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Why I Love This Maple Bourbon Turkey
I know a whole turkey can feel intimidating. You want the breast to stay juicy, the dark meat to be cooked through, and the skin to have that beautiful color. Plus, you’re also probably feeling a bit stressed about the big Thanksgiving Day, especially if you’re having guests over. Let’s make things a bit simpler!
For this maple bourbon turkey, I start by taking the bird apart and letting the pieces soak in a buttermilk brine before roasting. The brine keeps the meat flavorful and juicy, while roasting in pieces saves time and lets you pull each piece out when it’s ready. It’s just a little less to worry about on Thanksgiving Day.
The finishing component is a buttery maple bourbon glaze that adds a little sweetness, a little smokiness, and that deep, beautiful color. It still tastes like an amazing roast turkey, just with a few extra touches that make it feel special for the big day.
Why this is a great Thanksgiving turkey option:
- More control over roasting – Cooking the turkey in pieces lets you check the white and dark meat separately, so the thighs don’t have to stay in the oven while the breast finishes.
- Prep starts ahead of time – Break down the turkey 1-2 days before roasting so the turkey can spend 24-48 hours in the brine.
- Sweet and savory flavor combo – The glaze complements the turkey without covering up any of its flavor. Plus, it creates a glossy brown skin that’s beautiful.
This recipe originally appeared in my 2025 Holiday Guide, which is available to order!
Maple Bourbon Turkey Ingredients
All the usual ingredients, plus a few extras, give this turkey great flavor:
- Turkey – Choose a fully thawed, unbrined turkey without an added salt solution, keeping the skin and bones intact as you divide it into pieces.
- Buttermilk – You’ll need a lot of it because it forms the base of the brine, but it helps create a tender finished turkey.
- Kosher salt – Seasons the meat and helps it retain moisture during roasting; the amount depends on the turkey’s weight (see recipe card below).
- Smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper – A perfect trio of spices for this turkey.
- Brown sugar – A little sweetness to round out the brine.
- Butter – Creates a rich base for the glaze.
- Maple syrup – Adds sweetness and helps develop the turkey’s deep golden color.
- Bourbon – Adds a smoky note without overwhelming the meat.
- Worcestershire sauce – Some savory depth to balance the sweetness.
- Fresh sage and fresh thyme – Add a familiar holiday flavor as they infuse the brine and glaze.
- Orange peel – Adds some bright citrus; use only the colored peel, leaving the bitter white pith behind.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Maple Bourbon Turkey
There are 7 steps to make maple bourbon turkey:
Step 1: Divide the turkey – Remove the leg-and-thigh portions and wings by cutting through the joints, keeping the skin attached. Remove the backbone while leaving the breast on the rib cage. Save the backbone for turkey stock.
Step 2: Brine – Whisk the buttermilk, kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and brown sugar until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add the thyme and turkey pieces, making sure the meat is covered with brine. Cover and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
Step 3: Prepare for roasting – Lift the turkey from the brine and let the excess drip off without rinsing or patting it dry. Arrange the pieces skin-side up on a rack-lined, rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan, allowing the excess to drip off. Discard the used brine.
Step 4: Roast – Once the brine has mostly dripped off, place the turkey on a clean roasting pan set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Put the turkey in a preheated 375°F oven to begin roasting.
Step 5: Make the glaze – Gently warm the butter, maple syrup, bourbon, Worcestershire sauce, sage, thyme, orange peel, and kosher salt until the butter melts and the flavors infuse. Set aside a clean portion for serving.
Step 6: Glaze the turkey – Begin brushing the turkey with the remaining glaze about halfway through roasting, starting earlier on the wings since they cook more quickly.
Step 7: Finish and rest – Check the pieces individually and remove each when they reach the correct temperature (see recipe card for temperatures). Tent with foil if the skin is getting too dark. Rest for 20-30 minutes, then carve, arrange on a platter, and brush with the reserved clean glaze.
Recipe Tips
- Know the weight before brining – The salt measurement is based on the turkey’s weight, so keep the weight from the packaging before breaking down the bird.
- Choose a container that fits – Make sure your food-safe brining container will hold the pieces and fit in the refrigerator before getting started. I always do a quick check with the empty container in my fridge first, just to make sure!
- Don’t add the glaze too early – Adding it too early can cause the sugars to burn before the meat is cooked. Start partway through roasting and watch the color to avoid burning.
- Save some glaze – Reserve some glaze before any brush touches the roasting turkey, then use a clean brush for the final coat on the platter.
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
Serving – Arrange the sliced breast, legs, and thigh meat on a large platter, keeping as much of the glazed skin intact as possible.
For a colorful presentation, you can add whatever you want on the platter before adding the turkey pieces: fresh figs, clementines or mandarins, grapes, or fresh herbs (bay leaves, sage, thyme, rosemary).
Serve this with all the good Thanksgiving sides: cheddar corn casserole, honey oat dinner rolls or butterhorns, and brown butter bourbon sweet potato casserole (to echo the bourbon in this recipe).
Storage – Remove leftover meat from the bones and refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The cooked turkey can be frozen in freezer-safe airtight containers for up to 3 months, but it will tend to be drier once thawed. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you should choose an unbrined turkey for this recipe. A pre-brined or enhanced turkey already contains added salt, and soaking it in another brine can make it overly salty. Also, the flavors we’re adding may not fully make their way into the turkey.
Super important question! Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check each piece. Personally, I remove the breast and wings when they reach 160°F and the thighs when they reach 170°F. Each piece will continue to cook as it rests, so make sure the breast and wings reach 165°F, and the thighs reach 175°F.
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Maple Bourbon Turkey with Buttermilk Brine
Ingredients
- 1 12- to 14-pound turkey
- 3 quarts buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt per every 4 pounds of turkey (example: 3 tablespoons for a 12-pound turkey)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
For the bourbon glaze
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 1-inch strips orange peel
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 5 leaves fresh sage
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Break the turkey down into pieces: Using a sharp knife, remove each leg-and-thigh quarter in one piece, keeping the drumstick and thigh attached. Remove the wings and set all the pieces aside. Leave the skin-on breasts attached to the breastbone and rib cage.1 12- to 14-pound turkey
- Prepare the brine: In a large container, combine the buttermilk, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, brown sugar, and thyme sprigs. Stir to combine, then add all of the turkey pieces, pressing to fully submerge them in the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 days or up to 3, turning once a day to ensure the entire turkey is brining.3 quarts buttermilk, 1 tablespoon kosher salt per every 4 pounds of turkey (example: 3 tablespoons for a 12-pound turkey), 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 5 sprigs fresh thyme, ½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- When ready to roast: Remove the turkey pieces from the brine and arrange them on a rack set over a sheet pan. Let them rest briefly so the excess buttermilk brine can drip off. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Roast: Transfer the turkey to a clean roasting rack set inside a second large sheet pan, arranging the pieces in a single layer with space between them so they roast evenly. Place the pan in the preheated 375°F oven to begin roasting.
- Meanwhile, make the basting glaze: In a saucepan, combine the bourbon, maple syrup, Worcestershire, salt, orange peel, butter, sage leaves, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve, 2 minutes. Reduce to low heat to keep the glaze warm.⅓ cup bourbon, ½ cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 3 1-inch strips orange peel, 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 5 leaves fresh sage
- Glaze: After 45 minutes of roasting, brush the wings with glaze. Then, after 1 hour of roasting, brush the wing, breast, and thigh pieces with the glaze. Continue roasting, checking each piece and brushing with additional glaze every 15 minutes. If any piece becomes too dark, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Finish: After 1 hour of roasting, begin checking the internal temperature of each piece by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part without touching the bone. Remove the breasts and wings when they reach 160°F (1 to 1 ½ hours), and the thighs when they reach 170°F (1 ½ to 2 hours). As each piece reaches its final temperature, remove from the oven and tent with foil to rest. The turkey will continue to roast from the residual heat, bringing the breast to a finished internal temperature of 165°F and the thighs to 175°F. Let all the pieces rest for at least 20 minutes before carving and serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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