My mum gave me the recipe for this marinade for turkey breast. No matter how long my husband cooks them on the barbecue, they always come out juicy and tender. Although it is simple to make, it always tastes best after at least 4 hours of marinating.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 30 mins |
| Additional Time: | 4 hrs 10 mins |
| Total Time: | 5 hrs |
| Servings: | 12 |
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 (3 pound) boneless turkey breast halves
- 6 whole cloves
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Mix garlic, basil, and pepper together in a small bowl; rub over turkey breasts. Insert 1 clove into each end of turkey breasts and 1 in the center.
- Mix oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a large, shallow dish. Place turkey in the dish and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours.
- Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
- Discard marinade and place turkey on the preheated grill. Close the lid and cook until turkey is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes on each side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
- Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of marinade ingredients. The actual amount of marinade consumed will vary.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 317 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 2 g |
| Cholesterol | 164 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 60 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Sodium | 405 mg |
| Sugars | 1 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
When I first discovered this recipe I had never cooked a turkey before. I decided to try my luck. I do the turkey for Thanksgiving every year and it has been a huge hit for a few years now. It is requested every year. Thank you for sharing this great recipe.
used all spice instead of cloves
I’ve made this twice now. We love this recipe! I use olive oil, since we buy that instead of other oils, dried basil, and low sodium soy sauce.
One of our all-time favourites. It’s a staple for our own meals, and a reliable go-to for having guests. I omit the cloves, but follow the rest to a T! I’ve found that, for fuller flavour, use shallower cuts of breast (if it’s too deep, the marinade doesn’t penetrate as well), and marinade AT LEAST 1 overnight, 2 days is amazing!! I often cut the breast in half, to allow 2 more exposed edges to soak. The soy/sugar/oil will want to char on the grill, so watch it closely, and turn often.
Far and away the best turkey ever! Try this and you won’t be disappointed!
So easy and SO good!
I added a tablespoon of oyster sauce and a teaspoon of Asian fish sauce to the marinade, and used low-sodium soy sauce. The fish sauce give the marinade an extra depth of flavor (umami). I grilled direct on both sides a high medium and then indirect to an internal temp of 170. Try a little fish sauce. It made sales the difference. If you’ve never used it, use sparingly. It has no fishy taste.
Very good, moist, had to omit the salt due to sodium restrictions. I would repeat this one again. I cooked it indirect in a charcoal grill.
Great recipe! I found it was easier to grill evenly by cutting the breast in half. Delicious and moist!
I have made this recipe several times, but without the brown sugar and basil. It is one of the best recipes around and I need to try it with the basil and brown sugar. I would recommend to grill for only 5 minutes on each side to prevent the turkey breasts from over-cooking and being dry. I highly recommend this to everyone!
This recipe is the BOMB! My daughter just harvested her first wild Turkey and was so excited to cook and eat it. I’ve had wild Turkey before and it always had a wild taste and was so dry and tough. So I found this recipe and see what it could do for wild Turkey. I am so happy to report it was THE BEST Turkey I’ve ever had wild or domestic. I followed the recipe exactly except for the cloves since I didn’t have any. It had awesome flavor and was very tender and surprisingly juicy! I will definitely be saving and referring back to this one in the future!
Very good and pretty as well..next time marinate as indicated. Do nothing more than suggested.
These were pretty good. I didn’t have turkey, so used it on chicken breast instead. I pounded the breasts out to an even thickness and cut them into strips then marinated them for about 2 hours. I bakes them in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. The flavor was a bit strong, but overall good. Next time, I will try it on turkey.
Extra lemon
Followed the recipe and grilled it. It turned out delicious with lots of flavor, moist and tender. This is a keeper.
Really good…would make it again.
Delicious!
Substituted the basil for chopped fresh onions and coriander as well seasoned with Cajun seasoning along with salt , pepper , and garlic seasoning. Marinated ( 4 hours ) flipping every 30 minutes. Make sure the grill gates are mid level and grill for 15 minutes on each side. The soy sauce does blacken the meat so you may have to flip prior to the 15 minutes. The coriander adds a delicious aroma and taste to the meat.
Boom!! Delicious!
This was a nice change from chicken on the grill. I followed the marinade directions, but added a few more spices. I used fresh rosemary, thyme and basil and a little white pepper and cayenne and it marinated about 5 hours. We used a charcoal grill and it turned out great – no leftovers!
Very tasty and moist… excellent