Here is a recipe I have used numerous times. Originally it came from the Portable Kitchen website. I’ve even used it for a whole turkey breast which are the pictures below. Worked great…just skipped the stick of butter.
It is a dry brine. It makes it a heck of a lot easier to store the bird overnight in the refrigerator
Combine a dry rub mixture consisting of one-cup salt, one-cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of sage and 1 teaspoon of thyme.
Rub the fresh or thawed turkey inside and out with mixture.
Place in a bag and refrigerate overnight.
Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper toweling.
Place bird breast down, in a pan with a stick of butter in the cavity.
Grill, indirect heat (or on a rotisserie). I allow about 2-3 hours, but a lot depends on the temperature of the grill. November barbecue also adds the element of outdoor wind, cold temps, adding significantly to cooking times.
I always rely on an internal temperature gauge for turkey. I shoot for about 170 degrees in the breast before pulling.
This is one fine brine brought to you by Julie Applegate (aka Mrs. Dog), one of the leading barbecue and grilling authorities in Michigan. A certified Kansas City Barbecue Society judge, competitor, egg-head, gourmet cook and food entrepreneur.
Brine: 2 cups brown sugar 1 cup maple syrup 3/4 cup coarse salt 3 whole heads garlic, cloves separated, but not peeled, and bruised 6 large bay leaves* 1 tablespoon Mrs. Dog’s Jamaican Jerk Marinade** 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped unpeeled fresh ginger 2 teaspoons dried chile flakes, or a couple of chipotles 1-1/2 cups soy sauce 3 quarts water Handful of fresh thyme sprigs
Combine all the brine ingredients in an enamel or stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let cool completely. Rinse the turkey well, and put it in a large enamel, stainless steel or food-grade plastic pot or bucket. Cover with the cold brine and add more water if the brine doesn’t cover the turkey.
Put a plate on top of the turkey to hold it under the brine.
Refrigerate for at least an hour per pound or overnight, turning the bird twice a day. (When you turn the turkey be sure to empty the brine out of the body cavitybefore you turn it or it splashes everywhere.)
Rinse twice and air dry in refrigerator overnight.
This is a pretty good short and simple video about brining a turkey.
A few comments first:
If using a traditional grill (not a Big Green Egg) you would simply set it up for indirect cooking. I would recommend you use a “v-rack” or “roasting rack” (featured image) and then insert it into an aluminum foil pan. (as opposed to roasting vertical- which is nice…but not always practical)
Measurements should be 1 G of liquid (water and apple juice) and 1 C each of salt and sugar.
The technique: When it comes to poultry, butterflying means removing the backbone and flattening the bird like a book. This is easy enough to do with a chicken, but we suggest asking your butcher to butterfly the turkey.
Use your own seasonings to spice up this “grilled” turkey… really grilled. You can either grill it direct then move indirect -or- you can cook indirect than move to direct for a crisp finish.
The payoff: A flattened turkey cooks more evenly and quickly than a regular bird. Tucking the stuffing under the skin ensures that the meat will be moist and delicious.
From our friends at Food.Curated, another great video explaining the Mangalitsa breed of hogs. These porkers have been getting a lot of press recently, especially with food bloggers. Our Grilladelic friend, Liza de Guia, sheds some light on the wooly pig.
This video was brought to us by our friends at BBQProShop.
A few Grilladelic comments:
Many folks worry about finding a container big enough to hold a large turkey for brining. A large plastic bag in a cooler, covered with ice does the trick nicely. (I’ve even known folks to use a whole cooler without a plastic bag…but be food-safety smart)
The turkey holder (vertical roaster) is a dandy. In a pinch, I’ve used a Fosters beer can. Turkey on a throne. Presentation is critical
Turkey is done when turkey is done. Use a temperature probe to determine when to serve. Be flexible with dinner, but you should be able to determine a dinner time within a 45-60 minute window. “We’ll eat around 4:00″
I love Thanksgiving, but for crying out loud does Bon Appetit need to stress everyone out with a calendar for planning purposes?
The only thing that needs to be planned is to order your fresh turkey.
Everything else is best done impromptu! Over the next few weeks we’ll share some tips on where to buy your turkey in West Michigan, how to brine it, grill it, smoke it or deep-fry it.
Argentina takes their beef seriously. In fact, Las Lilas is beef first, restaurant second. Plenty of reviews cover the basics of this famous restaurant. Reading the history behind the brand is very interesting. For business minded folks, this would be a great example of “vertical integration”.
For grassfed-beef enthusiasts, this has to be on your bucket list.
Here is a translated version of the description of the restaurant:
Culminating with this effort, and treasuring the chain started in raising their own production lines of high quality arising in our Pampas grasslands, then opened its doors in 1997 in the city of Buenos Aires the first Restaurant Cabaña Las Lilas, the most demanding benchmark good food tasters Argentina. On its walls shine with great pride many great champions earned on world-famous Exhibition of Palermo, as a tribute to the blood they gave their genetics for the tasty and tender meat are served here are real.
Fernanda is Grilladelic’s second foreign correspondant . She shared some photos and a short description of her experience at Cababa Las Lilas. Thanks Fernanda!
“The place was right by Puerto Madero, which is an awesome view. The meat was amazing! We ordered Ojo de Bife (how its called in spanish) and we also had Kobe. It was very different from all the other meats I’ve ever tried. The fat was within the meat, which made it delicious. All the side orders and the starters were also very tasty – they had a range variety of rice, salads, mash potatoes, french fries, pasta, bread and etc”.
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