Turkey London Broil With Cran-blueberry Sauce

    Memorial Day weekend in the grand U.S.A. The unofficial start of summer, glorious summer. The weather in the suburbs of NY City is just as glorious. It was a long winter and an even longer spring. Warm weather as well as a clear, blue sky was slow in arriving. But like most unpleasant memories it is merely that, when it's left behind. Grills are primed and BBQ season begins. Every cooking show, magazine and News short has a "new" recipe for the grilled hamburger, how to put a unique twist on potato salad and ways to add fresh berries to a dessert. Young, sweet vegetables and fruits grace the picnic table and fill festive bowls. A love affair with the great outdoors has begun.

But what about the reason for this celebration? It is a somber one. Memorial Day honors those who have given their lives to protect America's freedoms. It was originally called, Decoration Day, when the graves of those who died in our Civil War were decorated with flowers, flags and wreaths. It became a National Holiday in 1971. Our fallen military are honored with religious and civil services, parades and fireworks. Every American should spend time in prayer and remembrance of our brave service men & women who have fought and died valiantly. Yes, Memorial weekend is a time to relax & gather with friends and family. It's a time to grill up burgers, chicken and ribs. To splash in a lake or the ocean and get our first tan of the season, but to forget the real reason for this holiday is a great disservice to our American heroes.

Red....White....& Blue were the colors, I wanted to use when planning my Memorial Day menu. I came up with desserts galore in this color scheme, but the main course....hmmmm. Poultry was white, but did I simply want to prepare chicken? No. So I set out to buy turkey tenderloin and came across a turkey London broil. Having never heard of it, naturally, I had to purchase it.  The other white meat, pork, would be put in my crock pot and transformed into wonderful sweet and tangy Pulled Pork on Sunday. Of course, it wouldn't be a BBQ without burgers, hot dogs, baked beans and the works...that was for day three.

Turkey London broil...I scoured recipes. There weren't many for this cut of meat. Technically, turkey London broil is one, thick, meaty breast...boneless and skinless. It is sliced at an angle just like a beef London broil. It can be roasted or grilled. Grilled was my first choice given it's the holiday of the American BBQ. I discarded the recipes that roasted the turkey in the oven with butter and seasonings, too much like Thanksgiving. Should I go with sweet with orange marmalade? Tangy with a zesty Italian dressing marinade? Or Teriyaki? They all sounded great, but what about the beautiful colors of Old Glory?

It all came together with the flag idea. Cranberry with cranberry/raspberry juice would be the red. This is a standard Thanksgiving side dish, so why not with Turkey London Broil? Sweet would be the honey and brown sugar. The blue...blueberries of course. White....well the white meat turkey. Oh, the tangy I left for the final sauce, a splash of balsamic vinegar.  A soy sauce marinade was the liquid to make the star of the recipe somewhat teriyaki.
The amount of time needed to grill the turkey was my main concern. The closest I found was a recipe for a 2 1/2 lb turkey London broil...mine was 2 lbs. I marinated my turkey for 3 hours, flipping it over at the half way mark and grilled it on medium heat for 10 minutes on each side. Using a meat thermometer the internal temperature should be 170 degrees. If you decide to roast this in the oven, the suggested time is 1 hour at 350 degrees. Keep an eye on it, though, being sure not to over-cook it. After all, it's a boneless, turkey breast. 

This was a great alternative to beef..and a healthy one at that. Memorial weekend consists of three days, and most celebrators will have meat on the menu. There's nothing wrong with hot dogs, hamburgers, or steak, but poultry is a nice change for the palate. So at your next BBQ...try this recipe for Turkey London Broil. Add corn-on-the-cob, potato salad or Cole slaw and your All-American Memorial Day feast will be complete and would make any soldier proud.

Turkey London Broil

With Cran-Blueberry Sauce

2 lb. Turkey London Broil

Marinade
1/2 can jellied Cranberry sauce
1 cup Cranberry/Raspberry juice
10 oz. bottle soy sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
4 fresh parsley leaves, cut  up
2 stalks fresh chives, cut up

Mash  jellied cranberry sauce into cranberry/raspberry juice. Blend well. Mix this with all the remaining marinade ingredients. Pour into a plastic sealable bag or long container with a lid. Add turkey London broil and coat well with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Flip over half way through marinating cycle.

Sauce
1/4 cup blueberries, washed and stems removed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup of cranberry/raspberry juice
1 Tablespoon honey
a splash of balsamic vinegar
Mash berries together with juice and remaining ingredients. Set aside.

Remove turkey from marinade. Discard marinade. Grill on medium heat for 8-10 minutes on each side. Watch that you don't burn it or over-grill. Internal temperature should be 170 degrees. Slice Turkey London Broil on a diagonal angle and pour sauce over the top.  Serves 4

Remember To Make Memories At The Table