- 8
Ingredients
- Glaze:
- 2/3 cup barley malt syrup
- 1/4 cup malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 6 fresh sage sprigs
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
- Brine, turkey, and aromatics:
- 4 quarts water
- 2 cups Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt or 1 1/2 cups Morton coarse kosher salt
- 3 12-ounce bottles stout beer (such as Guinness)
- 1 1/2 cups barley malt syrup
- 1 14- to 16-pound turkey
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 peeled onions, quartered
- 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 unpeeled head of garlic, cut crosswise in half
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups (or more) water
- Mixed-Mushroom and Tarragon Gravy
- Special equipment: 2 turkey-size oven bags
- Turkey lacing pins
- Barley malt syrup has a flavor similar to molasses.
Preparation
Step 1
For glaze:
Bring malt syrup, vinegar, herbs, and
pepper to boil in small saucepan, stirring
occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer
until glaze coats spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. Mix
in butter. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm before using.
For brine, turkey, and aromatics:
Pour 4 quarts water into 16-quart nonreactive
bowl or pot. Add salt; stir to dissolve. Mix
in beer and malt syrup. Insert 1 oven bag
into second bag; place in large bowl. Rinse
turkey inside and out. Slide turkey, breast
side down, into doubled bag. Pour brine
into bag. Press out any air; seal bags. Chill
turkey in brine (still in bowl) 16 to 18 hours.
Remove turkey from brine. Pat very dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle main cavity with 2 teaspoons pepper; fill with onions, celery, sage, thyme, and garlic. Close cavity with turkey lacing pins. Tuck wing tips under.