Lunch: Bourbon-Glazed Turkey with Pearl Onion Giblet Gravy

Chef Tanya Holland's secret for a turkey with juicy meat and nicely lacquered skin: brine the bird overnight, and then baste it frequently with a bourbon-brown sugar glaze as it roasts.

Ingredients

1 turkey
2 c. apple cider
1 1/2 c. kosher salt
2 c. dark brown sugar
3 sprig rosemary
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch sage
3 lb. ice cubes
1 medium onion
2 celery ribs
1 large carrot
10 clove garlic
1 stick unsalted butter
1 c. bourbon
2 tbsp. canola oil
12 oz. pearl onions
3 c. turkey stock or low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. Mashed Roasted Garlic

Instructions

Put turkey in a brining bag set in a tub or very large pot. In a large saucepan, combine cider with salt, 1 cup of brown sugar, rosemary, thyme, and sage, and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. Add 6 quarts of cold water to brine and pour over turkey. Add ice to brine and refrigerate turkey overnight.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and set a rack on lowest shelf of oven. Drain turkey and pat dry. Discard brine. Fill turkey cavity with half of onion, celery, carrot, and garlic cloves; scatter remaining vegetables in a large roasting pan. Set a V-shaped rack in pan. Tie turkey legs with butcher's twine and transfer bird to rack, breast side up. Add 2 cups of water to pan and roast turkey for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine remaining 1 cup of brown sugar with 1 stick of butter and bourbon and heat just until sugar and butter melt.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and brush turkey with some glaze. Continue roasting turkey, brushing it every 15 minutes, for about 3 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thigh registers 165 degrees F; add another 2 cups of water and tent turkey with foil halfway through roasting. Transfer turkey to a carving board and let rest for 30 minutes.
Strain pan juices into a heatproof bowl and skim off fat. (You should have about 1 cup.) Discard vegetables.
In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add chopped turkey giblets and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add pearl onions and cook until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes longer. Add turkey stock and reserved turkey pan juices and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of saucepan.
In a small bowl, mash remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with flour and whisk it into gravy. Bring to a boil and simmer until gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Whisk in roasted garlic. Carve turkey and serve with the gravy. Looking for vegetable recipes? Try our best asparagus recipes, eggplant recipes, or zucchini recipes.