Maple-Brined Turkey with Gingersnap Gravy
Gingersnaps move from the dessert plate to the gravy boat in this excellent—and unusual—recipe from Chef Chris Bradley. After an overnight bath in a brine sweetened with maple syrup (preferably from Vermont, says Bradley), the turkey is roasted until golden brown. The roasting juices are combined with stock, apple cider and gingersnaps to create a sweet-savory gravy with a pleasant gingery kick.
Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
Counts 15 of 16 ingredients — the other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and contribute nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume — 15 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | 100g cooked | 189 |
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Apple Cider | 1 medium (182g) | 95 |
| Maple Syrup | 1 tbsp (20ml) | 52 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Carrot | 1 medium (61g) | 25 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Celery Stalks | 1 stalk (40g) | 6 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Thyme | 1 tsp dried (1.4g) | 4 |
| Bay Leaf | 1 leaf (0.6g) | 2 |
| Sage | 1 tsp ground (0.7g) | 2 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon room-temperature water
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 2 cups maple syrup
- 2 Tbs. peppercorns
- 1 Tbs. juniper berries
- 1 Tbs. whole cloves
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 fresh bay leaves
- 1 gallon ice water
- 1 fresh turkey, 10 to 12 lb., neck and giblets removed
- 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 quart turkey or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cups crumbled gingersnaps
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste