When it comes to making a holiday turkey that’s bursting with flavor, brining and seasoning are key. This brined turkey recipe gives you a juicy, tender bird with a crispy, caramelized skin, perfect for any festive gathering.
For this one we invited over Mark from Grill Mark Co. to show us how he does it - thank you Mark!
The brining process is essential for a juicy and flavorful turkey, and it all starts the day before you plan to cook. Place each brine bag into a large container or bucket to catch any accidental spills. For this guide, we tried a turkey breast as well as a full turkey, with different brine and rub mixes for each. Pick the one you like best, or try both!
Pour 2 gallons of cold water in the brine bag, then add a full package of Kosmos Q Turkey Brine or Cajun Turkey Brine. Stir thoroughly until the brine mix dissolves completely, creating a flavor-packed solution that will penetrate deep into the turkey meat.
Before adding the turkey to the brine, trim and clean up any excess skin or fat, and remove giblets. Once ready, carefully lower each bird into its designated brine bag, taking care not to spill. Add a few cups of ice to the brine to keep everything cold, then seal the bags or containers. Place them in the refrigerator and allow the turkey to soak up those flavors for anywhere between 8 and 24 hours, depending on your schedule.
On the cooking day, take the turkey out of the brine, allowing any excess liquid to drain. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels to help the seasoning stick.
For the turkey breast, we opted to inject with the Cajun Chicken Injection mix. Follow the instructions on the packaging to create the mixture, then inject at a 45º angle, spacing the injections about 1 inch apart. We then seasoned it with a 50/50 blend of Dirty Bird rub and Double Pepper Cow Cover rub for an extra flavor boost.
For the whole turkey, since it looked super juicy already, we skipped the injection and seasoned the skin generously with a 50/50 mix of Dirty Bird and Sweet Honey Pecan rubs.
Now, preheat your cookers. We did the turkey breast on the pellet cooker, but hung the whole turkey on our pit barrel, with pecan chips added to both for a warm, nutty smoke.
Set the temperature to 275°F (135°C) for an even cook. Keep an eye on the internal temperature; you’ll want to cook until the thickest part of the breast reaches 163°F (73°C). At that point, take the turkey off the heat and let it rest at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before adding the glaze.
Once the turkey has rested, it’s time for the finishing touch—the Cherry Apple Habanero glaze. Brush a generous layer of this sweet and slightly spicy glaze over the skin of both the whole turkey and turkey breast. The glaze adds a beautiful sheen and brings a perfect balance of sweetness and heat to the meat.
The only thing left is to carve into the turkey, and serve it to your family and friends. Don't forget to check out Grill Mark on Youtube and other platforms.
Catch you on the next recipe!
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