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MY
ROUSES
EVERYDAY
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2016
W
ild Turkey Kentucky Straight
Bourbon Whiskey really is a perfect
match for Thanksgiving dinner. For starters,
it’s a uniquely American whiskey.
The bourbon itself is complex, spicy and
a touch herbal. One reason is because its
average age is about eight years old. The
minimum age for bourbon is two years, and
to a point, every year the whisky ages in a
barrel, it picks up some nice complexity.
(Charred-barrel aging, the process that
gives bourbon its rich amber coloring, is
an American innovation). Wild Turkey has
those bourbon flavors we all love — caramel,
vanilla and oak — but it’s also a bit spicy.
The spice comes from the high percentage
of rye in Wild Turkey’s mash bill, or recipe.
Traditionally, bourbon is made from corn,
rye and malted barley. When I say spicy,
I don’t mean hot sauce spicy. Think more
along the lines of the spiciness of rye bread.
Thanksgiving dinner is one of the most
diverse meals you’ll have all year. Wild
Turkey will compliment all of the different
flavors of your meal. With its rich caramel
and vanilla notes, it’s the perfect match
for sweet potato casserole. Its spicy
characteristic, along with a high proof, will
cut right through grandma’s oyster dressing
without overpowering the dish. And the
whiskey’s slight herbal quality also pairs
nicely with the turkey itself.
Wild Turkey bourbon is bottled in two
different ways. There’s the standard 101
proof (50.5% alcohol by volume), which
is the one I’d recommend picking up. You
can proof it down to your tastes by adding
a splash of water or some ice. If that’s
still too strong for you, Wild Turkey also
makes lower 81-proof bourbon. Remember,
alcohol acts as a flavor carrier, so in this case
the 101 is more flavorful than the 81.
The story behind Wild Turkey is one of
American entrepreneurship. Back in 1940,
grocery wholesaler Austin, Nichols &
Company owned a distillery. One of their
executives,Thomas McCarthy,met with some
of his friends each year for a turkey hunt in
South Carolina.McCarthy was asked to bring
some whiskey, so he bottled some 101 proof
bourbon from one of the warehouses. The
group loved the whiskey so much that the
next year they asked for more of that “wild
turkey bourbon.” McCarthy, a businessman
with a background in marketing, knew he had
a hit.The company soon changed the name of
their bourbon to Wild Turkey, and the rest, as
they say, is history.
Wild Turkey
Maple Glazed Turkey
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
18 to 20 pound turkey, giblets removed
1½ cups Wild Turkey bourbon
½ cup orange juice
⅓ cup Steen’s syrup
1
tablespoon chopped thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1
stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
HOW TO PREP
Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast
and thighs (try not to tear it). Place a large
oven-roasting bag in a very large bowl. Set
the turkey in the bag, cavity-end up.
In a large measuring cup, mix the bourbon,
orange juice, Steen’s syrup, thyme and 1½
teaspoons each of salt and pepper. Pour
some of the mixture over the turkey — use
a silicon brush or your hands to completely
coat. Gradually pour additional bourbon
mixture under the turkey skin. Press to
distribute it over the breast and thighs. Close
and tightly wrap the bag and seal with a twist
tie. Refrigerate overnight.
Bring the turkey to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 325°. Take the turkey
out of the bag and place it breast side up in
a large roasting pan. Rub 6 tablespoons of
the butter under the breast skin and rub the
remaining 2 tablespoons over the skin. Use
twine to tie the turkey legs together.
Pour ½ cup of the marinade into the roasting
pan and roast the turkey for 30 minutes.
Baste the turkey with the pan juices and add
1 cup of water to the pan. Roast the turkey for
1 hour longer, basting it every half hour. Add
the remaining marinade to the pan. Loosely
cover the turkey with aluminum foil and roast
for an additional 2 hours, or until an instant-
read thermometer inserted in the thickest
part of the thigh reads 165°.
Carefully transfer the turkey to a carving
board. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for
30 minutes before carving.
Wild
Turkey
by
Bobby Childs
the
Holiday
issue