Festive Thanksgiving Recipes for the Grill

A Twist On the Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

If you’re looking to put a fresh, gourmet spin on this year’s Thanksgiving feast, we have a treat for you. Don your best apron, gather your esteemed guests, and assemble your fall produce harvest for these carefully curated Thanksgiving recipes for the grill or smoker.

Appetizers

While the main dishes are simmering and your friends and family are mingling, indulge their appetites with these elegant hors d’oevres recipes for the grill.

Grilled Brie with Cranberry Jalapeño Relish
Hey Grill, Hey

Ingredients:

• 1 – 8 to 12 oz brie wheel
• 1 – 12 oz package fresh cranberries
• 5 green onions
• 2 whole jalapeños, seeded and diced
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ C fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cumin

Directions:

1. Preheat your grill to 400℉.
2. Place the brie wheel in a small (9″) cast iron skillet. Using a sharp knife, remove the top rind of the brie.
3. Either finely chop all ingredients for the cranberry jalapeno relish or combine all ingredients in a food processor and lightly chop, leaving small chunks in the relish. Set aside.
4. Place the chopped relish ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over low-medium heat for 10-12 minutes until the cranberries begin to cook down.
5. Place the skillet of brie on the grill and cook for 10 minutes, or until the brie is bubbly, melted, and cooked through.
6. Remove the brie from the grill, top with the cranberry relish, and serve hot with a side of your favorite crackers.

Grilled Artichokes with Herby Lemon Aioli
Food & Wine

Ingredients:

• 4 large artichokes
• 3 large lemons
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling grates
• 1 large Fresno chile, split lengthwise and seeded
• 1 cup mayonnaise (such as Duke’s)
• 3 tablespoons chopped soft fresh herbs (such as tarragon, chives, mint, and parsley)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon grated garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
• Grilled bread, for serving

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim the stem of each artichoke to 1 inch, and snap off dark outer leaves. Use a sharp knife to trim off the top 1 inch from each artichoke leaf. Using a paring knife, peel the dark green skin from the stem and base of the artichoke. Slice each artichoke in half lengthwise. Using the paring knife, remove the choke and the purple, prickly-tipped leaves from the center of each half.
2. Place prepped artichokes in a large bowl of cold water with the juice of 2 lemons.
   Drain artichokes, and cook in boiling salted water until just tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 12 minutes. Drain artichokes, and pat dry.
3. Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking and build a medium fire, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Clean grill grates and carefully wipe with a lightly oiled towel.
4. Toss artichokes in oil. Grill artichokes, cut sides down, uncovered, over direct heat, turning occasionally, until tender and lightly charred in spots, about 10 minutes.
5. Halve remaining lemon. Grill lemon, cut sides down, and grill chile until charred and softened, about 5 minutes.
6. Squeeze juice from warm grilled lemons into a bowl, discarding seeds. Scoop out lemon flesh, coarsely chop, and add to juice. Finely chop the chile and add to bowl. Whisk in mayonnaise, herbs, thyme, garlic, and salt.
7. Serve warm artichokes with aioli and grilled bread.

Appertifs

Whether your loved ones are imbibing or refraining, they’ll all enjoy these clever cocktail and mocktail creations.

Apple Barley Old Fashioned

SteakBar, Chicago

(Mocktail)

Marigold Mule
Patron Tequila

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz PATRÓN Silver Tequila
• 0.5 oz ST~GERMAIN Elderflower Liqueur
• 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
• 3 oz ginger beer
• lime zest
• Marigold flower garnish

Directions:

1. Fill a chilled highball glass with ice and add tequila, liqueur, and lime juice. Stir.
2. Top with ginger beer.
3. Garnish with lime zest and a marigold flower.

Main Dish

It’s not Thanksgiving without turkey and stuffing. Try these vibrant variations of traditional turkey and stuffing recipes for the grill this year.

Herby Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
Traeger Grills

• 1 – 18 to 20 lb turkey, preferably free-range, organic, and humanely raised
• 
Orange Brine & Turkey Rub
• 3/4 C room temperature ghee or grass-fed butter
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage, plus extra for garnish

Directions:

1. Using a sharp knife or pair of kitchen shears, remove the turkey backbone and set aside to create homemade turkey stock. With the turkey breast-side down, make an incision in the back of the breast bone. Flip the turkey so that it is breast side-up and press down on the breasts to flatten.
2. In a container large enough to hold the turkey, prepare the brine according to the instructions. Place the turkey into the brine, making sure it is fully submerged. Transfer to the fridge and brine overnight or up to 24 hours.
3. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat it dry with a paper towel. Being careful not to pierce the skin, use your hands to separate the skin from the breast, creating a pocket of air. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. Lay the turkey flat on the wire rack, breast side-up.
4. In a small bowl, combine the ghee, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and sage. Mix until incorporated.
5. Using your hands, stuff the pocket between the breast meat and skin with the compound butter. Season the turkey liberally with turkey rub.
6. Set the smoker to 225°F and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
7. Position the wire rack over a 4-inch deep roasting dish and set the turkey on top, breast-side up. Close the lid and smoke the turkey until the thickest part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of 100°F to 110°F, about 2 to 2.5 hours. Take into account temperature fluctuations due to ambient weather.
8. Raise the grill temperature to 375°F and cook the turkey, basting it with any rendered juices two or three times, until the thickest part of the breast reaches 160°F, about 1 to 1.5 hours. Transfer the cooked turkey to a carving board and loosely tent with foil. Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving your smoked spatchcock turkey. Enjoy!

Smoked Oyster Stuffing
Champagne Tastes

Ingredients:

• 1 – 12 oz country Italian loaf (whole wheat Italian loaf)
• 8 oz smoked oysters (2 tins), packing oil discarded
• 3 tbsp butter
• ½ onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 1 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 egg
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, removed from stems
• 1 ¼ C vegetable broth, divided

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Dice the bread into small cubes (½ inch – ¾ inch).

Set breadcrumbs onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the bread is toasted and no longer feels moist to the touch.
2. While the bread toasts, melt the butter over medium heat.

When the butter melts, add the onions, celery, paprika, nutmeg, and salt to the pan. Cook until softened (4-5 minutes).  Remove from heat.
3. Increase the oven temperature to 375ºF.
Optionally, roughly chop the oysters.
Tip: Leave the oysters whole for larger bites of oyster. Chop to distribute the oysters more evenly throughout the stuffing.
4. Add the oysters, bread cubes, veggies and butter, egg, and thyme to a large mixing bowl.  Stir to incorporate.
5. Slowly pour 1 cup of the broth into the mixing bowl, stirring as you pour.  Add broth until the bread has absorbed most of the liquid. (This may take a few minutes.)
6. Scoop the stuffing into an 8″x8″ casserole dish.
Drizzle the remaining ¼ cup of broth over the stuffing.
Tip: If you’re planning on cooking the stuffing inside a bird, skip this step.
   Cover the dish with foil, and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil, and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the top is crispy and golden.

Recipe Variations:

Use fresh oysters instead of smoked + canned oysters.  Reserve the liquid from inside the oysters, and use it instead of (or instead of part of) the broth. Swap whole milk or cream for the broth (or for a portion of the broth).

Sides

A little smoky flavor adds a succulent spin on these seasonal staples. Try cooking these variations of your favorite Thanksgiving side recipes on the grill for unexpected palate pleasers.

Smoked Mashed Potatoes

Traeger Grills

• Chicken stock or water (as needed)
• 2 lbs red potatoes, scrubbed and diced
• 1 C whole milk
• 1/4 C (1/2 stick) Salted butter
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 1/2 C shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 C sliced green onions (to taste)
• Kosher salt (to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1. Place the diced potatoes in a medium saucepan or stockpot and cover with chicken stock or water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until fork-tender. Cook for 4-5 minutes more, until soft.
2. When ready to cook, set the Traeger temperature to 400°F and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
3. Add the butter and milk to a cast-iron skillet or ovenproof pan. Place on the grill grates as the grill preheats until butter is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the Traeger using heatproof gloves.
4. Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Add the melted butter/milk mixture and mash to combine. Add the sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and green onions, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer the mashed potatoes to the cast-iron skillet, then place the skillet on the grill grates. Close the lid and cook until the potatoes have a slight crust and are bubbling, about 15 minutes.
6. Carefully remove the mashed potatoes from the Traeger using heatproof gloves. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Green Egg Green Bean Casserole
Green Egg Nation

• 3 slices of bacon, diced
• 1/2 C yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 C sliced baby bella mushrooms, chopped
• 5 C fresh green beans, trimmed
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 C low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 C half-and-half
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 C shredded cheese (cheddar, parmesan, or gruyere)
• 1 can crispy fried onions

Directions:

1. Set the EGG for indirect cooking with the convEGGtor at 350°F.
2. Boil green beans in 3 cups chicken broth for about 10 minutes, and then drain.
3. Fry bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, sautéing for another 4-5 minutes until mushrooms are soft. Transfer the mix to a bowl.
4. Melt butter in the same skillet and whisk in flour. Once combined, whisk for another 2 minutes until the mixture has deepened slightly in color. Add the half-and-half and 1 cup of remaining chicken broth, constantly whisking to prevent lumps.
5. Add the mushroom and bacon mixture along with the salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the green beans. Stir to combine.
6. Pour the bean mixture into a rectangular drip pan and sprinkle fried onions and grated cheese over the top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Desserts

A Thanksgiving feast isn’t complete without pie. Smoking over a wood-fired grill fuels a festive flair on an iconic dessert.

Smoked Pumpkin Pie
Winding Creek Ranch

• 4 large eggs
• 3 C pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
• 2 C brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups evaporated milk
• 2 deep-dish pie shells, unbaked
• Whipped cream for topping, optional

1. Preheat smoker to 350°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet upside down on grill grates to create an even cooking surface.
2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until frothy and light. Mix in pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until smooth and well combined.
Whisk in evaporated milk until everything is thoroughly combined.
3. Divide the filling evenly between the two deep-dish unbaked pie shells, being careful not to overfill.
4. Place pies on the preheated baking sheet in your smoker. Smoke for 50-75 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Remove the pies from the smoker and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours before serving.
6. Serve chilled, topped with whipped cream if desired.

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