Best Grilled Butterflied Turkey Breast Recipes

GRILLED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• If your turkey breast is not injected or previously brined, brining is an excellent idea. Start with a brine: 2 qt. of water and add 1/4 cup each of salt and brown sugar. Crush 2-3 cloves of garlic and add 2-3 bay leaves are optional.
• Trim and clean a 3 1/2 to 5-pound turkey breast. Add the turkey to the brine and refrigerate for 3-6 hours.
• Preheat grill to a grill surface temperature of 350° to 400°. Mix a rub of 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon each oregano, and cumin. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt if you did not brine and if you are sure the breast was not injected.
• Rinse the breast carefully, pat dry then brush with a little oil. Apply the rub.
• Grill skin-side down for about 5-8 minutes to get some browning of the skin then flip and turn off the direct heat on that side of the grill with the meat. Place the thick side of the breast towards the heat. Keep the temp of the grill 350° to 375° in the area between the direct and indirect sides. Keep the lid closed and your hands off as much as possible.
• Cook until an internal temp of 165° in the thickest part and several other locations. This will vary by the weight and thickness of the turkey breast and your grill. Generally about 1 3/4 to 2 hours). DO NOT COOK BY TIME ALONE. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

SUNNY'S BUTTERFLIED ROAST TURKEY WITH EASY ORANGE SPICE RUB

Steps:

• For the brine: Combine the salt, peppercorns, thyme, sage, orange 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.
• For the turkey: To brine the turkey, place the turkey in a roasting bag, large plastic bag or bowl large enough to fit it with still more space for the brine. 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, orange and peppercorns. Refrigerate at least overnight and up to 3 days.
• When ready to cook, remove the turkey from the brine and discard all of the brining liquid and solids. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
• To butterfly the turkey, using kitchen shears or a knife, cut out the backbone of the turkey. 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.
• For the rub: In a medium bowl, mix together the cumin, paprika, chili powder, orange zest, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the rub in a small bowl and set aside.
• Drizzle the turkey with olive oil and sprinkle with the rub. Gently rub into the skin. Place the turkey cavity-side down on a rack in a roasting pan and allow to sit on the countertop for about 2 hours to come to room temperature.
• For the glaze: To the reserved 1 tablespoon of rub, stir in the honey and orange juice until smooth. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Add 1 to 2 inches of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the turkey in the oven, lower the heat to 350 degrees F and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the turkey from the oven and brush the glaze over the skin. Return to the oven and continue to roast, glazing every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 160 degrees F, 1 to 2 hours.
• Let the turkey rest at room temperature before carving, tented with aluminum foil, until it comes up to 165 degrees F, about 30 minutes. Plate the turkey and garnish with orange slices and sage and thyme sprigs.

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.