Four Grapefruit Recipes That Will Liven Up Your Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday and the perfect time to make memories with your loved ones. But aside from good company, we know that great food is what really brings in friends and family.
We here at Winter Sweetz can’t help but get excited over all of the delicious possibilities our perfectly sweet Texas red grapefruits offer to enhance your Thanksgiving menu. We have four mind-blowingly scrumptious grapefruit recipes here that are sure to be a hit at your Thanksgiving dinner.
Of course, you’ll want to start the festivities off first with a tasty beverage.
Grapefruit Cranberry Martini
This light and zesty beverage marries the sweet and slightly bitter flavors of both grapefruit and cranberries with a little kick of vodka.
To make this beverage, you’ll need:
- 2 ounces of freshly squeezed Winter Sweetz Texas Red grapefruit juice
- 1 ½ ounces of cranberry juice
- 2 ounces of citron vodka
- ¾ ounces of Cointreau
- The juice of half of a lime
Next, you’ll want to:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with all of the listed ingredients and shake thoroughly (at least 20 times). You’ll want to strain the concoction through a strainer into a martini glass.
- You’ll want to find a perfect blend of strength in the flavors and the vodka. If one is a little too intense, add more juice or more vodka to taste.
Always remember to drink responsibly.

Grapefruit, Endive, and Arugula Salad
This refreshing dish is sure to spark up your guests’ appetites.
To prepare this dish, you will want to gather:
- 2 medium Winter Sweetz Texas Red grapefruits
- 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons of honey
- ¼ of a teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
- 1/8 of a teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ of a cup of olive oil
- 4 small heads of endive, trimmed, and the leaves separated
- ¼ cup of chopped walnuts
- 1 (5 ounces) container of baby arugula
- 2 ounces of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Then, you will want to:
- Peel off the rind of the grapefruit and section them properly. To do so, you can watch this video here.
- Next, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, honey, and three tablespoons of grapefruit juice that has been reserved, with the salt and pepper in a bowl. Then, whisk in the olive oil.
- Take ¼ of a cup of the mixture and place it in a bowl. Add the endive and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Grab half of your arugula and arrange it on the platter. Top it with the endive mixture, the remaining half of your arugula, walnuts, cheese, and the rest of the saved grapefruit sections. Dress the salad with the rest of the vinaigrette mixture.
Turkey with Grapefruit and Tapenade
And now, for the pièce de résistance. Turkey is the centerpiece of any Thanksgiving cuisine, and with a little help from some of our savory Winter Sweetz Texas Red grapefruits, you’ll be in for a real treat.
Afterward, you will want to:
- Grab a large stock pot, and combine the tepid water, honey, and salt. Bring it all to a boil, and stir frequently, ensuring that everything dissolves. After, remove it from the heat, and let it cool to room temperature. Once it has cooled down, pour the mixture into a clean 5-gallon bucket, then stir in the ice water.
- Lower the turkey breast side down into the bucket and the brine. You’ll want to make sure that the cavity of the bird is submerged, and place the bucket in a fridge overnight. Don’t exceed the process over 12 hours.
- Once done, remove the turkey and let it drain until all of the excess brine is gone. Pat the bird dry, and get rid of the rest of the brine.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and place the turkey in a roasting pan arranged on the lower third of the oven.
- Then, mix in the black olive tapenade, olive oil, and the orange zest. Next, slip your hand in between the skin and the turkey breast to loosen it, and spread the tapenade mixture underneath the skin.
- Stuff the grapefruit, onions, and scallions into the cavity of the turkey, and drizzle some olive oil on the turkey to place in the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature down to 325. Keep on cooking until the inner core temperature reaches 165 F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.
- Let the turkey rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving the bird.
Bon appétit.
Grapefruit-Pecan Sheet Cake
This tantalizing recipe calls for:
- 1 Winter Sweetz Texas Red grapefruit
- 1 cup of butter, melted
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour, properly sifted
- 2 cups of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of kosher salt
- ½ of a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 cup of pecans, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup of buttermilk
- 2 large eggs, beaten lightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Some shortening
Ingredients to make the Frosting:
- 1 (8 ounce) package of softened cream cheese
- ¼ cup softened butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 (16 ounces) powdered sugar
Here’s what you will want to do:
- First, gather as much grapefruit zest to equal 3 tablespoons as you can. Then, cut the grapefruits in half and squeeze enough juice to equal 10 tablespoons.
- With the oven preheated to 375 degrees, stir the melted butter, ½ a cup of grapefruit juice, and ½ a cup of water in a bowl.
- Stir in the flour and the other four ingredients in a large bowl, and then stir in the pecans, other 3 ingredients, 2 tablespoons of zest, and the butter mixture until fully smooth.
- Pour the batter into a greased (with shortening) and floured 13 x 9-inch pan.
- Bake the contents at 375 degrees for around 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.
- Prepare your frosting: Beat the cream with softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is creamy. Add some vanilla and the other 2 tablespoons of grapefruit juice, along with one tablespoon of grapefruit zest, and mix until everything is blended well.
- Add powdered sugar at a low speed until everything is blended. Finally, spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake.
Relax and enjoy the Thanksgiving holidays with Winter Sweetz grapefruits.
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to bond with those you love. Why not make it more memorable by sprucing up your dishes with our delicious Winter Sweetz Texas Red grapefruit this holiday season?
Tell your grocer to stock up on our delicious Texas Red by contacting us at (956) 424-7775 today.
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