This method saves time and frees up the oven while still delivering a juicy, flavorful Thanksgiving turkey.
I’ve been brining turkeys for years. Normally I dissolve salt, sugar and herbs in boiling water, cool the brine, submerge the bird and let it rest for 24 hours. Brining helps, especially with white meat, by breaking down proteins so the turkey stays moist. The downside is the wait: you have to cool the brine and then allow a full day for the bird to marinate.
This year I simplified the process without losing flavor. I used premade brines and combined the thawing and brining steps so the bird finishes thawing while soaking up the flavors.
My brother in Atlanta pointed out that Chick-fil-A uses pickle juice to brine its chicken—pickle juice is just a ready-made brine. That got me looking down grocery aisles: jars of pickles, roasted peppers, olives, artichokes and capers all offer flavorful liquids you can use. Recently I’ve been using Saucy Mama’s Dirty Martini Olive Juice for its earthy briny punch, and I added some peperoncini juice for a bright, tangy note.
I didn’t want the brine to be overly sharp, so I tempered it with buttermilk, a common poultry soak that brings acidity and tenderness without overwhelming the bird.
Instead of waiting for the turkey to thaw before brining, I put the frozen bird with its innards into a Reynolds Oven Bag, poured the brine over it, sealed the bag and let it finish thawing in the refrigerator for the required time. When it was fully thawed, I rinsed off the brine and prepared the turkey for grilling.
I prefer grilling a whole turkey because it frees up the oven for sides and desserts. A gas grill also cooks the bird more quickly than a crowded oven.
I season the bird as I would for roasting: I rub melted butter under and over the skin, sprinkle Zestuous Poultry Powder, and fill the cavity with aromatic vegetables and herbs. Then I set the turkey breast-side up in an aluminum pan and place it on a preheated grill.
While grilling, I baste and rotate the pan about every 20–30 minutes until the thickest part of the turkey reaches 165°F. A 12–14 lb. bird usually takes about 1½–2 hours. The meat should pull away from the bones and the skin will be deeply browned. When done, I turn off the grill, leave it covered, and let the turkey rest in the closed grill so it stays warm until serving.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Brined and Grilled Turkey
Ingredients
Brine
- 1 quart buttermilk
- 1 bottle Saucy Mama Dirty Olive Juice, reserve ½ cup juice
- 1 16- oz jar peperoncinis, reserve ½ cup juice
- 1 12-14- lb. turkey
- 5 sage leaves, coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Zestuous Poultry Powder
- 4 cups water
Rub
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons Zestuous Poultry Powder
- 1 stalk celery, cut
- 3 lemons, halved
- 1 onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 4-5 leaves sage
- 1 sprig thyme
Instructions
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Pour ½ cup olive juice and ½ cup peperoncini juice into a pitcher or bowl and reserve for later.
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Place the turkey in a large oven bag or heavy-duty food-safe bag. In a large pitcher, combine the buttermilk, remaining olive juice, the peperoncinis with their remaining juice, sage, garlic and 1 tablespoon Zestuous Poultry Powder.
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Pour the mixture over the turkey, add four cups of water to ensure the bird is covered, tie the bag closed and place it in a pan in the refrigerator. Brine for about 1 hour per pound.
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Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly. Season all over and under the skin with additional poultry powder and melted butter. Fill the cavity with celery, halved lemons, quartered onion, smashed garlic, sage and thyme.
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Place the turkey breast-side up in an aluminum pan. Add the reserved ½ cup peperoncini juice, ½ cup olive juice and ½ cup water to the pan to keep the bird moist while cooking.
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Set the pan on a grill over medium heat and close the lid. Baste every 20–30 minutes and cook for about 1½–2 hours, until the thickest part registers 165°F. Add more water to the pan if it begins to dry out.
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Turn off the grill and let the covered bird rest in the closed grill until you’re ready to carve and serve.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.