skin and sprinkle liberally with lemon pepper. Don't forget meat thermometer into thickest part of turkey breast. Wrap wing tips and drumstick ends with foil so they don't char.
• Remove chimney, then dh uses 60 briquettes and divide them up with drip foil pan in center so heat will be around drip pan. Dh says it is a big mistake not having enough briquettes. Add water to drip pan, put on your grate.
• Place turkey directly onto grate, open cavity down.
• Grill, covered, vents open. Keep an eye on it, tent turkey if getting too dark. When turkey hits 165, measure into thigh joint where it meets body; it should be 170 degrees.
• For 7 pounds, we had on for 2 hours and 5 minutes BUT it depends upon the heat and size of turkey half, so use your meat thermometer. For our second turkey half we had a 6 pounder on 1 hour and 35 minutes.
• For 4 to 5 pounds, I am GUESSING 1 hour and 15 to 30 minutes? Use your meat thermometer to cook it to your preference.
• When done to correct temperature, remove to platter, cover with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. That's your window to getting everything else done before you sit down to feast. Enjoy!

SUNNY'S BUTTERFLIED GRILLED TURKEY WITH LEMON PEPPER GLAZE

Steps:

• For the brine: Combine the sage, thyme, lemon, salt, peppercorns and 1 1/2 gallons water in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the salt is dissolved and the water is fragrant. Turn off the heat and let cool completely.
• Place the turkey in a roasting bag, large plastic bag or bowl large enough to fit it with still more space to give. Pour in the brining liquid and seal or cover. If there's not enough room for all of the liquid in the brine, be sure to at least include the herbs, lemon and peppercorns. Refrigerate at least overnight or up to 3 days. When ready to cook, remove from the refrigerator and discard all of the brining liquid and solids.
• For the turkey: Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Place the turkey cavity-side down on a wire rack resting in a roasting/baking dish and allow to sit on the countertop for about 2 hours to come to room temperature.
• Using kitchen shears or a knife, cut the backbone of the turkey out and break the breastbone to open up and flatten the bird by gently pressing down with the skin-side up. Flip over and pat dry. Using your finger, gently release the skin from the muscle of the turkey and insert the butter pieces between the skin and meat all over the bird. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the skin with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the grill to 400 degrees F.
• Place the turkey over direct heat skin-side down. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F and close the lid of the grill. Cook until the turkey releases from the grates and reveals grill marks, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze: Heat the olive oil and black pepper together in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Steep over medium heat until the oil smells and tastes like pepper, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the honey, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest and lemon juice to the same pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to simmer and slightly reduce. Remove from the heat and rest until it tightens a bit, about 2 minutes.
• Flip the turkey and glaze the skin with the lemon pepper glaze. Close the lid of the grill and continue to cook, glazing every 30 minutes, until an internal-read thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 160 degrees F, 1 to 2 hours. Remove the turkey form the grill and let rest at room temperature tented with aluminum foil for 30 minutes before carving.

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.