From the Kitchens of Amy & JJ
great way to feed a lot of people at your next gathering (BBQ, Mother’s Day, etc) is to put a turkey on the grill. A turkey absorbs plenty of flavor if you cook it over charcoal or smoke it – but don’t throw any shade towards the good ol’ fashioned propane grill. This recipe is out of the box, but yields and amazing turkey that is different enough from the bird you serve on Thanksgiving that it is sure to be a hit.
Grilled Turkey with Cheese and Bacon Crust
1 Turkey, thawed
10 Slices of Swiss Cheese
1 lb Bacon
1/2 Cup Lemon Juices
1 Cup Butter
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Thaw your turkey. Reminder – one day of thawing for every 4lbs. Once thawed, remove gizzards and pat dry turkey. Remove the turkey popper (added “done” device) if present.
Cover breast, and down the sides with cheese slices – add additional if you are cooking a large bird. Wrap bacon around turkey in weave formation on top of cheese.
Get your grill to 450 degrees. Using two disposable aluminum pans stacked, put your turkey in the pans and place in center of grill. For propane users, lower temp of middle burner to low. For charcoal users, push coals to the side so the center doesn’t have direct heat. You want to start hot and then a lower temp for the majority of the cooking.
You are aiming to maintain 350 to 375 degrees for the cooking temp.
Mix the butter and lemon juice together to make a baste.
Once per hour, use the baste mixture to coat the turkey. Using a meat thermometer, remove the turkey at 160 degrees in the breast. Put on counter and let rest for 20 minutes, test temperature again and it is ready to carve when the internal temp is 180 degrees!
The crunchy and cheese outer crust help keep the meat moist and tender. Enjoy!