Easy Roasted Turkey Thighs with Coffee Rub
An easy oven-roasted turkey thighs recipe brined overnight to give it extra juiciness; rubbed with a coffee rub, baked in the oven, and glazed with honey-butter.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr
Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Fusion
Servings: 2 turkey thighs
Calories: 136kcal
- 2 turkey thighs (bone-in, approx. ¾ lb each)
Brine
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 8 cups water
- 3-4 large bay leaves
- 4-5 cloves garlic (lightly crushed, or roughly chopped)
Coffee Rub
- ½ tablespoon ground coffee (medium ground *see notes)
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon Madras curry powder
- ½ tablespoon cayenne (optional, if you like it spicy)
Honey Butter Glaze
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter (unsalted)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
Brine The Turkey
In a large bowl, mix together the salt and water until the salt has dissolved
Add in bay leaves
Peel and gently crush (or roughly chop) the garlic and put it in the brine
Add the turkey into the brine
Brine overnight
Make the Honey Butter Glaze
Melt the butter in a small pot or microwave. (If you use a microwave, heat it up in increments of 15 seconds so that it doesn't splatter everywhere)
Once the butter has melted or is soft, mix in the honey and soy sauce and set aside.
Prepare the Turkey for Oven Roasting
Preheat oven to 350F
Remove the turkey thighs from the brine and pat it down with paper towels to remove the excess moisture and brine.
Sprinkle the coffee rub over the top and bottoms of the turkey thigh and place the turkey in an oven-proof roasting pan. You can choose to rub the coffee rub into the turkey or sprinkle it evenly over the turkey in a thin layer.
Once the oven has reached 350F, add the turkey in and set a timer for 40 minutes
Once 40 minutes have passed, use a brush and dab the honey butter glaze over the turkey thighs. If the butter has separated, use a fork to mix everything together until it is a paste again - it doesn't need to be smooth.
Put it back in the oven for another 20 minutes It should have baked in the oven for a total of 60 minutes. Use a thermometer to check the temperature. The final internal temperature of the turkey should be between 165-170F. (Optional) If you like sweet and savoury dishes, try brushing on a ¼ teaspoon to ½ teaspoon of honey on top of the turkey after you have removed it from the oven!
Save the drippings and serve it with the turkey, and sprinkle it with some chives! Enjoy!
- Do not use coffee grinds that have already been used for coffee, it will not have any flavour. Use only freshly ground or pre-ground coffee grounds, it has a lot more flavour which will make a better tasting turkey.
- I like using medium or light roast coffee, in medium coarse texture. I find the medium course sticks to the turkey better and dark roast coffee can be too bitter for rubs.
- To keep these turkey thighs juicy and tender, it is very important that you do not skip the brining step.
Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1644IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg