malt-beer-brined turkey with malt glaze

 

8 to 10 servings

• prep (grilled turkey): 45 minutes
• total (grilled turkey): 21 hours (includes brining and grilling time)

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

special equipment

• 2 turkey-size oven bags
• turkey lacing pins
• charcoal chimney (if grilling)
• 13x9x2-inch disposable aluminum baking pan (to catch drips; if grilling)

the technique: beer-brined

brining—soaking the bird in salt water—creates juicy turkey. here, stout beer and barley malt syrup add a richness to the brine, which infuses the meat with flavor. and the malt glaze gives the bird a crisp, burnished skin.

preparation

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.

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; brush all over with oil.

to grill turkey

• prepare barbecue (medium heat). remove top grill rack. if using charcoal, light briquettes in chimney. when briquettes are covered with white ash, push to opposite sides of bottom grill rack, leaving center empty. place disposable aluminum pan in center of rack (you will need to light additional briquettes, checking every 30 minutes during grilling time). replace top grill rack. if using 3-burner gas grill, light burners on left and right sides, leaving center burner off. if using 2-burner gas grill, light burner on 1 side; place disposable pan over unlit side.
• place turkey, breast side up, on grill rack over disposable pan. cover barbecue. insert instant-read thermometer into hole in hood. maintain temperature as close as possible to 350°f on charcoal grill by opening vents to increase temperature and closing vents to reduce temperature or adjusting temperature on gas grill with controls. cook turkey 2 hours, tenting loosely with foil if browning too quickly. brush turkey with glaze. cover grill; cook 30 minutes longer. brush again with glaze. cook until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°f, about 30 minutes longer. transfer turkey to platter. brush with glaze. let rest 30 minutes (temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees).

pumpkin sage bundt cake

3⁄4 cup (1-1⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh sage leaves
2-1⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. table salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
3 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts

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1.      Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan and dust with flour. Combine the butter and sage in a small pan and heat on low until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool.

2.      Whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together the butter and sage mixture, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Stir the flour into the pumpkin mixture until combined. Stir in the chopped nuts.

3.      Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve. 

Make Ahead Tips
Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

cheddar cheese biscuits

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 t salt
1 ½ T baking powder
1 t cayenne pepper
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup chopped pecans

1.      preheat over to 350 f

2.      in a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and cayenne pepper.  stir in the buttermilk.  using a dough cutter, or by hand, cut in the shortening and add the cheese and pecans.

3.      turn out the mixture onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead the dough for several minutes until the dough is no longer sticky to the touch.  return the mixture to a clean bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

4.      once again, turn out the mixture onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1 inch.  using a 1.5 inch round cookie cutter (or a crescent-shaped one), cut out the dough and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

5.      transfer to the oven and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the biscuits to a rack to cool.

cranberry coins

these sweet treats are going to be my appetizers before thanksgiving dinner.  makes about 4 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

1. beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla with a wooden spoon until smooth. add flour and salt; stir just until combined. stir in dried cranberries. divide dough into quarters.
2. on parchment, shape each portion into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 4 inches long. wrap logs tightly in parchment or plastic. chill 30 minutes or up to 1 day. (dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic and frozen up to 1 month.)
3. preheat oven to 325 degrees. with a sharp knife, slice dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. rotate log as you cut to keep it from flattening. place rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 inch apart.
4. bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges just begin to turn golden, 20 to 22 minutes. let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks. cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

whats for thanksgiving?

just like last year, I am going to share with you my menu for this year's thankgiving dinner:

1. cranberry coins
2. pecan and cheddar biscuits
3. pumpkin sage bundt cake
4. honey challah
5. malt beer brined turkey with malt glaze
6. sweet potato pudding with pecan and gingersnap topping
7. mixed mushroom and tarragon gravy
8. cranberry sauce with maple syrup and cassis
9. green beans with creamy mushrooms and shallots

doesn't that sound good, I can't wait for thanksgiving.  as usual, my mom is going to make the desserts and the dressing.