Best Mesquite Grilled Cajun Turkey Recipes

BRINED MESQUITE GRILLED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Mix brine ingredients into water and stir until salt is completely dissolved. Place rinsed turkey into brine mixture in a food-safe container (roasting bags are good) with enough brine mixture to cover completely when bag is cinched. Refrigerate bird in brine mixture for about 12 hours.
• Drain bird and pat dry. Meanwhile, soak mesquite chips in enough water to cover for approximately 30 minutes. Drain chips and place in small handfuls onto foil and make pouches with little holes pricked in the foil with a fork.
• Prepare grill for indirect heat using a drip pan. Place liquid of your choice into drip pan (water or low carb beer is good). Rub turkey breast with softened butter on the outside and season with salt and pepper (add garlic if you like). Oil grill screen and put a pouch of mesquite chips directly on the coals.
• Place turkey over the drip pan and cover grill. Grill for several hours, turning turkey as needed, and adding a pouch of chips and a few new coals about every 30-45 minutes to maintain a steady heat. Cook until meat in the deepest part of the breast reads 170°F (you will need an instant read thermometer for this). Allow bird to sit for 15-30 minutes, undisturbed, before carving to maintain juiciness.

MESQUITE SMOKED CAJUN WHOLE TURKEY COOKED ON GAS GRILL

Steps:

• Preheat grill on high. Turn down to maintain (medium) 350 degrees.
• Place smoker box of wet mesquite chips on grill.
• Remove neck and giblets from cavity, rinse turkey, and pat dry.
• Mix spices in a small bowl, set aside 1 TBSP of mixture, and put some of the mixture in the cavity and some under the skin.
• Spray turkey with butter spray and pat reserved spice mixture on the skin of the turkey.
• Place turkey breast side down, turning back wing tips, on the grill over a dip pan.
• Cook turkey for 11 to 13 minutes per pound (internal temperature 180 degrees in thigh and 170 degrees in breast.
• Note: At halfway point, turn turkey if needed for even cooking. 10- 18 pound turkey takes 2 to 3 hours. We turned our turkey at 1 1/2 hours. To reach internal temperature of 170 in breast we cooked it for 1 1/2 more.
• Let stand 15 minutes before carving.

MESQUITE GRILLED CAJUN TURKEY

Steps:

• Prepare grill using mesquite chips or coals.
• Brush turkey with oil.
• Combine remaining ingredients and sprinkle over turkey.
• Place turkey on grill.
• Cover grill and cook according to package directions.
• Wrap in foil and let stand 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove netting from turkey and slice it.