The Best Way To Prep And Season Your Turkey Before Grilling
If you've written off turkey for its tendency to taste dry, bland, and frankly, kinda boring, perhaps you haven't tried grilling it. Not only does that approach impart the fowl with a delicious smoky flavor and crispy golden skin that keeps all of its juiciness locked inside, it also opens the door to further flavor customizations by way of different woods, herbs, and spice rubs. But whether you're grilling turkey breasts, legs, or heck, even the whole shebang, seasoning the meat before it hits the grill is essential.
According to Silvio Correa, a Brazilian grill master and private chef, you'll actually want to start prepping the poultry a day before you plan to cook it. "A simple yet effective way to prep is to brine the turkey overnight," Correa tells Tasting Table. "Start by thoroughly cleaning and patting the turkey dry," says Correa. Then get to work whipping up a solution of water, salt, sugar, and flavorful aromatics like garlic, thyme, and citrus. Next, you'll need to completely submerge the meat in a sealed container to leave in the fridge.
As the chef explains, soaking turkey in a wet brine like this "enhances moisture and infuses flavor." It's all thanks to the magic of osmosis. In non-scientific terms, a brine works because the salt draws out the meat's juices. This, in turn, infuse with those additional seasonings, before getting absorbed back inside, bringing all of that extra flavor and moisture with it. (FYI: Brining is a must for roasting, too.)
Other tips to keep in mind before grilling turkey
As Silvio Correa adds, "Before grilling, rub the turkey with olive oil to help the seasoning stick, then apply a generous amount of your favorite spice blend, including paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper." Indeed, oiling the poultry is a crucial step to take before you throw it on the fire. In addition to allowing the bird to hold on to its spice rub, it's useful for insulating the meat from hot spots on the grill, helping it to cook more evenly. Oil also, of course, serves as a nonstick coating — because the last thing you want is bits of that beautiful golden brown flesh getting stuck to the grates.
If you are planning to cook a whole bird on the barbecue, a spatchcocked turkey is your best bet. Spatchcocking refers to the process of removing its spine and flattening out the body, so that it sits low and spreads out over a wider surface area. This essentially solves one of the biggest problems that cooking a turkey presents: uneven cooking between the white meat and dark meat. The best way to prepare a spatchcocked turkey for grilling is to take it a step further and separate the breast from the legs, so that you can cook them each to perfection. Lastly, remember never to grill your turkey over a direct flame. Instead, place it on an unlit area next to the fire, which will prevent it from overcooking and drying out.