Gather 'Round
Add some spice to your Thanksgiving turkey with this fiery recipe
Looking to kick things up a few notches this Thanksgiving? With the help of talented chefs and bartenders from around the world, Modelo Negra has crafted a selection of delicious dishes and beer cocktails that represent the very best flavors of Mexico and beyond.
That includes a spicy beer-brined grilled turkey for the big day, plus a red chile steak with beans that will please the table any time of the year.
Beer-Brined Grilled Turkey with Red Chile Adobo
Serves 12
Ingredients
- 1 whole fresh turkey breast, bone-in, skin-on, about 6 pounds
- 1 bottle (12 oz.) Modelo Negra beer
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1 ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 cups chicken or turkey broth
- 6 medium (about 3 oz.) dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into flat pieces
- 1 tsp. dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. each, dried: marjoram, leaf thyme
- Olive oil
- 2½ tbsp. expeller pressed canola oil
- 2-3 tbsp. sugar
- Salt
- 1 or 2 cups mesquite wood chips
Directions
— Put 2 ½ quarts water, sugar, salt, and pepper flakes into a very large deep pot. Stir the mixture to dissolve the sugar and salt. Add the beer; mix well.
— Split the turkey breast down the breast bone into two pieces. Put turkey in the beer brine, making sure it is submerged. Refrigerate covered 6-8 hours.
— Soak mesquite chips in water to cover for at least 30 minutes. Heat a gas grill to medium-high or light a charcoal fire and let it burn just until the coals are covered with gray ash and very hot.
— When the grill is ready, either turn the burner(s) in the center to medium-low or bank the coals to the sides for indirect cooking. Add some of the soaked wood chips to the grill (for a gas grill, place them in a smoker attachment box or wrap the chips in foil; for charcoal, place them on the hot coals). For the charcoal grill, set the grill grate in place.
— Remove turkey from the brine and pat thoroughly dry with paper towel. Rub the turkey with garlic and sprinkle with herbs.
— Set the turkey breast halves on a roasting rack set inside a heavy-gauge foil pan. Drizzle lightly with oil.
— Set the pan on the cooking grate. Pour 1 cup water into the turkey pan. Cover the grill and cook over medium heat. To maintain an even temperature with a charcoal grill, add more charcoal regularly (usually a few pieces every half hour or so). Keep adding wood chips as desired to give smokiness.
— Crack open another Modelo Negra and enjoy!
See the Red Chile Steak with Beans recipe, and sort through all of Modelo's original beer cocktails and authentic food recipes, by filtering your preferences here. Be sure to enjoy responsibly.
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Drink responsibly. Modelo Especial and Modelo Negra Beers. Imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, IL.
