Tennessee Whiskey Turkey Brine

This is a recipe that I adapted from The Pioneer Woman's Maple-whiskey Turkey Brine.  I didn't have all the ingredients when I got started on concocting my brine a couple of years ago.  So, I made some substitutions and I think it is delicious!

Ingredients:
2 cups + 1 shot Jack Daniels Whiskey (I am from Tennessee, ya'll.)
1 1/2 cups Maple Syrup (I have been known to use home-made Pancake Syrup.)
2/3 cup Kosher Salt
3 Tablespoons Peppercorns
5 Bay Leaves
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
2 medium-sized Naval Oranges, cut into quarters
2 medium[sized Granny Smith Apples, cut into slices
3 hefty springs of Rosemary
1 quart of apple or cranberry juice
Water (about two gallons)

Instructions:

• Pour 2 cups whiskey and maple syrup into 4-quart pot.
• Stir in salt, peppercorns, and garlic powder.
• Add orange and apple pieces.
• Add enough water till pot is at least 2/3 full - 3-5 cups.
• Add Rosemary and bay leaves and gently stir.
• Heat to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Make certain that salt is dissolved, put a lid on pot and remove from heat.  
• Allow to cool. (You can even put in fridge to chill it so that the turkey and brine are the same temperature when combined.)

Bucket of Brine

• Make sure the turkey is thawed!  Remove innards of turkey and wash turkey thoroughly and place in large brining container. (I  use a plastic bucket with a lid that I use for making pickles.)
• Pour brine mixture over turkey.  (Add water and stir, if needed, to submerge turkey completely.)

Bird in the Brine

• Put lid on bucket and set inside the fridge.  Let turkey marinade for at least 24 hours - longer is fine because I've left it for two days before.
• Drink the extra shot of whiskey and call it a day!

When ready to cook:

• Remove from turkey from brine and rinse well.  
• Pat dry - if frying, let set to air dry.
• If roasting, I mix up an herb butter and slide it under the skin of the turkey and slather it all over him.
• If frying, Mike likes to inject the bird with butter as well as mix a combination of mustard and butter and coat the outside of the bird with it before frying.
• Cook the turkey till internal temperature of the breast is at 165 degrees.
• Allow to rest for about 20 minutes before carving

I'll bet this is also a good recipe to use with chicken that is going to be grilled much like this one.