Name: Citrus-rosemary grilled turkey Recipe
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients: 1 (11- to 12-pound) turkey; Salt, pepper; 2 large pink grapefruit or oranges, peeled and halved; 3 thin slices fresh ginger; 6 cloves garlic, crushed, but left unpeeled; 4 sprigs rosemary; 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted; Zest from 1 grapefruit or orange; 1 thin slice fresh ginger

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By The Times Staff

Nov. 22, 1998

When you cook a turkey on the barbecue, you not only get moist, wonderfully flavored meat, you free up space in your oven, which means you don’t have to leave so much cooking for the last minute. The turkey, stuffed with citrus for flavor and cooked right on the barbecue, is pure California eating.

A conventional oven may be used with this recipe. Just place the stuffed turkey in a roasting pan, and add some extra garlic, ginger and rosemary around the bird. Bake at 350 degrees until the meat’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

From the story: A California Celebration

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1 (11- to 12-pound) turkey

Salt, pepper

2 large pink grapefruit or oranges, peeled and halved

3 thin slices fresh ginger

6 cloves garlic, crushed, but left unpeeled

4 sprigs rosemary

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

Zest from 1 grapefruit or orange

1 thin slice fresh ginger

Remove giblets and neck from body cavity of turkey. Wash and set aside for gravy. Wash turkey and pat dry with paper towel. Generously season cavity and skin with salt and pepper.

Stuff neck and body cavity with grapefruits, 2 slices ginger, garlic and rosemary.

Combine butter, grapefruit zest and remaining slice ginger in small bowl. This will be used for basting, so keep warm.

Truss turkey, tying wings and legs as close to body as possible with string to keep from burning.

Arrange mound of charcoal in grill. Light and when covered with gray ash, push half of charcoal to one side of grill and half to other side. Place small roasting pan in center to catch drips. Place turkey on grill over drip pan and cover. Cook until thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reaches 165 degrees or until drumstick moves easily when twisted. Begin checking after 1 1/2 hours. Turkey weighing 11 to 12 pounds will take about 2 1/2 hours to cook. Every half hour, add more charcoal to existing piles and baste turkey. If desired, soaked and drained wood chips may be added as well. If turkey browns too quickly, cover affected parts with aluminum foil.

If using gas grill, leave 1 section of burners unlit. Place small roasting pan in center to catch drips. Heat on high 10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low or low. Place turkey on perforated part of broiler pan and place on grill over drip pan and cover. Cook as above, removing broiler pan for last 1/2 hour of cooking.

Remove turkey from grill, cover loosely with aluminum foil and rest 15 to 20 minutes before carving.