Whole Family
2 days (includes brining time)
3-4 hours (until thermometer reads 165° F)
Medium
It doesn’t get more thankful than this. Dankful IPA headlines our twist on the holiday turkey brine. Grab a 6-pack and get cooking with the help of our own Chef Daniel.
Ingredients
1 whole turkey, 12-15 pounds
5 cans Dankful IPA (3 for brine, 2 to baste)
4 quarts water
1 cup iodized salt
1 pound golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons coriander seed
3 tablespoons whole black pepper
4 ounces whole thyme sprigs
4 ounces thinly sliced ginger
1 oranges
1 limes
1 lemons
1 grapefruit
Step 1
Make the brine two days before you plan to serve the turkey. Bring to a boil the water, salt, brown sugar, coriander seed, black pepper, and ginger. As soon as it boils, turn it off and add the thyme.
Step 2
Allow the mixture to cool slowly to room temperature, then transfer the brine to the refrigerator to chill completely.
Step 3
Once the brine is cold, cut the lime, lemon, orange, and grapefruit in half and squeeze into the brine. Drop that squeezed fruit right in, too.
Step 4
Pour 3 cans of Dankful into the brine.
Step 5
Place the turkey in a bucket just large enough to hold the bird without much extra room on the sides. Place the citrus halves in the cavity of the turkey and fill the bucket with brine. Refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours in the brine.
Step 6
About 3 hours before roasting the turkey, remove it from the brine, remove the citrus from the cavity, and rinse it very well in cold water.
Step 7
Pat the turkey dry and place it in a roasting pan. If you have a roasting rack, place the bird on a rack. If you don’t have a roasting rack, place some rough-chopped carrots, onions, celery, and the neck of the turkey under the bird to allow it to cook evenly. (Bonus: the vegetables will add flavor and substance to your gravy.)
Step 8
Allow the turkey to air-dry for 1 hour while you prepare the butter rub, directions below!
Butter Rub & Roasting
Ingredients
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temp
3 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped (save stems)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
Step 1
Combine the softened butter, salt, cracked pepper, and chopped sage in a small bowl. Mix to fully incorporate the herbs.
Step 2
Rub the entire turkey, inside and out, with the butter rub. Place the sage stems in the cavity along with the rough-chopped carrots, onions, and celery. You can also stuff the turkey with the citrus from the brine for extra flavor.
Step 3
Once the bird is rubbed, allow it to sit at room temperature for another 90 minutes to temper.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 300° F. Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Pour a beer in the bottom of the pan, baste, and return to the oven. Baste every 30 minutes, adding more beer if needed. Cook for about 3.5 to 4 hours, or until a thermometer reads 165° F in the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from the oven and cover loosely with foil. After about 15 minutes of cooling, transfer the turkey to the serving platter.
Step 5
Admire your work while drinking the last Dankful from the 6-pack. Slice and serve with Dankful gravy, see below.
Turkey Gravy
Ingredients
1 cup vegetable oil (or butter)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart turkey stock
All giblets, finely chopped
Step 1
In a sauce pot over medium heat, place the oil, flour, and giblets. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Step 2
Add the turkey stock, the turkey neck, and the liquid from the roasting pan. Stir with a whisk and bring to a simmer to thicken.
