Ingredients for Brined Maple Turkey With Cream Gravy
- Water
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 4 cloves garlic
- Lemon
- Whole Turkey
- 1/2 cup cola
- Fresh Thyme
- Dried Rubbed Sage
- Poultry Seasoning
- Black Pepper
- 1 small onion, quartered
- Cooking spray
- Homemade Chicken Broth
- Whole Milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Salt
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How to Make Brined Maple Turkey With Cream Gravy
- **Brine the Turkey (24 hours in advance):**
- In a large stockpot, dissolve 1/2 cup kosher salt in 1 gallon of water.
- Add 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup cola, 2 bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon black peppercorns. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve completely.
- Remove giblets and neck from the turkey, rinse turkey with cold water, pat it dry, and trim excess fat.
- Submerge the turkey completely in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning occasionally.
- **Prepare and Roast the Turkey:**
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup cola and 1/2 cup maple syrup. Bring to a boil, cook for 1 minute.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- Remove turkey from brine, pat it dry completely.
- Loosen the skin from the breast and drumsticks by gently inserting your fingers between the skin and meat.
- Rub the thyme mixture under the loosened skin and sprinkle inside the turkey cavity.
- Place 4 cloves of garlic and 1 small onion, quartered, inside the cavity.
- Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
- Place the turkey on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.
- Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh, ensuring it doesn't touch the bone.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Pour the cola-maple syrup mixture over the turkey.
- Cover with foil and bake for an additional 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until the thermometer registers 180°F (82°C).
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving.
- **Make the Creamy Cola Gravy:**
- While the turkey roasts, combine the reserved giblets, neck, and 2 cups of turkey broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding the solids.
- Pour the pan drippings from the roasting pan into a zip-top bag. Let stand for 10 minutes to separate the fat.
- Seal the bag and carefully snip off a bottom corner to drain the drippings into a measuring cup, leaving the fat behind.
- In the same broiler pan, combine the reserved giblet broth, drained pan drippings. Scrape the pan to loosen any browned bits.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup milk and 2 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth.
- Add the milk mixture to the pan, bring to a boil, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding any solids.
- Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Serve hot over slices of your delicious turkey!
Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)
Sodium
338 g
Sugar
96g
Fat
41g
Carbs
10g
