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Brined Grilled Turkey with Maple Bourbon Glaze

Brined Grilled Turkey with Maple Bourbon Glaze
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Thanksgiving dinner is definitely a labor of love for me every year. I know the recipe can seem a little daunting but it really is pretty straightforward. Brining the turkey the day before is the secret sauce in keeping the turkey so moist. I make sure it has at least 24 hours in its “turkey spa” to lock in the flavors and moisture. The Maple Bourbon Glaze (my own mashup) gives the skin a rich caramel color and sweet and salty flavor.

Ingredients

Turkey:

  • 1 16-18lb Turkey 
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
  • 3 Tbsp black peppercorns
  • 5 whole allspice berries, crushed
  • 4 juniper berries, smashed
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 1 bunch thyme
  • 9 bay leaves
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
  • 4 onions cut into thick wedges
  • 1 lb slab bacon skin removed and meat sliced 1/3 inch thick plus 3 extra slices of bacon
  • 8 12oz bottles Guinness stout
  • 1 1/2 cups turkey stock or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • Fresh sage

Maple Glaze:

  • 3 Tbsp Tamari
  • 1/4 cup Maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp Bourbon
  • 2 Tbsp Butter, softened
  • 1 Tbsp Bacon, crumbled
  • 2 tsp Smoked Paprika

Instructions

The Brine:

  1. In a very large pot, combine the mustard seeds, peppercorns, juniper berries, allspice, and bay leaves and toast over moderate heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add the brown sugar and salt and remove from the heat. 
  3. Add 5 cups of water and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved; let cool completely.
  4. Place large plastic garbage bags (2) in a cooler and add the brine mixture. Add 3 of the onions, garlic, slab of bacon, Guinness, and 16 cups of cold water to the bags. Add the turkey to the brine, breast side down, and tie bag tightly. Place a large bag of ice on top of the tied plastic bags, close the lid on the cooler, and let brine for 24 hours.

Grilling the Turkey:

  1. Remove the onions from the brine and scatter them in a drip pan and add 1 cup of water. Place the drip pan center of grill under where Turkey will go.
  2. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse off and pat dry. 
  3. Rub butter over the outside of the turkey and lightly season with poultry seasoning. Lightly salt the inside cavity of the turkey and add 1 quartered onion and a few sage sprigs in the cavity.
  4. Remove the bacon strips from the brine and (using toothpicks) secure the bacon slices over the breast.
  5. Tuck wings under back and tie legs together.
  6. Indirect Grill Instructions: Place pan to catch drippings in the middle at bottom of the grill with a little water. Place 25 charcoal briquets on each side of the grill pan. Add 8 briquets per side every hour. Place wet wood chips on briquets every hour.
  7. Place turkey breast side up on center of grill.
  8. Keep lid (top vents opened, bottom partially closed) on turkey the entire time except when basting.
  9. An hour before you plan to remove the turkey from the grill take off the bacon and start basting the turkey with the Maple Bourbon Glaze.
  10. Monitor temperature for doneness: 180°F in thigh, 165°F in breast (about 3hrs of grilling time for a 16-18lb turkey).

Maple Bourbon Glaze:

  1. Mix all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture bubbles. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Baste the turkey every 15 minutes with the Maple Bourbon Glaze during the last hour of grilling.

Find it online: https://doubleshotcreative.com/createwithdsc/brined-grilled-turkey-with-maple-bourbon-glaze/

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