Honey-Soy Glazed Turkey
Making a whole turkey is one of the most daunting tasks when it comes to Thanksgiving. A lot of this comes from the fact that turkey is often seen as the centerpiece dish of the table (even if some of the sides are arguably better), in addition to the hefty price tag that comes with this festive bird. It makes sense that nerves may be high when prepping this dish, but I am here to alleviate that stress for you
Servings: 10
Ingredients
Turkey Ingredients
- 10-12 lb turkey or whatever size you need, fresh or fully thawed
- Diamond Crystal Salt…. 1 tbsp per 5lbs
- Brown Sugar…. 1/2 tsp per 5lbs
- Baking powder.. 1/2 tsp per 5lbs
- 4 large carrots peeled and chopped 1-2 inch pieces
- 4 stalks celery chopped into 1-2 inch pieces
- 2 large onions 1 roughly chopped, the other halved
- 2 apples 1 cubed, the other halved
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
- fresh sage
- fresh rosemary
- fresh thyme
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2-3 cups of Turkey stock can sub for veggie or chicken
Soy Honey Basting Butter Ingredients (adjust up for a bigger bird)
- 1 stick butter
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 large spring rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
Instructions
1-2 days before
- Remove the turkey from all packaging. Remove the giblets and neck (commonly located in the center cavity and the front of the bird.) Gently separate the skin from the body of the bird from the back and front. Take care not to make any holes. Using paper towels, completely dry the inside and outside of the turkey. Place on a wire rack sheet tray.
- In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, baking powder, and brown sugar until evenly mixed. Evenly sprinkle the salt mixture all over the entire bird — both outside and inside the cavity + under the skin. Place the turkey uncovered into the fridge for at LEAST 12 hours, but 24-48 hours are preferred.
The day of
- Remove the bird 1 hour before you plan to put it in the oven. While the bird comes to room temperature, cut up the carrots, celery, onion, apples, and lemon, + get out the herbs. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Combine the carrots, celery, onion, and chopped apple in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Drizzle over olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss well to coat. If you have a wire rack, place it on top.
- Fill the bird's cavity with a few springs of sage, thyme, and rosemary, then add an apple halve and the lemon. Cross the legs and use twine to make a tight knot. Place the other apple half in the front of the bird and tuck excess skin in. Drizzle the turkey skin with olive oil and add a final sprinkle of kosher salt. Pour 1 cup of stock onto the veggies at the bottom.
- Place the tray in the 400F oven for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through. Meanwhile, make the butter baste.
- Combine the butter, soy, honey, garlic, and rosemary in a small pot over medium heat until bubbling and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the oven to 350 F and begin basting the bird every 15-20 minutes, AND rotate the pan in the oven every 30 minutes for evening browning. If you see the skin getting too dark, cover it with foil. Also, if the stock becomes too reduced, add more liquid. I added an additional 1.5 cups of stock.
- The general rule is about 13 minutes per pound of unstuffed turkey. My 10 lb was cooked at 350 for about 1 hour and 40 minutes (+ the first 30 minutes). A good rule of thumb to check if it’s done is to make sure the leg juices run clear and you get an internal temp between 155 and 160 F on a thermometer. Carry over cooking, as it will take it the rest of the way.
- Allow the bird to rest covered with foil for 30 minutes before carving and serving.
- ENJOY!!
Nutrition
Calories: 6060kcal | Carbohydrates: 134g | Protein: 756g | Fat: 261g | Saturated Fat: 80g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 71g | Monounsaturated Fat: 81g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 2687mg | Sodium: 18610mg | Potassium: 12513mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 78g | Vitamin A: 41190IU | Vitamin C: 108mg | Calcium: 1138mg | Iron: 69mg
