Turkey with Brown-Sugar Glaze

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Turkey with Brown-Sugar Glaze

This year, try a flavorful glaze made with orange juice, brown sugar, and vinegar on your Thanksgiving bird. Martha Steward

Prep Time40 mins
2 hrs 5 mins
Total Time2 hrs 45 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Holidays, Poultry, Thanksgiving, Turkey
Servings: 10
Author: Martha Steward

Ingredients

  • 1 whole turkey (about 12 pounds), thawed if frozen, rinsed, and patted dry (neck and giblets chopped into 2-inch pieces; liver discarded)

  • 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

  • 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

  • Coarse salt and ground pepper

  • 2/3 cup cider vinegar

  • 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

  • 1/2 tsp grated orange zest, plus 2 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

  • Let turkey sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Place neck, giblets, carrots, celery, and onion in a heavy-bottomed metal roasting pan. Set a roasting rack over vegetables and coat with cooking spray.

  • Tuck wing tips underneath body of turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Rub turkey all over with 2 tablespoons butter; season with salt and pepper. Place turkey on rack in pan; roast on bottom oven rack until golden brown, 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Add 2 cups water to pan; roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh reads 125 degrees, about 1 hour.

  • Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring vinegar, brown sugar, and orange juice to a boil over high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and orange zest.

  • When thermometer reads 125 degrees, brush turkey with glaze. Rotate pan and roast, brushing turkey with remaining glaze every 15 minutes, until thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reads 165 degrees, 30 to 45 minutes (tent turkey with foil, if browning too quickly). Transfer turkey to a platter. Loosely tent with foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving. Reserve pan with drippings for Pan Gravy.