When the heat of summer finally rolls around, and the grill gets fired up, turkey is my family’s top choice for barbeque meals. Delicious, lean, and packed with good nutrition, grilled turkey can’t be beat!

Whether you are new to the barbeque or a seasoned grill master, my four top tips will give you everything you need to cook up delicious grilled turkey every time.

1. Start by infusing flavour with your favourite marinade.

Marinating is key for grilling meat – it helps to boost flavor, add moisture, and tenderize. Turkey is flavourful on its own and pairs perfectly with marinade ingredients across all cuisines. Try Greek, Indian, and Italian-inspired marinades – just to name a few!

The citrusy marinade in these Grilled Citrus Turkey Steaks is the perfect complement to keep things fresh for summer.

My family loves marinated turkey thighs on the grill because thighs are so flavourful and moist. As a dietitian, I love turkey’s dark meat nutrition boost – it has even more immunity-supporting nutrients – selenium, zinc, and iron – than white turkey meat. These Grilled Tandoori Turkey Thighs will be on our menu this summer for sure!

1. Grill turkey with the skin on.

Leaving the skin on when marinating and then grilling your turkey locks in all the fabulous flavour and juiciness. To keep it a lean choice, remove the skin before serving.

Try it out!  Use skin-on turkey breast to make this mouthwatering Mojo Marinated BBQ Turkey Breast or these easy-breezy Grilled Turkey Caesar Wraps.

Serve Mojo Marinated Turkey breasts with grilled asparagus and a citrusy slaw and stuff your Caesar Wraps with all your go-to summer veggies like crisp romaine lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and cool cucumbers.

The combo of gut-friendly fibre from veggies alongside protein-rich turkey (30g protein per 100g of turkey to be exact), makes for both satisfying and nourishing meals.

1. Lightly oil the grill when making turkey burgers.

Ground turkey is extra-lean and packed with protein and makes a super tasty BBQ burger.

To prevent your turkey burgers from sticking while cooking, lightly oil the grate with canola oil before firing up the grill. Canola oil has a high smoke point so it’s ideal for the BBQ.

I find that turkey sliders are always a crowd-pleaser at our summer backyard barbeques. Try these Turkey Sliders with Chipotle Mayo and Avocado Relish or Green Goddess BBQ’d Turkey Sliders. Make extra patties to freeze for quick n’ easy dinners on busy nights.

1. Cook skin-on turkey on medium heat.

Fear barbeque flare-ups no more! Because turkey is lean, it means fewer flare ups on the grill. Keep things at a medium to medium-low heat if you’ve kept the skin on like in these Maple Soy Grilled Turkey Thighs. This tip works great when grilling turkey alongside more delicate veggies as well.

Nutrition Neat-to-Know! Turkey and vegetables bring their own unique package of health-boosting nutrients for a nutrition-packed meal. For example, turkey has vitamin B₁₂, important for brain health. Vegetables don’t have B₁₂, but they are filled with fibre for gut health.

What are you waiting for? Grab your turkey and use these tips to help you grill your way to deliciousness this summer.

Happy, healthy grilling,

Shannon