Recipes

Sage & Citrus Rotisserie Turkey

Directions:

1. Remove and discard the neck and giblets from the turkey. Rinse the turkey, well. Trim any excess fat from the turkey, to minimize splattering on your Twin Eagles grill.
2. To make the brine, combine the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic cloves and water in a large, non-reactive container. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar, then add the turkey, making sure that it’s submerged completely in the brine. Add more water if necessary. Place the container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
3. When you’re ready to cook, remove the turkey from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels. Discard the brine. Stuff the 4 orange halves, the 2 garlic bulb halves and the bunch of fresh sage inside the cavity of the turkey. Using butcher’s twine, truss the turkey to keep the wings tucked in, and tie the legs of the turkey together, to keep the aromatics from falling out and to ensure even roasting.
4. Position one set of rotisserie forks on the far end of the spit rod. Slide the spit into the neck end of the turkey and out the other side, just underneath the drumsticks. Slide the other set of rotisserie forks onto the spit rod and insert into the other end of the turkey to hold it firmly in place. Make sure the turkey is centered on the spit before tightening the forks into place. To prevent the rotisserie forks from slipping, use a small pair of pliers to tighten the thumbscrews. Rub the turkey with olive oil and season the turkey liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper.
5. Light the rear rotisserie burner and let preheat for 5 minutes. Place the spit rod on the grills spit rod saddles and inset into the rotisserie motor. Turn on the rotisserie motor and let the turkey rotate, with the lid closed, until the internal temperature reaches 175ºF in the thickest part of the thigh (the meat thermometer should not be touching the boneor the spit rod when you test), about 2 1/2 to 3 hours total.
6. When the turkey is fully cooked, turn off the rotisserie burner and the motor and carefully transfer the spit from the grill to a cutting board. Loosely cover the turkey with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving (the internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees during this time).