Bourbon Brined Pumpkin Molasses Glazed Turkey Drumsticks Recipe 475

Steps:

• Pat the drumsticks completely dry and place on a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack. Mix 1/4 cup salt, a few grinds black pepper and the sugar in a small bowl, then rub the mixture all over the drumsticks. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 4 hours and up to overnight. Rinse the legs and pat them completely dry.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix the butter with the cumin, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper and rub the mixture all over the drumsticks, getting underneath the skin if you can. Brush the drumsticks all over with the pomegranate molasses. Add 1 cup water to the bottom of the baking sheet and tent the sheet with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Remove the foil from the pan and brush the turkey legs all over with the pomegranate molasses. Continue baking for 30 minutes, uncovered, then brush one last time. Bake until the skin is crispy and the turkey has reached 165 degrees F (avoiding bone), about 30 minutes more. Brush a final time with the molasses (be sure to use a fresh bowl of molasses and a clean brush to avoid cross-contamination with raw turkey juices) and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice the turkey and serve with the remaining pomegranate molasses on the side.

Steps:

• In a medium pot, over low heat, add all the ingredients, except the turkey. Cook stirring to combine and dissolve the salt. When salt has dissolved, remove from the heat and let cool. Add the turkey drumsticks to a large resealable plastic bag, and pour in the brine. Seal the bag well, and put into a bowl (in case of leaks). Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• After 24 hours, remove the turkey, discard the brine and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a roasting pan, fitted with a rack, add the turkey drumsticks, making sure there is room between each for even cooking. Roast for 90 minutes. Remove from the oven to a serving platter and serve hot or cold.

Steps:

• Brine the drumsticks. In a large pot set over low heat, add the water, bourbon, salt, sugar, peppercorns and bay leaves. Cook stirring occasionally until salt has dissolved, remove from the heat and let cool. Add the turkey drumsticks to a large bowl; pour in the brine. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours. After 24 hours, remove the turkey drumsticks rinse and dry them well. Discard the brine and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Meanwhile make the glaze. Add pumpkin puree, apple cider, cider vinegar, molasses, mustard, brown sugar, onion powder, granulated garlic, 5 spice powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper to medium sauce pan set over medium heat. Simmer the mixture until it is thick and saucy, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Lay the drumsticks onto a parchment lined baking sheet making sure there is room between each for even cooking. Brush them liberally on both sides with the glaze. Place the drumsticks in the heated oven and roast them 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven, brush them with more glaze, turn them over and brush the other sides with more glaze. Roast an additional 15 minutes, then. Turn the oven to 325 degrees F. and continue the process of turning and brushing every 15 minutes for a total cooking time of 1 ½ hour to 2 hour, depending on size. You may run out of sauce before they cook all the way and that is just fine. Once they begin to look quite brown on the outside begin checking the interior temperature with an insta-read thermometer. Roast until the turkey legs register 165 degrees F. Remove from oven. Let rest about 8 minutes then serve warm.

Steps:

• CLEAN TURKEY AND MIX BRINE REMOVING FOAM PLACE ALL BRINE INGREDIENTS IN LARGE STOCK POT, BRING TO A BOIL AND STIR TILL ALL INGREDIENTS HAVE BLENDED, REMOVE FROM HEAT AND LET COOL, PLACE INTO 5 GALLON CONTAINER ALONG WITH TURKEY THEN INTO FRIDGE OVER NIGHT, SMOKE OR COOK TURKEY TILL I.T OF 180 F SMOKE WITH APPLE WOOD FOR 4 HOURS AT 225. PLACE TURKEY ON RACK AND COOK.. PLACE TRAY UNDER TURKEY AFTER SMOKING TO CATCH DRIPPINGS