IPA Brined Turkey with Dankful IPA Gravy

Serves – 8-10

Its November and I’m gearing up for my holiday turkey.  I love a brined turkey and cooking with beer, so I combined these elements to create a juicy beer-brined turkey with a Dankful IPA gravy.  Dankful IPA has piney hop aromas, so I paired that with juniper berries in the brine to accentuate those flavors.  

Ingredients

IPA Brined Roasted Turkey

• 12-15 lb. turkey, thawed

• 3 qt water

• 1 qt Dankful IPA

• 1 cup kosher salt

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 Tbsp black peppercorns

• 2 tsp juniper berries

• 2 tsp coriander, whole

• 3 each bay leaves

• 1 tsp coriander, ground

• 1 tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

Turkey Giblet Broth

• giblets (neck and gizzard)

• 1 tsp canola or olive oil

• ½ each yellow onion

• 1 each carrot

• 1 each celery rib

• 10 each black peppercorn, whole

• 2 each bay leaves

• 1 qt water

Dankful IPA Gravy

• ½ cup rendered turkey fat or butter

• 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour

• 1 cup turkey drippings, strained and fat removed

• 1 cup turkey giblet broth

• ½ cup Dankful IPA

Directions

IPA Brined Roasted Turkey

Combine 1 quart water, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, juniper berries, whole coriander, 3 bay leaves, salt and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil.  Stir to dissolve sugar and salt, remove from heat and allow to cool. Add 2 quarts cold water and 1 quart of Dankful IPA.  Place the turkey in a nonmetallic container and cover completely with brine.  Brine at least 16 hours. Flip occasionally if a part of the turkey is exposed.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the turkey the brine, rinse it, and pat dry. Place in a roasting dish, tie legs together and place wing tips behind the breast. Slather turkey with butter. Mix ground coriander, black pepper, and smoked paprika and sprinkle all over turkey.  Roast for 1 hour at 350°F, reduce oven temperature to 325°F and cook an additional 2 hours or until thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast and thigh reaches 165°F.  Remove from oven and allow to rest 30 minutes before carving.

Turkey Giblet Broth
Heat oil in medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey giblets and sear until golden brown.  Rough chop onion, carrot, and celery rib and add to pot with giblets.  Cover with 1 quart water and add black peppercorns and 2 bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer for 3-4 hours, while turkey is roasting or 1-2 days before, strain.

Dankful IPA Gravy
Heat turkey fat from dripping, or unsalted butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk to combine, cook until golden brown stirring frequently.  Whisk in 1 cup turkey drippings and I cup turkey giblet broth. Cook over low heat 10-15 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently.  Whisk in Dankful IPA and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Be careful to keep from boiling after the IPA is added, so the hops in the beer do not become too bitter.  Remove from heat and serve hot.

Pour a glass of Sierra Nevada Dankful IPA and enjoy!

Support for The Splendid Table comes from our friends at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, who believe that craft beer is a staple in today’s kitchen.