Best Maple Brined Turkey Recipes

CIDER-BRINED TURKEY WITH MAPLE-CIDER GLAZE

Steps:

• For the turkey brine: Heat the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, oranges, shallots, parsley, sage and thyme in a saucepot to dissolve the sugar and salt. Then let the mixture cool completely.
• Divide the turkey pieces between two 2 1/2-gallon resealable plastic bags or containers big enough to hold them. Add equal parts of the brine to the two bags. Let rest for several hours in the fridge, preferably overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry. Rub the skin with oil and sprinkle with pepper. Set the turkey on a metal rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet and cook about 15 minutes per pound, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers about 165 degrees F. The temperature will go up 5 to 10 degrees as it rests.
• For the glaze: Place a small saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the apple cider, turkey stock, maple syrup, butter, peppercorns and orange rind. Bring the mixture to a light simmer and reduce by half. Baste the turkey every now and then during the last half of the cooking time.

MAPLE BOURBON BRINED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• In a medium pot, over low heat, add all the ingredients, except the turkey. Cook stirring to combine and dissolve the salt. When salt has dissolved, remove from the heat and let cool. Add the turkey drumsticks to a large resealable plastic bag, and pour in the brine. Seal the bag well, and put into a bowl (in case of leaks). Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• After 24 hours, remove the turkey, discard the brine and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a roasting pan, fitted with a rack, add the turkey drumsticks, making sure there is room between each for even cooking. Roast for 90 minutes. Remove from the oven to a serving platter and serve hot or cold.

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.

ROASTED, BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH MAPLE-WORCESTERSHIRE GRAVY AND FRUIT AND NUT RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Open a jumbo plastic food storage bag in the sink and add the water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, shallots, seasonings and garlic and swish around to combine. Add the turkey breast and seal the bag. Put it into the refrigerator and let it brine for 24 hours in advance of your cooking day.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pat the turkey breast dry, season with salt and pepper and put it in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. Baste, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees F, about 40 minutes. Remove the turkey breast from the oven to a cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve the breast and arrange it on a serving platter. Serve with pan juices.
• Reserve 1 pound of meat for another menu. Cool, wrap and refrigerate the reserved meat.
• Add the butter to a medium sauce pot and melt it over medium to medium-high heat. Add the shallots and thyme and saute for 2 minutes, then add the flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, Worcestershire and maple syrup. Season with black pepper, to taste, and reduce the mixture until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the spaghetti and toast until deeply golden in color. Add rice, carrot, celery, scallions and orange zest, then stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the rice is tender, about 16 to 18 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with fork and add the oranges, grapes, nuts, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Transfer the rice to a serving bowl.

MAPLE BRINED ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• 1. In a very large (14- to 16-quart) stockpot, combine the salt, sugar, peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, chile flakes, 1 1/2 cups syrup, and 1 cup soy sauce. Heat over medium heat, stirring continuously, just until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from the heat and stir in 5 quarts water. Let the mixture stand until room temperature.
• 2. Submerge the turkey in the liquid, press a piece of plastic wrap over the turkey and weight the bird down with a heavy dish of small pot so that the turkey stays in the liquid. Refrigerate for 1 to 3 days.
• 3. Remove the turkey from the brine, pat dry with paper towels, and discard the brine. Place the turkey on a rack set in a large roasting pan. Let stand for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• 4. Tuck the wing tips behind the back and tie together the ends of the drumsticks with kitchen twine. Scatter the onions around the turkey. Season all lightly with salt and pepper.
• 5. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Add the remaining 2 cups water to the pan. Continue roasting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. Baste the turkey two or three times during the roasting.
• 6. Transfer the turkey and onions to a serving platter and let rest while making the sauce. Strain the pan juices into a fat separator. Pour just the jus back into the roasting pan; discard the fat. Set over medium heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons syrup and 2 tablespoon soy sauce. Simmer, stirring and scraping the pan, until reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes. Serve the jus with the turkey and onions.

SOY AND CIDER BRINED TURKEY ON TOAST POINTS WITH MAPLE-SOY GRAVY

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups water with the apple cider, soy sauce, salt, maple syrup, peppercorns, bay leaves in the resealable bag (double bag to prevent against leaks), and add in the turkey. Chill overnight.
• To roast, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet, and spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray.
• Remove the turkey from the brine, pat dry and arrange on the rack. Coat the skin with a little oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until an internal thermometer reads 165 degrees F, about 15 minutes per pound of turkey or 45 minutes total. Remove from the oven and let rest with foil to cover until ready to carve.
• Melt the butter and when it foams, add the sage leaves and crisp them up as the butter browns. Remove the leaves and crumble. Toast the sliced bread in the toaster.
• Brush the toast with browned butter and top with sage. Cut the toast corner to corner. Slice the turkey and arrange over 2 toast points, top with Maple-Soy Gravy and serve with sides of your choice.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan and season with coarse black pepper. Whisk in the flour and whisk a few minutes until golden brown. Whisk in the stock, soy sauce, maple syrup and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

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.

BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH MAPLE GLAZE

Steps:

• Stir the kosher salt and brown sugar into hot water until dissolved.
• Mix in apple juice and ice.
• Place the turkey breast in a 2 gallon resalable plastic bag; pour the brine over, seal and place in refrigerator for about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and roast the turkey breast side up on a rack over a shallow roasting pan.
• After the first hour begin basting the breast with the maple-butter glaze.
• Baste every 15 minutes until the temperature of the breast reaches 165 degrees.
• Remove from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

BUTTERFLIED JUNIPER-BRINED ROASTED TURKEY WITH CHIPOTLE-MAPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine the salt, brown sugar, juniper, peppercorns, bay leaves and lemon zest with 1 quart (4 cups) water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. Pour the brine into a plastic container or pot large enough to hold the turkey, add 5 quarts (20 cups) ice water and stir to combine. Submerge the turkey, adding more ice water if needed. Weight the turkey down with a plate to keep it submerged and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Drain, rinse and pat the turkey dry. Transfer to a large paper-towel-lined cutting board and let sit out at room temperature until it reaches room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Put the butter, maple syrup, chipotles, garlic and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well combined.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pat the turkey skin dry again and rub the compound butter evenly over the surface, also pushing some underneath the skin of the breasts. Lay the turkey in a large roasting pan as flat as possible. If the pan is a bit small, tuck the wings behind the back with the drumsticks resting on the ledge of the pan and place a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil at the bottom of the oven to catch drippings.
• Roast, basting the turkey with the pan drippings every 30 minutes or so, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165 degrees F, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before serving.

MAPLE-CIDER BRINED TURKEY WITH BOURBON-CIDER GRAVY

Steps:

• epicurious blows

BRINED MAPLE TURKEY WITH CREAM GRAVY

Steps:

• To prepare brine, combine first 6 ingredients in a large stockpot, stirring until salt dissolves. To prepare turkey, remove and reserve giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Add turkey to pot, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours, turning occasionally. Preheat oven to 375°. Bring cola and 1/2 cup syrup to a boil in a small saucepan; cook 1 minute. Combine thyme, sage, seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove turkey from brine, discarding brine; pat dry. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub thyme mixture under loosened skin; sprinkle inside body cavity. Place 4 garlic cloves and onions in body cavity. Tie ends of legs together with twine. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Place turkey on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of a thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Pour cola mixture over turkey; cover with foil. Bake an additional 1 hour and 45 minutes or until thermometer registers 180°. Remove turkey from pan, reserving drippings for gravy. Place turkey on a platter. Cover loosely with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Remove twine. Discard skin. To prepare gravy, while turkey bakes, combine reserved giblet and neck and the broth in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Strain mixture through a colander into a bowl, discarding solids, and skimming fat. Add broth mixture. Place broiler pan on stovetop over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Combine milk and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk; add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Strain gravy, stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

ROASTED, BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH MAPLE-WORCESTERSHIRE GRAVY AND FRUIT AND NUT RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Open a jumbo plastic food storage bag in the sink and add the water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, shallots, seasonings and garlic and swish around to combine. Add the turkey breast and seal the bag. Put it into the refrigerator and let it brine for 24 hours in advance of your cooking day. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the turkey breast dry, season with salt and pepper and put it in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. Baste, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees F, about 40 minutes. Remove the turkey breast from the oven to a cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve the breast and arrange it on a serving platter. Serve with pan juices. Reserve 1 pound of meat for another menu. Cool, wrap and refrigerate the reserved meat.
• Add the butter to a medium sauce pot and melt it over medium to medium-high heat. Add the shallots and thyme and saute for 2 minutes, then add the flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, Worcestershire and maple syrup. Season with black pepper, to taste, and reduce the mixture until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the spaghetti and toast until deeply golden in color. Add rice, carrot, celery, scallions and orange zest, then stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the rice is tender, about 16 to 18 minutes. Fluff the rice with fork and add the oranges, grapes, nuts, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Transfer the rice to a serving bowl.

MAPLE BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH MUSHROOM PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• 1. Brine: Combine the brine ingredients in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Let cool completely. Add the turkey to the brine, cover and chill 4 hours.
• 2. Turkey: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the turkey from the brine; discard the brine. Rinse the turkey and pat dry. Loosen the skin from the breast by inserting your fingers, gently pushing between the skin and meat. rub 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper under the loosened skin. Place on a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Bake the turkey for 45 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160 degrees. Remove from the oven; cover loosely with foil. Let stand 15 minutes. Remove the skin and discard. (unless you are a skin lover!)
• 3. Gravy: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and saute for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and saute for 6 minutes or until ightly browned. Add the broth; bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 2 cups (about 20 minutes). Combine the flour and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Stir the flour mixture into the mushroom mixture; simmer 3 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently with a whisk. Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in the parsley and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Serve the gravy with the sliced turkey breast.

MAPLE-BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• 1. Marinate the turkey: In a sturdy 2-gallon plastic bag, combine the lemon juice, maple syrup, corn oil, shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, lemon zest, and pepper. Add the turkey to the bag, squeeze out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Distribute the marinade evenly over and inside the turkey. Set the turkey, breast-side down, in a bowl in the refrigerator and marinate for 24 hr, turning occasionally. 2. Preheat the oven for 450: Position the oven rack near the bottom of the oven. Wipe off the shallots and garlic from the turkey and pat dry. Strain the marinade into a bowl, skim off the oil and reserve. Set the herbs, garlic and shallots aside separately. 3. Using your fingers, carefully loosen the turkey skin over the breasts and thighs. Mix 1 c. maple syrup and 1/2 c. olive oil. Put all but 3 T of the mixture in and around the turkey and other the skin. 4. Roast turkey, basting frequently, for at least 4 hr.

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 one turkey-sized oven roasting bag inside the other; place in a large stockpot. Place turkey inside both bags; 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.