By my calculations, Americans will consume over a billion pounds of turkey this coming Thanksgiving. Ok, so it’s not an exact number, but there’s still gonna be a whole lot of turkey chewed up next Thursday.
There are also going to be several hundred turkeys ruined because they’re not done right. Oh so many things can go wrong when preparing and cooking Thanksgiving turkey, I don’t even know where to start.
There’s starting the bird defrost process too late, cooking it at too low a temperature, not cooking it long enough, picking out a crappy turkey recipe, and of course there are those turkeys dropped on the floor and devoured by dogs. Trust me, it doesn’t just happen in the movies; and it’s certainly not as funny.
Paula Deen’s Roasted Turkey with Maple Cranberry Glaze
Cook Time: 2 hr 30 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
Turkey
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons minced garlic cloves
1 (15-pound) turkey
Stuffing, if desired
Glaze
3 tablespoons butter
1 (12-ounce bag) cranberries
1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup cranberry juice
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup apple cider
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Turkey
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a small mixing bowl combine the butter, House Seasoning, parsley, shallots, and garlic. Thoroughly rinse and dry the turkey. Tuck the wings underneath the body and place the turkey in a roasting pan. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey. Stuff, if desired.
Roast for 18 minutes per pound (including stuffing weight, if using). The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (and deep into the stuffing) and registers 165 degrees F. and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and loosely tent with foil. Let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Glaze
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until the cranberries burst, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Strain the mixture through a sieve and let cool. Reserve for turkey.
House Seasoning
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Turkey Recipe found on FoodNetwork.com
Sounds yummy! Need help along the way?
Call the Butterball Helpline at 1-800- BUTTERBALL or Tweet with them at twitter.com/butterball
Foster Farms is here to help this year too; they can be reached at 1-800-255-7227.
If you’ve got the turkey cooking down pat but need help with dessert, there’s the Crisco Pie Helpline at 1-877-FOR-PIE-TIPS
Ready? Set. Turkey!!
