grilled turkey breast

Grilled Cajun Turkey Breast with a savory and spicy finish. Add butter just under the skin for more flavor and moisture. A great Thanksgiving recipe for a small crowd or as alternative to a large turkey.

Cajun Grilled Turkey Breast Recipe

turkey breast roast ((should be two breasts))

unsalted butter

Cajun seasoning, plus 1 teaspoon for butter

Preheat the Grill

Prepare grill for direct/indirect (or two-zone cooking). Target 350 degrees Fahrenheit in the cooking chamber.

Season Turkey

Place 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning in the butter and mix. Using your fingers, slowly separate the skin from the meat on each breast to make a pocket. Add the butter into the pocket and press down to make smooth. Finish seasoning the rest of the breast with the 1/4 cup of Cajun rub.

Grill Each Side

Place the seasoned turkey breast over the direct heat skin side down. Grill 6 - 8 minutes or until the skin shows a little browning. Flip and grill the other side of the turkey for 4 - 6 minutes. Once a little browning occurs, move to indirect side of heat.

Indirect Grilling

Continue grilling turkey breast over indirect heat until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reads between 160 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit using an instant read thermometer. This should take between 30 - 45 minutes depending on the size of the breast.

Rest and Serve

Remove the breast from the grill, and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with your favorite sides.

Learn to grill a turkey breast to be tasty and moist with a brown sugar rub. Turkey is not just for holidays anymore but a summer grilling treat.

Grilled Turkey Breast

turkey breast

water

table salt

brown sugar (optional)

garlic

bay leafs (optional)

brown sugar

kosher salt (only if not brining and not injected)

chili powder

oregano

cumin

If your turkey breast is not injected or previously brined, brining is an excellent idea. Start with a brine: 2 qt. of water and add 1/4 cup each of salt and brown sugar. Crush 2-3 cloves of garlic and add 2-3 bay leaves are optional.

Trim and clean a 3 1/2 to 5-pound turkey breast. Add the turkey to the brine and refrigerate for 3-6 hours.

Preheat grill to a grill surface temperature of 350° to 400°. Mix a rub of 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon each oregano, and cumin. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt if you did not brine and if you are sure the breast was not injected.

Rinse the breast carefully, pat dry then brush with a little oil. Apply the rub.

Grill skin-side down for about 5-8 minutes to get some browning of the skin then flip and turn off the direct heat on that side of the grill with the meat. Place the thick side of the breast towards the heat. Keep the temp of the grill 350° to 375° in the area between the direct and indirect sides. Keep the lid closed and your hands off as much as possible.

Cook until an internal temp of 165° in the thickest part and several other locations. This will vary by the weight and thickness of the turkey breast and your grill. Generally about 1 3/4 to 2 hours). DO NOT COOK BY TIME ALONE. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Grilled Turkey Breast - a simple, delicious turkey breast recipe that is perfect for a small gathering!

turkey breast turkey breast)

butter, softened + divided (sub ghee)

kosher salt and ground black pepper (or feel free to sub a turkey seasoning)

stuffing (optional): cut up white onion, fresh orange, garlic and fresh rosemary

Preheat Grill

Thaw

Ensure turkey breast is completely thawed and at room temperature.

Aluminum Tray

Pat down with a clean paper towel and get the turkey as dry as possible.

Butter

Take 1/4 cup butter and rub all over, getting into every nook and cranny, including the cavity.

Season

Sprinkle all over with kosher salt and ground black pepper.

Stuffing: 

you can stuff the cavity of the turkey breast if you want (optional) with onion, orange, garlic and fresh rosemary.

Grill

Place on top of grill grates, centered as much as possible. As soon as you close the lid, drop the grill temp to 325 degrees F. (Note: grill temp will naturally drop substantially after opening the grill to put the bird inside). Let cook for a total of approximately 14-15 minutes per pound or until the turkey reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees F. at the thickest part of the breast and juices run clear. Only open the grill once or twice to baste during cooking time. You can baste using the other 1/4 cup of melted butter and/or by taking the juices that have gathered in the bottom of your pan (or both).

Final Temp + Rest

Use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature.  Once turkey reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees at the thickest part and juices run clear, remove from grill.  Baste first with the juices in the bottom of the pan and then let rest 20-30 minutes while covered with foil.

Carve

Carve and serve immediately and use leftover pan drippings to make homemade turkey gravy. 

Made this for a small gathering and we LOVED it!

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Top 3 grilled turkey breast recipes from across the web

The most viewed grilled turkey breast recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Cajun Grilled Turkey Breast Recipe

Grilled Turkey Breast

Grilled Turkey Breast

The most viewed grilled turkey breast recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine