TASTY TIPS FROM THE NATIONAL TURKEY BBQ CHAMP

Did you know that the first meal eaten on the moon was roast turkey? Or, that Sesame Street’s Big Bird’s costume is made from turkey feathers?

Stephanie Hughes did; and this, along with a lot of practice and study, helped her become the National 4-H Turkey Barbecue champ. USU Extension 4-H would like to share this winning national recipe with all those enjoying outdoor barbeques this summer. 

Hughes, a Spanish Fork High School senior from Salem said she honed her skills and winning recipe through Utah State University Extension’s 4-H program. She won the state contest in July of last year and was awarded a trip to the national contest courtesy of Moroni Feed Company.   

“The Extension 4-H agent in Utah County, Jim Jensen, helped me a lot, giving me tips and asking me some of the same questions he knew the judges would ask,” Hughes said. “I probably did more than 10 test rounds at home trying different marinades and cooking methods and did taste tests in the neighborhood until I settled on the spicy Teriyaki recipe that won. I think the other thing that helped me win was touring the Moroni Feed Company to see exactly how turkeys were produced and processed.”

She said the contest required not only cooking skills, but also poise, speaking ability and knowledge of the poultry industry. The scoring was based on 100 points each for an oral presentation, the barbecue itself and a taste test. We had three hours to do everything from start to finish, which includes getting the charcoal going.

“One of the biggest challenges was learning to cook with charcoal briquettes instead of the gas grills that most people use now,” Hughes said. “A lot of it has to do with barbecue technique, not just the marinade. I used foil to keep it moist during most of the cooking process and then just browned it at the end.”

Right now 4-Hers across the state are gearing up for the 2003 state Turkey BBQ at state 4-H Contests, July 14-16 on the Utah State University campus in Logan. Utah youth have placed in the top three in the national contest 13 times in the last 20 years.

The Winning Recipe

Spicy Teriyaki Turkey Barbecue

Put two 1-2 pound Turkey breasts in a one-gallon zip-lock bag. Then pour in one 14.3 ounce bottle of Ebara’s Spicy Teriyaki Marinade and Sauce in the bag over the turkey; leaving about one-eighth of the sauce in the bottle, (this will be used to baste the turkey later). Then massage the marinade into the turkey for about five minutes. Let marinade for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Then you are ready to cook on charcoal or gas grill. Take each turkey breast out and wrap in a sheet of tin foil. Place on the grill. Turn every 12 minutes. When internal temperature of the breast reaches 160 degrees -165 degrees , remove from the foil and brown on the grill. During this time baste every two minutes. When it reaches 170 degrees -180 degrees , it’s ready to serve.

For more information on 4-H projects and activities for youth ages 5-19, contact USU Extension at 1-888-4H-YOUTH, or visit the 4-H website at Utah4-H.org.