This Butter-Herb Rotisserie Turkey will be the star of your holiday dinner! The grill is one of the best places to cook a turkey. Not only will it have more flavor, but it will free up your oven for other things like side dishes and pies. Loaded with amazing flavor, this butter-herb rotisserie turkey is a game changer!
Unlike baked or even smoked turkey, a rotisserie turkey has the advantage of self-basting. As it turns, so will all those great juices. It will also release additional juice as it cooks, and for this reason, I recommend placing a drip pan underneath the turkey. That way, you can collect all of those flavorful drippings to make your gravy. I recommend basting with a mixture of broth and melted butter after the first hour of cooking time. Doing this will give the butter-herb rotisserie turkey a nice shiny, golden brown color.
How long does it take to cook a turkey at 350 degrees?
At 350 degrees, a 16-pound turkey will take about 4 hours to cook. I don’t recommend using a large turkey for the rotisserie. Stay between 14-16 pounds for best results. The optimal doneness temperature is 165 degrees F in the breast and 175 degrees F in the thigh section. If you go above this by 5-7 degrees, that’s fine. I do not recommend stuffing the cavity of the turkey when cooking on a rotisserie. Serve that delicious stuffing on the side.
Brining the turkey:
We will be using a wet brine for this recipe that contains a little bourbon. The bourbon flavor will not overpower the bird; however, you can omit it and use apple juice instead. Brine the turkey in a large covered stockpot for 24 hours in your refrigerator. The next day, remove it from the brine solution and blot the turkey dry with paper towels. Do not add any salt to the butter-herb rub. The brine will have already infused the turkey with salt flavor.
Butter-Herb Rotisserie Turkey Ingredients:
- 1 13-16 pound turkey
- 1 aluminum drip pan (disposable)
- Kitchen twine
- Chicken broth
- Melted butter
- Wet Turkey Brine
- Herb and Butter Turkey Rub (made without salt)
- 1 whole onion, large
How to Make a Butter-Herb Rotisserie Turkey:
- Follow brine recipe instructions. Brine turkey for 24 hours.
- Prepare your grill for 350 degrees F.
- Once up to temp, remove the grate and place a 9″ x 13″ drip pan in the center of the grill. Fill it with 1 cup of water.
- Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels inside and out.
- Truss the turkey with kitchen twine.
- Apply the unsalted butter-herb rub evenly to the turkey, including under the breast skin. Be gentle; the skin can tear.
Threading and Cooking the Turkey:
- Poke through the center of the onion with a pairing knife.
- Cut out a space large enough to fit the rotisserie rod. Slide rod into the onion and through turkey. Secure forks, but not too tightly yet.
- Place onto the motor achieving a good balance of the bird. Secure the forks completely.
- Cook turkey for 3 1/2-4 hours or until the thigh and leg meat reaches 175 degrees F and breast reaches 165 degrees.
- Baste turkey after the first hour and do so until 30 minutes before the turkey comes off the grill.
- Once cooked through, remove turkey with the rod still intact.
- Place onto a large cutting board and tent with aluminum foil. Let the turkey rest for 15-25 minutes while you finish up clearing the grill. You can use this time to make a gravy with the drippings collected in the drip pan.
- Using heat-resistant gloves, carefully remove the rod and onion.
- Carve the butter-herb rotisserie turkey, place it onto a platter and serve.
Butter-Herb Rotisserie Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 13-16 pound turkey
- 1 aluminum drip pan (disposable)
- kitchen twine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- Wet Turkey Brine
- Herb and Butter Turkey Rub (made without salt)
Instructions
- Follow brine recipe instructions. Brine turkey for 24 hours.
- Prepare your grill for 350 degrees F.
- Once up to temp, remove the grate and place a 9″ x 13″ drip pan in the center of the grill. Fill it with 1 cup of water.
- Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels inside and out.
- Truss the turkey with kitchen twine.
- Apply the unsalted rub evenly to the turkey, including under the breast skin. Be gentle; the skin can tear.
- Threading the Turkey:
- Poke through the center of the onion with a pairing knife.
- Cut out a space large enough to fit the rotisserie rod. Slide rod into the onion and through turkey. Secure forks, but not too tightly yet.
- Place onto the motor achieving a good balance of the bird. Secure the forks completely.
- Cook turkey for 3 1/2-4 hours or until the thigh and leg meat reaches 175 degrees F and breast reaches 165 degrees.
- Baste turkey after the first hour and do so until 30 minutes before the turkey comes off the grill.
- Once cooked through, remove turkey with the rod still intact.
- Place onto a large cutting board and tent with aluminum foil. Let the turkey rest for 15-25 minutes while you finish up clearing the grill. You can use this time to make a gravy with the drippings collected in the drip pan.
- Using heat-resistant gloves, carefully remove the rod and onion.
- Carve the butter-herb rotisserie turkey, place it onto a platter and serve.
Nutrition
