Thanksgiving Turkey Breasts: Lemon-Garlic Butter Basted

Lemon-Garlic Butter Basted Turkey Breasts (and Legs).

This was the 2nd of three turkey breast recipes we tried this past thanksgiving. This was a more traditional turkey recipe, basting throughout the cook with a lemon-garlic butter mixture.

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in skin-on turkey breast and 2 legs (optional)
• 1 tspn Morton’s Kosher salt per pound of turkey breast – for dry brining
• 1/3 tspn Morton’s Kosher salt per pound of turkey breast – for dry rub
  
• 1 tspn oregeno
• 1 tspn granulated garlic
• 1 tspn black pepper
• 1 tblspn finely chopped rosemary
• Juice from 1 lemon (for lemon-garlic butter baste)
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of unsalted butter (for lemon-garlic butter baste)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (for lemon-garlic butter baste)
• 1/2 tspn black pepper (for lemon-garlic butter baste)
• 1/2 tspn Morton’s Kosher salt (for lemon-garlic butter baste)

Instructions

1. Dry brine turkey: sprinkle entire surface of turkey with Kosher salt (1 tspn per pound of turkey breast). Rest in fridge for 8-24 hours. This will ensure that the interior of the turkey breast will be salted well.
2. Remove turkey from fridge
3. Prep grill/smoker. Set up for indirect cooking at about 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit with wood chunks (preferably Post Oak) for smoking
4. Make rub: combine Kosher salt (1/3 tspn Kosher salt per pound of turkey), oregeno, granulated garlic, black pepper, and rosemary.
5. Apply rub to all surfaces of turkey
6. Place turkey in grill/smoker. 
7. Prepare the baste: melt butter in saucepan over low-medium heat and add garlic, salt, and pepper. Remove the pan from heat, and mix in juice from lemon.
8. Once the turkey gets to about 140 degrees (around 45-60 minutes), use a basting brush to basted the turkey with the lemon-garlic butter mix. Repeat one or two more times (around the time internal temperature reaches 150 degrees and 155 degrees).
9. Remove turkey from grill/smoker once internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit
10. Slice turkey breast and serve.

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