Maple Glazed Roasted Turkey

Step 1: Turkey Preparation Recipe (Optional)

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon (16 cups) water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 large orange, quartered
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 lime, quartered
• 5-10 cloves garlic, smashed. Measure this with your heart, don’t listen to me 
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh sage
• 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 1 cup white wine 
• Ice cubes

Directions:

1. Prepare the Brine: In a large pot, combine the water, kosher salt, and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved.

2. Add Flavour: Once the salt and sugar are dissolved, remove the pot from the heat. Add the orange, lemon, lime, garlic, onion, peppercorns, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and sage. Stir in the apple cider and white wine. Remove from heat and allow the brine to cool completely to room temperature.

3. Brining the Turkey: Place the turkey in a large brining bag (you can use a clean garbage bag for this but make sure you have it in a container as well in case it leaks, or a clean container large enough to hold the turkey and liquid. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey, making sure it's fully submerged. If the turkey isn't fully submerged, add more cold water or ice cubes.

4. Brine Time: Seal the brining bag or cover the container and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. If using ice, keep it chilled the whole time by adding ice as needed. Do not brine it for longer than 24 hours as the texture will go south on you.

5. Rinse and Dry: After brining, remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels, then allow it to air-dry for an hour in the fridge before roasting.

Step 2: Maple Glazed Roasted Turkey Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey (the one you just brined)
• 1lb butter
• 1 cup Maple syrup (western family dark)
• ¼ cup tbsp smoked paprika
• 1tsp salt
• 1tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1tbsp thyme
• 1 tbsp rosemary
• 1 tsp cayenne

Directions:

1. Prepare the Turkey: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Remove the turkey giblets and pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Let it sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before roasting.

2. Dry ingredients: In a bowl mix the dry ingredients well: smoked paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, and cayenne.

3. Maple Glaze: Cut butter into cubes and let it soften to room temperature. If you have a food processor, add the butter, maple syrup and a quarter cup of the seasoning and blend it all until smooth.  You can also mix together with a spatula instead of a food processor.

4. Season the Turkey: Gently separate the turkey skin starting from the bottom of the breast by running your hand under the skin, being careful not to tear it. Rub half of the spiced maple butter mixture under the skin generously, directly onto the meat. Rub the remaining maple butter all over the outside of the turkey.

5. Stuff the Turkey: Stuff the cavity with the quartered onion, halved garlic, and sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Truss the legs with kitchen twine.

6. Roast the Turkey: Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Pour the chicken stock and wine into the bottom of the pan. Roast the turkey, basting with pan juices every 45 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C) in the thickest part of the thigh (without touching the bone). Cooking time is about 15 minutes per pound, but use a meat thermometer for accuracy.