Beer-Basted Turkey Recipe

By
Bryce Eddings
Bryce Eddings
As a freelance writer, lecturer, and homebrewer, Bryce Eddings has been writing about beer and brewing for online and print publications since 2005.
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Updated on 05/22/22
Beer basted turkey recipe

The Spruce / Victoria Heydt
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 5 hrs 30 mins
Total: 6 hrs
Servings: 12 to 18 servings
Yield: 1 turkey
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
65 Calories
5g Fat
1g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 18
Amount per serving
Calories 65
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 36mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 3mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 16mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Beer and food are a natural pairing and as much as we love to drink beer while eating, it's also great to cook with and is always nice with poultry. This recipe is a perfect way to cook your turkey with your favorite ale.

What's great about this recipe is it's just as easy as your average roasted turkey. Essentially, you're taking all of the necessary steps needed to create the best bird and simply using a butter-infused beer for basting. This will create a great flavor on the bird and add to its natural juices, ensuring your turkey comes out nice and moist.

This beer-basted turkey recipe came from Magic Hat Brewing Company of South Burlington, Vermont. The brewer makes a fantastic line of craft beers and they suggest using their #9 Not Quite Pale Ale, but you can substitute in any of your favorite pale ales. To add a different dimension to the basting juices, you may also think about using a fruit beer.

Ingredients

  • 1 (12- to 18-pound) turkey, thawed, giblets removed

  • Stuffing, optional

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  • 2 (12-ounce) bottles pale ale

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for beer basted turkey
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  2. Adjust the oven racks so the turkey will fit in the oven and preheat to 325 F.

  3. Pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels.

    Turkey
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  4. Season both the inside and outside with salt and pepper.

    Season
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  5. Stuff the bird, if desired. If you are not making stuffing, insert something into the body cavity that will flavor the meat. This can be a halved lemon or orange, a stalk of celery, a few garlic cloves, halved onion, or some bay leaves. A compound butter of herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme is an excellent option as well.

    Stuff the turkey
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt 

  6. Place the turkey in a roasting pan.

    Place on pan
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  7. Melt the butter and stir in one bottle of ale. Pour the butter-beer mixture over the turkey.

    Melt butter
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  8. Cook an un-stuffed bird for about 15 minutes per pound, cook a stuffed bird for about 20 minutes per pound.

  9. While roasting, baste the turkey every 20 minutes or so with the beer-butter and pan juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the roasting pan. About halfway through the cooking, pour the remaining bottle of beer over the turkey and continue basting.

    Roast
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  10. Cover the breast and drumsticks with foil if they start browning too early.

    Cover
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  11. When a meat or instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers at least 180 F, the turkey is done. If stuffed, the stuffing should register at least 160 F.

    Roast turkey
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt