This is the most delicious and beautiful cider bourbon maple glazed turkey with shallot dressing I made for our Independence Day cookout. I found the recipe about two years ago via Williams-Sonoma’s website during Thanksgiving season. This was my very first turkey and I must say going into it I was quite intimidated. There is so much hype over how to make a turkey and that it can come out as a disaster. Honestly, I don’t know why there’s so much hype. I’ve made cakes more complicated than this. Being that it isn’t what most would consider the proper season to roast a turkey, Williams-Sonoma did not have the Cider-Bourbon glaze needed to make it. Not to fear. I made my own which was delicious (see the recipe below). There’s no better bourbon than Maker’s Mark so I used that at Martinelli’s Cider. What a great combo it was!
Cider Bourbon Glazed Turkey with Shallot Dressing
Ingredients
1 jar (1 lb. 2.2 oz.) turkey brine
1 fresh turkey, 18 to 20 lb., neck, heart and gizzard removed
2 cups cider bourbon roasting glaze ( see recipe below)
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 shallots, finely diced
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2 cups turkey stock, lightly salted, or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whiskey
1 cup Martinelli’s Apple Cider
1 Tbs. chicken demi-glace
2 Tbs. dry sherry
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Prepare
1. Prepare the turkey brine according to the package instructions. Place the turkey in a brining bag or large stockpot, add the brine and refrigerate for 12 to 36 hours.
2. Remove the turkey from the brine; discard the brine. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck the wings behind the back and place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
3. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F.
4. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone, registers 165°F and into the thigh registers 175°F, about 2 hours and 35 minutes more. If the skin begins to brown too quickly, tent the turkey with aluminum foil. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, baste the turkey with the roasting glaze every 10 minutes.
5. Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for about 30 minutes before carving. Skim the fat off the pan drippings. Add 3/4 cup water to the roasting pan and set over medium heat. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Transfer to a bowl.
6. In a small sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and thyme and cook for 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring rapidly, for 2 minutes. Rapidly whisk in the reserved pan drippings, the stock and demi-glace. Cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the sherry and season with salt and pepper. Pour the gravy into a warmed sauceboat and serve with the turkey. Serves 14 to 16.
Bourbon Maple Glaze
Ingredients
4 cups/ 32 oz. premium grade Vermont Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whiskey
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
juice from 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried, ground sage
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cream of tartar
Prepare
1. In a large saucepan, bring all ingredients, except the cream of tartar, to a boil. Boil for five minutes then turn temperature down to low.
2. Whisk in the cream of tartar and whisk/stir for a minute. Off the heat and allow to cool. Use half of the mixture for the turkey and reserve the other half in a tightly lidded mason jar in your fridge for up to one year.
- 1 jar (1 lb. 2.2 oz.) turkey brine
- 1 fresh turkey, 18 to 20 lb., neck, heart and gizzard removed
- 1 jar (10 oz.) cider bourbon roasting glaze ( or you could make your own like I did...recipe below)
- 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
- 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
- 2 cups turkey stock, lightly salted, or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 Tbs. chicken demi-glace
- 2 Tbs. dry sherry
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Cider- Bourbon Maple Glaze
- 4 cups organic fresh pressed apple cider (or bottled will work as well)
- 2 tablespoons fine-quality bourbon
- 1 cup organic pure maple syrup
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Prepare the turkey brine according to the package instructions. Place the turkey in a brining bag or large stockpot, add the brine and refrigerate for 12 to 36 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the brine; discard the brine. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck the wings behind the back and place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F.
- Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone, registers 165°F and into the thigh registers 175°F, about 2 hours and 35 minutes more. If the skin begins to brown too quickly, tent the turkey with aluminum foil. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, baste the turkey with the roasting glaze every 10 minutes.
- Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for about 30 minutes before carving. Skim the fat off the pan drippings. Add 3/4 cup water to the roasting pan and set over medium heat. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Transfer to a bowl.
- In a small sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and thyme and cook for 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring rapidly, for 2 minutes. Rapidly whisk in the reserved pan drippings, the stock and demi-glace. Cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the sherry and season with salt and pepper. Pour the gravy into a warmed sauceboat and serve with the turkey. Serves 14 to 16.
- Cider- Bourbon Maple Glaze
- In a large saucepan, bring apple cider to a full boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, uncovered and swirling the pan frequently, until the cider reduces to 1 cup, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in bourbon, maple syrup and salt. Cool until warm and transfer to syrup dispenser or small pitcher. Serve warm or cool completely before serving.
