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The Best Darned Turkey You Ever Roasted (With Bourbon Gravy!)

Prep Time1 hrCook Time3 hrsCategory
Spirit
 Cody Road Bourbon
Ingredients
 2 gals cold water or 1 gallon of Cider and one gallon of water
 2 cups Cody Road Bourbon
 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons coarse salt
 1 cup sugar
 1 twelve- to fifteen-pound turkey, giblets removed and rinsed
 1 tbsp freshly ground white pepper
 1 tbsp freshly ground
 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
 2 carrots, roughly chopped
 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
 ½ coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley stems
FOR THE GRAVY
 4 tbsp butter
 1 cup chopped sweet onions, preferably Vidalia
 ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Cody Road Bourbon
 4 cups turkey stock
 3 tbsp cornstarch
 Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
Directions
1

In a pot large enough to accommodate the turkey, combine 2 gallons water, the Cody Road bourbon, 2 cups salt, and the sugar. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar.

2

Add turkey, and refrigerate for 18 to 36 hours. Remove turkey from the brine, and dry well with paper towels. Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

3

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons salt and the white and black pepper. Rub the inside and outside of the turkey with the salt-and-pepper. Tie the legs together loosely with kitchen twine. Fold the neck flap under. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. Fold the wing tips under the turkey. Tuck the herbs and vegetables into the body cavity.

4

Roast for 3 or so hours, basting every 30 minutes. Baste turkey with pan juices. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Add onions, carrots, celery, and parsley stems to the roasting pan around the turkey. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 165° and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If the legs are not fully cooked, baste the turkey, return to the oven, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

5

When fully cooked, remove the turkey from the oven, and let it rest, covered, for at least 20 minutes.

Cody Road Bourbon Turkey Gravy
6

In a wide pot or skillet (just deep enough to accommodate the stock), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

7

Add the Cody a Road bourbon and cook until nearly evaporated. Add the turkey stock and cornstarch and whisk vigorously until smooth.

8

Increase the heat to high and bring the gravy to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until it has reduced down and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

9

Stir in the sage and cook for one more minute. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Turn off heat and keep warm until ready to serve.

Ingredients

Spirit
 Cody Road Bourbon
Ingredients
 2 gals cold water or 1 gallon of Cider and one gallon of water
 2 cups Cody Road Bourbon
 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons coarse salt
 1 cup sugar
 1 twelve- to fifteen-pound turkey, giblets removed and rinsed
 1 tbsp freshly ground white pepper
 1 tbsp freshly ground
 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
 2 carrots, roughly chopped
 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
 ½ coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley stems
FOR THE GRAVY
 4 tbsp butter
 1 cup chopped sweet onions, preferably Vidalia
 ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Cody Road Bourbon
 4 cups turkey stock
 3 tbsp cornstarch
 Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage

Directions

Directions
1

In a pot large enough to accommodate the turkey, combine 2 gallons water, the Cody Road bourbon, 2 cups salt, and the sugar. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar.

2

Add turkey, and refrigerate for 18 to 36 hours. Remove turkey from the brine, and dry well with paper towels. Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

3

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons salt and the white and black pepper. Rub the inside and outside of the turkey with the salt-and-pepper. Tie the legs together loosely with kitchen twine. Fold the neck flap under. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. Fold the wing tips under the turkey. Tuck the herbs and vegetables into the body cavity.

4

Roast for 3 or so hours, basting every 30 minutes. Baste turkey with pan juices. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Add onions, carrots, celery, and parsley stems to the roasting pan around the turkey. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 165° and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If the legs are not fully cooked, baste the turkey, return to the oven, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

5

When fully cooked, remove the turkey from the oven, and let it rest, covered, for at least 20 minutes.

Cody Road Bourbon Turkey Gravy
6

In a wide pot or skillet (just deep enough to accommodate the stock), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

7

Add the Cody a Road bourbon and cook until nearly evaporated. Add the turkey stock and cornstarch and whisk vigorously until smooth.

8

Increase the heat to high and bring the gravy to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until it has reduced down and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

9

Stir in the sage and cook for one more minute. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Turn off heat and keep warm until ready to serve.

Notes

The Best Darned Turkey You Ever Roasted (With Bourbon Gravy!)
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Mississippi River Distilling Company

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