BOURBON GLAZED TURKEY

BOURBON GLAZED TURKEY image

Yield 12 People

Number Of Ingredients 19

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One 15-pound turkey-heart, gizzard and liver chopped and reserved
2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups kosher salt
2 cups dark brown sugar
3 rosemary sprigs
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch sage
3 pounds ice cubes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
10 garlic cloves
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons canola oil
One 12-ounce bag frozen pearl onions, thawed
3 cups turkey stock or low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Mashed Roasted Garlic

Steps:

Put the turkey in a brining bag set in a tub or very large pot. In a large saucepan, combine the cider with the salt, 1 cup of the brown sugar and the rosemary, thyme and sage and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Add 6 quarts of cold water to the brine and pour over the turkey. Add the ice to the brine and refrigerate the turkey overnight. Preheat the oven to 450° and set a rack on the lowest shelf of the oven. Drain the turkey and pat dry. Discard the brine. Fill the turkey cavity with half of the onion, celery, carrot and garlic cloves; scatter the remaining vegetables in a large roasting pan. Set a V-shaped rack in the pan. Tie the turkey legs with butcher's twine and transfer the bird to the rack, breast side up. Add 2 cups of water to the pan and roast the turkey for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1 cup of brown sugar with the 1 stick of butter and the bourbon and heat just until the sugar and butter melt. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° and brush the turkey with some of the glaze. Continue roasting the turkey, brushing it every 15 minutes, for about 3 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°; add another 2 cups of water and tent the turkey with foil halfway through roasting. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and let rest for 30 minutes.