Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Feature

Bourbon and Maple Glazed Turkey Holiday Recipe

By: Andrea Alden

Turkey is a thanksgiving classic but you can make yours unique with a brilliant glaze that will have people asking for the recipe. Proudly say that this holiday meal was barbecued. Make a Bourbon and Maple Glazed Turkey and amaze your guests with crisp skin and flavorful meat that pairs perfectly with all of the fixings. Don’t fall into the holiday rut, however delicious it may be. Choose to soar above the rest with this amazing grilled thanksgiving turkey.

Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
240 min
Yield
6+
Difficulty
Easy

Bourbon and Maple Glazed Turkey Holiday Recipe

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Ingredients

Method

Photos

Ingredients
  • 1 turkey, 10 lb.+ (4.5 kg+)
  • 3 tbsp. (45 g) baking powder* Water*
  • ½ cup (113 g) soft butter
  • 1 head garlic
  • Fresh sage
  • 1 green apple
  • 1 yellow onion
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Maple Glaze

  • ½ cup (118 ml) maple syrup
  • ¼ cup (59 ml) bourbon
  • ¼ cup (59 ml) melted butter, salted
Method
  1. Ensure that you pull the turkey out of the freezer at least 2 days before you begin to prep. This would also be a good time to grab a couple of sage leaves, one or two garlic cloves, and mince them. Fold into the softened butter, wrap the butter and set aside to allow the flavors to combine.
  2. The day before you cook, pull out the butter and allow it to get nice and soft. Carefully use your fingers to lift the skin of the turkey away from the meat and press the compound butter into the meat. For extra crispy skin, combine baking powder with enough water to dissolve the powder. Brush the turkey skin with the baking powder mixture and then salt and pepper to taste. Place the turkey back into the fridge on a rack over a tray and allow the whole thing to dry overnight. 
  3. When you are ready to cook, preheat the barbecue to 325°F (163°C) using the rear burner or bottom burners. While the grill is heating, prepare the bird for the spit rod. The turkey is already seasoned and has the flavored butter under the skin, so all that is left is to quarter a green apple, the yellow onion, and smash a few cloves of garlic. Remove the giblets from the cavity and replace them with the apple, onion, some sage, and garlic. Truss the bird and then thread it onto the spit rod making sure that it is balanced and adjusting the counterbalance accordingly. Learn how to load and balance a rotisserie.
  4. Place the giblets into a drip tray that fits under the turkey (you may need to remove cooking grids and sear plates if the bird is too big. Add garlic, sage remove the giblets, and place them into a drip pan with some more sage and a couple cloves of garlic. Add a few cups of water and place the turkey onto the barbecue over the drip pan. 
    PRO TIP: Lightly season the giblets and roast them until they have some color on them, then throw them into the drip pan under the turkey, it will add extra flavor to your gravy.  
  5. Turn on the rotisserie motor and spit roast the turkey for about 20 minutes per pound of meat (20 min per 0.5 kilos). 
  6. While the turkey is starting to cook, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the bourbon and the maple syrup. Bring this mixture to a simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat. 
  7. Baste the turkey every 30 minutes or so with the maple bourbon mixture. If the turkey isn’t as dark and crisp as you want, turn the barbecue up to 425°F (218°C) for the last bit of cooking until you’ve reached a sustained internal temperature of 150°F (66°C) in the breast and up to 175°F (79°C) in the thigh/leg area. 
  8. Remove the turkey from the barbecue and place it onto a cutting board. Remove the spit rod and rotisserie forks, then cover with foil and some thick towels to rest for at least 20 minutes or until ready to carve.
  9. While the turkey is resting it’s time to make the best gravy ever. Separate the turkey fat from the drippings. In a saucepan over low heat, add the fat. If there isn’t much, supplement it with butter, up to ¼ cup. Whisk in an equal amount of flour. Allow the flour to cook off for a minute or two, it will darken in color a little. Slowly whisk in turkey drippings, turkey or chicken stock and/or any water from cooking vegetables into the flour mixture until you have the perfect thick texture. If the gravy is too thin, simmer until thickened, too thick, add more liquid.
  10. Carve the turkey and serve it with your favorite holiday side-dishes like stuffing, veggies, and other things. Have a look at this blog for some inspiration. Try topping turnips or sweet potatoes with any glaze that has been simmered for at least 5 minutes after being used on the turkey. 

Make your Thanksgiving or any other day amazing with this Bourbon and Maple Glazed Turkey Holiday Recipe. What are your favorite holiday side dishes? Share your recipes, ideas, and photos on our social pages like Facebook and TikTok, using the hashtags #NapoleonEats and #NapoleonGrill.

Happy Grilling!

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Stuff

Slide compound butter under the skin, dry overnight in the fridge, then stuff with apple, onion, and fresh sage

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Grill1

Preheat the barbecue and place the turkey on the grill over a drip pan

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Grill2

Start basting every 30 minutes, after about an hour

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Grill3

Look at that beautiful golden color

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Serve1

Serve with your favorite sides

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Serve2

Don't forget a little pageantry and bourbon with the meal

AndreaAlden
Andrea Alden

I used to be the Sultana of Sizzle, but you can call me Andrea. I have always been passionate about food. Even though I was majoring in Art and Graphic Design, I would frequently be found cooking for my friends and family.

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Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Stuff

Slide compound butter under the skin, dry overnight in the fridge, then stuff with apple, onion, and fresh sage

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Grill1

Preheat the barbecue and place the turkey on the grill over a drip pan

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Grill2

Start basting every 30 minutes, after about an hour

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Grill3

Look at that beautiful golden color

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Serve1

Serve with your favorite sides

Recipe Blog - Bourbon Maple Turkey - Serve2

Don't forget a little pageantry and bourbon with the meal