Skip to content
Recipes

Smoked Turkey with Bourbon Brine

Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge

Truly the Best Smoked Turkey recipe, packed with flavor, from a bourbon citrus brine, to an herbed butter, to a great turkey seasoning.
This Smoked Turkey is packed with incredible flavor, from a bourbon citrus brine, to an herbed butter tucked under skin, to the best turkey seasoning. Your Thanksgiving turkey is going to be the star this year.

This recipe comes from our friends at Vindulge, made up by wife and husband team Mary Cressler and Sean Martin. Located in Hillsboro, Mary & Sean create delicious ways for you to enjoy cooking and entertaining in your backyard with your family and friends. Combined, they have two decades of experience in recipe development, entertaining, education, writing, and professional cooking.

Ingredients

For the Brine

  • 8 quarts water
  • 1 ½ cups kosher salt(we use Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
  •  cup brown sugar(we use dark brown but light works also)
  • 1 cup bourbon
  • 2 oranges, cut into quarters
  • 1 lemon, cut into quarters
  •  cup whole peppercorns
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 2 dried bay leaves

For the Herbed Butter

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • ½ tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • ½ tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

Turkey Seasoning

Cavity Stuffing

  • 2 oranges, quartered (we use navel)
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • 1 red or yellow onion, quartered
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 10 sprigs thyme
  • 2 large sprigs of rosemary