Roasted Turkey with Bourbon Turkey Brine

Name: Roasted Turkey with Bourbon Turkey Brine
Prep time: 1 d
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 1 d 3 h 50 min
Yield: 12 serving
Ingredients: 12-14 pound turkey; 4 quarts water; 1 cup kosher salt; 1½ cups brown sugar; ¾ cup maple syrup; 1 tablespoon black peppercorns; 1 teaspoon whole cloves; 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries; 1 cinnamon stick; 6 bay leaves; 8 cups ice; ½ cup bourbon; 5 carrots; 2 large onions; 4 talks celery - including leaves; 2 Granny Smith apples; 6-7 prigs thyme; 5-6 sage leaves; 6-7 prigs parsley; 1-2 cups chicken broth; 4 tablespoons butter; 5-6 large sage leaves; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper

User Reviews

4.5

87 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
1 d
Cook Time
3 hrs mins
Additional Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 d 3 hrs 50 mins
Servings
12
Calories
579 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American

Roasted Turkey with Bourbon Turkey Brine

Andrew Underwood

Report

To get the moistest, most flavorful bird, you need to brine it! This recipe makes it easy -- just clear a shelf in your fridge -- time will do the work for you!

Share:

I Made This!

65 people made this

Print

19 people printed this

Save this

52 people saved this

Ingredients

Servings

12-14 pound turkey neck, giblets and liver removed

For The Brine

4 quarts water divided
1 cup kosher salt
1½ cups brown sugar
¾ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
1 cinnamon stick
6 bay leaves
8 cups ice
½ cup bourbon

Aromatics For The Turkey

5 carrots rough chop
2 large onions rough chop
4 talks celery - including leaves rough chop
2 Granny Smith apples cut into halves
6-7 prigs thyme
5-6 sage leaves
6-7 prigs parsley
1-2 cups chicken broth for basting

For The Herb Compound Butter

4 tablespoons butter softened
5-6 large sage leaves chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Add to Shopping List

Instructions

FOR THE BRINE:

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large stock pot. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup kosher salt, 1½ cups brown sugar, ¾ cup maple syrup, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon whole cloves, 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries, 1 cinnamon stick and 6 bay leaves. Stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved, and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Place a sieve over a large bowl and strain the brine to remove the solids.
Add 8 cups ice to the brine and stir until the ice melts. Add an additional 4-8 cups of cool water or until you have about 4 to 4½ quarts of liquid. Stir in ½ cup bourbon.

BRINING THE TURKEY:

Remove the offal items (neck, giblets, heart and liver) from a 12-14 pound turkey and save for gravy. Use a large food storage container, stock pot or brining bag to hold the turkey and the brine. Add the turkey to the container and pour the brine over the bird. Seal up the container and brine for 12-18 hours in the refrigerator, turning the turkey over at least once during the brining process.

MAKING THE COMPOUND BUTTER:

In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons butter, 5-6 large sage leaves, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves6-7 sprigs thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper together with a fork until smooth and creamy.
Set the oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°.

ROASTING THE TURKEY:

Remove turkey from brine and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Place one half of the granny smith apple into the "neck" cavity of the bird and cover with the excess flap of neck skin.
Loosely fill the cavity with about half of the 5 carrots, 4 stalks celery - including leaves, 2 large onions, 2 granny smith apples and 6-7 sprigs thyme, 5-6 sage and 6-7 sprigs parsley. Scatter the other half in the bottom of the roasting pan.
Place the bird in the roasting pan, resting on the vegetables. You can also use a rack in the pan if you have one, but resting it on the vegetables accomplishes the same thing.
Liberally coat the skin of the wings, legs and breast with the compound butter.
Roast in the oven for 1 hour, then begin basting with 1-2 cups chicken broth every hour or so until the broth has been used, then use the drippings in the bottom of the roaster for basting.
Roast the turkey for about 2 to 2½ more hours or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Remove it from the oven and tent with aluminum foil. Rest the meat for 20 minutes before carving.

Equipments used:

Notes

will still take several hours to thaw, but you have a better-than-average shot of eating the turkey on Thanksgiving day.
To defrost a frozen turkey: Place the packaged turkey onto a rimmed sheet pan and place it in the refrigerator to thaw. This will take 2-3 days. Plan ahead!
For last-minute thawing, place the frozen turkey in a large pot in the sink and run cool water over it to cover it, changing it out several times. You can also keep the faucet running constantly into the pot, which will keep the water moving– It will still take several hours to thaw, but you have a better-than-average shot of eating the turkey on Thanksgiving day.
Ensure the brown sugar and salt completely dissolve before adding ice.
Ensure the bourbon brine is at room temperature or cooler before adding the turkey.
Place the poultry in the receptacle BEFORE you start pouring in the brining liquid; otherwise, it may overflow.
It's easier to pour a large pot of brine over the bird's receptacle if you place it on a low table or floor.
Clear an ample space in the fridge for the meat to brine.
Adjust your oven racks so that the poultry fits with about 3-5 inches of headroom between the breast and the heating element (if it's too close, the skin will burn before the meat is even done).
If your oven cooks unevenly, rotate the pan 180° each hour to ensure even cooking.
If the breast meat gets too dark, place a piece of tin foil over it. That will allow the meat to continue to cook without burning the skin.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 579kcal (29%) Carbohydrates 11g (4%) Protein 77g (154%) Fat 24g (37%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 261mg (87%) Sodium 9945mg (414%) Potassium 963mg (28%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 2095IU (42%) Vitamin C 6.2mg (7%) Calcium 99mg (10%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 579 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	579kcal	29%
Carbohydrates	11g	4%
Protein	77g	154%
Fat	24g	37%
Saturated Fat	7g	35%
Cholesterol	261mg	87%
Sodium	9945mg	414%
Potassium	963mg	20%
Fiber	2g	8%
Sugar	5g	10%
Vitamin A	2095IU	42%
Vitamin C	6.2mg	7%
Calcium	99mg	10%
Iron	4mg	22%