Cider Brined Wild Turkey Breast

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. While we don’t often cook wild turkeys whole, I do love to serve wild turkey breast for the big meal. While pumpkin spice gets all the attention when the weather cools, for me, apple cider is the perfect fall flavor.

This cider brined method is the perfect way to serve wild turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

It’s not just for drinking. A good cider is the perfect base for brining your wild turkey breast before you toss it on your grill. Since brines are just liquid with salt and usually a bit of sweetener, the cider knocks out two of the requirements in one. I just add about a half cup of Kosher salt to enough cider to cover the turkey and let it brine overnight in the refrigerator.

Use good apple cider and kosher salt to make the brine.

The result is a tender and juicy turkey breast with just a touch of apple sweetness. Serve it up with some dressing, a vegetable and some homemade cranberry sauce (try mixing a pound of ripe fresh cranberries with a half cup each of brown sugar and bourbon, then bringing it to a simmer, adding a teaspoon of lemon juice, and cooking until it thickens into a nice sauce), and you have a wild Thanksgiving meal the entire family will love.

Start with one side of a wild turkey breast and about a quart of good apple cider and stir in the kosher salt until it dissolves. Place the turkey breast in a glass or plastic container deep enough to fully cover the breast with the brine. Pour over the salted brine, then add enough additional cider to fully cover the turkey. Cover and place into the refrigerator overnight.

Cover the turkey with cider brine and refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready, heat your Pitboss Grill to 325 degrees. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry. Season with salt, pepper, and dried Herbs de Province (a blend of savory, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme, available at your local supermarket).

Season the turkey breast and grill until it reaches 150-155 internal temperature.

Place the turkey on the grill for 45-60 minutes or until it reaches 150-155 in the thickest section. Once the turkey reaches temperature, remove from grill, cover with foil, and rest for 10 minutes.

Slice the grilled turkey thinly against the grain.

Slice thinly, against the grain, for serving. I like to serve over a bed of dressing, surrounded by roasted Brussels sprouts, and topped with cranberry sauce.