A Brewmaster’s Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner

As Thanksgiving fast approaches our Head Brewer from the Archibald Microbrasserie in Quebec, Canada, Frederick Moreau shares his classic (and simple) recipe for a tender Thanksgiving turkey, bursting with flavor, roasted to perfection in a bubbling bath of delicious beer.

Ingredients

•  1 fresh turkey
•  2 onions
•  Salt & pepper
•  8-10 355 ml bottles of beer (depending on the size of your bird)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F / 165°C
2. Unwrap your fresh turkey, pat dry with paper towels and place, breast side down, in a roasting pan – make sure you season with salt & pepper
3. Finely chop 2 onions, scatter 1 onion in the bottom of the roasting pan and stuff the other deep inside the turkey
4. Pour three beers over the entire bird so that it pools in the bottom of the pan, ensuring the breast is fully immersed - this stage is vital as it ensures the meat absorbs the delicious beer flavor
5. If you’re in Canada, I recommend using the light, dry and fruity ale, Labatt 50 (this is where the name of my famous recipe comes from!)
6. For my friends who live in the US, I recommend Stella Artois, Breckenridge Breck Lager, Four Peaks Sunbru Kolsch or Budweiser
7. IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE BITTER BEER
8. Roast the turkey in the oven for one hour at which point pour another beer into the pan.
9. Repeat this, every hour
10.   On average, the birds I use, usually take about 6-7 beers to roast
11.   Just before the turkey reaches its final temperature (or when the meat   thermometer inserted in the breast reaches 170° F / 77°C) remove the pan from the oven (Don’t worry it’s going back in)
12.   Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and set aside
13.   Pour the remaining beer and onions into a saucepan and bring to a boil - reduce to a simmer until ready to serve as the most beautiful gravy
14.   Place the turkey in the empty roasting pan, breast side up, and cook an additional 30 minutes at 350°F / 177°C to brown and crisp the skin and then remove from the oven to rest, carve and place on a platter
15.   Serve with the beer and onion sauce – to complete the feast serve with side dishes of carrots, smashed potatoes and green peas