Maple Turkey Brine Recipes

MAPLE TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Place 2 quarts of water in a large pot over medium heat, and stir in brown sugar, soy sauce, maple syrup, sea salt, garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, peppercorns, and whiskey. Stir to dissolve brown sugar and salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining 2 quarts of water. Allow brine to cool completely before using.

MAPLE-BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• For brine, in a 10-quart pot combine water, syrup, salt, and brown sugar; stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Set aside.
• Rinse turkey inside and out; remove any excess fat from cavity. Carefully add turkey to brine. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine; discard brine. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Tuck drumstick ends under the band of skin across the tail. (If the band of skin is not present, tie the drumsticks securely to the tail.) Twist wing tips under the back. Brush with oil. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of one of the inside thigh muscles.
• Cover turkey loosely with foil. Roast turkey in a 325 degree F oven for 2-3/4 to 3 hours or until thermometer registers 180 degrees F. After 2-1/4 hours, remove foil and cut band of skin or string between the drumsticks so thighs will cook evenly. When done, drumsticks should move very easily in their sockets. Cover turkey; let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before carving. Makes 12 servings.

MAPLE-SAGE BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, combine first 10 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat. Add 4 quarts ice water to cool the brine to room temperature. , Put 1 turkey-size oven roasting bag inside the other; place in a large stockpot. Place turkey in inner bag; pour in cooled brine. Seal bags, pressing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate 18-24 hours., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove turkey from brine; rinse and pat dry. Discard brine. Place turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, breast side up. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together. Rub oil over outside of turkey; sprinkle with pepper and, if desired, salt., Roast, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°, 2-1/2 to 3 hours. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.), Remove turkey from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 20 minutes before carving.

MAPLE BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Place all the ingredients, except the turkey, in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Line a large stockpot with an unscented garbage bag and put the turkey into the pot. Pour the cooled brine over the bird, close and seal the bag, and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the brine, dry well, and discard the brine.
• Roast the turkey as you normally would, approximately 15 minutes a pound. Let stand for 30 minutes before carving.

MEAN CHEF'S MAPLE BRINE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in large stainless steel pot.
• Bring to simmer, remove from heat and cool completely Remove turkey neck and giblets.
• Rinse turkey well.
• Put turkey in cold brine.
• Use a stainless, plastic or other non-reactive container.
• Add water if brine doesn't cover bird.
• Refrigerate 2- 4 days, turning bird twice a day.
• To cook: remove turkey from brine, pat dry, brush with olive oil.
• Either grill or cook in oven.
• It is also advantageous to leave the dry turkey in the refrigerator for at least 4 hour or overnight, uncovered.
• This completely dries out the skin to insure a crisp finish.
• DO NOT stuff turkey.

MAPLE BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Place all the ingredients, except the turkey, in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Line a large stockpot with an unscented garbage bag and put the turkey into the pot. Pour the cooled brine over the bird, close and seal the bag, and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the brine, dry well, and discard the brine.
• Roast the turkey as you normally would, approximately 15 minutes a pound. Let stand for 30 minutes before carving.

MAPLE-WHISKEY TURKEY

Steps:

• For the maple-whiskey brine: Combine the whiskey, maple syrup, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, rosemary, orange peel, apple peel and 8 cups (2 quarts) water in a large pot. Bring to a boil uncovered, stirring to dissolve the salt, then turn off the heat and cover. Allow to cool completely, then place in the fridge to chill.
• For the turkey: Remove the turkey from its packaging and remove the bags inside that hold the neck and giblets. Rinse the neck and giblets and put them in a plastic bag in the fridge; you'll need them for the Maple-Whiskey Gravy. Rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water. Place the turkey in a large brining bag or pot. Pour in the maple-whiskey brine, cover with cold water and place in the fridge for 16 to 24 hours so the brine can work its magic.
• When ready for roasting, preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it thoroughly again inside and out. Soak the turkey in cold water for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse again and pat dry. Tuck the wings underneath the turkey, then tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a large, shallow roasting pan. Cover the pan with heavy-duty foil so that it's well sealed. Roast for about 10 minutes per pound (about 2 1/2 hours for a 15-pound turkey and about 3 hours 20 minutes for a 20-pound turkey).
• Remove the turkey from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Remove the foil and set aside. (Put stuffing in the bird if you wish at this point.) Rub the butter all over the skin of the turkey, getting in the crevices. Insert a probe thermometer into the thigh, near the hip joint. Place the turkey, uncovered, back in the oven. Continue roasting, basting or brushing with the juices in the pan every 30 minutes, until the thermometer registers 165 degrees F and the juices are no longer pink. This could take another 2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the bird.
• Remove the turkey from the oven and cover lightly with foil until you are ready to carve it. Pour the pan drippings into a fat separator and set aside for the Maple-Whiskey Gravy.
• Put the giblets and neck in a small saucepan of water over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer until the giblets are cooked, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the giblets and neck, set aside and keep the water in the saucepan.
• In the turkey roasting pan (which should not have been cleaned!), add back 1/4 cup turkey fat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk it into the fat to form a paste. If the paste is too thick or clumpy, add a little more fat. If it's too greasy, sprinkle in more flour. Whisk and cook the roux over medium-low heat until deep golden brown.
• Turn off the heat and add the whiskey, then turn the heat back on and whisk it in. Pour in the chicken broth, whisking the whole time, then add the maple syrup. Allow it to cook and thicken for several minutes, whisking occasionally. If the gravy gets too thick or if it's too salty, thin it with a little of the giblet water. If the gravy is too thin, just keep cooking until it thickens up. Taste, then add salt and plenty of black pepper. Chop the giblets and add them to the gravy. Remove as much of the neck meat as you can and add it to the gravy too. Serve immediately!

MAPLE-SEASONED TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Combine water, maple syrup, salt, brown sugar, lovage, sage, thyme, and celery salt in a large stockpot and bring to a boil; cook until sugar and salt are dissolved, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and cool brine completely.

SPATCHCOCKED MAPLE BRINED TURKEY RECIPE | TRAEGER GRILLS

Steps:

• Note: Do not use a kosher turkey or a self-basting turkey for this recipe as they have already been enhanced with a salt-solution.
• For the Brine: In a large stockpot or container, combine 5 quarts hot water, kosher salt, bourbon, 3/4 cup of the maple syrup, brown sugar, onion, bay leaves, orange peel, peppercorns, and cloves and stir until well mixed.
• Add 3 quarts ice. Rinse the turkey, inside and out, under cold running water. Remove giblets and gravy packet and discard or save for another use.
• Add the turkey to the brine and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours, or overnight. Weigh down with a bag of ice to keep the bird submerged.
• Drain and pat turkey dry with paper towels; discard the brine.
• To Spatchcock the Turkey: With a large knife or shears, cut the bird open along the backbone on both sides through the ribs and remove the backbone. Once the bird is open, split the breastbone to spread the bird flat; this will allow it to roast evenly.
• Combine the melted butter and the remaining 1/4 cup of maple syrup and divide in half.
• Brush half of the mixture on the bird and sprinkle with Traeger Pork & Poultry Rub or salt and black pepper. Set aside the other half of the mixture until ready to use.
• When ready to cook, set Traeger temperature to 350℉ and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.
• Roast the turkey until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reaches 165℉, about 2-3 hours.
• Brush with the remaining butter-maple syrup glaze the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Let the turkey rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.
• Garnish, if desired, with fresh herbs and or kumquats. Enjoy!