Mums and Babies

Honey Turkey

This is a typical and simple recipe of all times. This one in particular has a distinctive combination like honey and orange.

This recipe is also suitable with meat of you choice, like duck, goose or even chicken which is used in many countries for the holiday meals. Just pay attention to the cooking time, since chickens are usually pretty small compared to turkeys.

It will take you just 20 minutes of preparation and almost 7 hours to be completely ready. But I promise you will have a dish to show yourself off.

Ingredients

• 2 tsps rubbed sage
• 2 tsps salt
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• 1 (16 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed.
• ¼ cup butter
• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 ½ tsps honey
• 1 orange, peeled, sectioned, and cut into bite-size pieces.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) or at medium heat for at least 15 minutes.

Combine sage, salt, and thyme in a small bowl. Rub half of the sage mixture all over the turkey, then place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Set remaining sage mixture aside.

Bring butter, orange juice, orange marmalade, honey and orange sections to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. After a couple of minutes reduce heat and simmer uncovered until thickened. Stir occasionally. Cook for at least 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in the remaining sage mixture. Brush the turkey with the glaze obtained.

Bake the turkey in the preheated oven, basting every 30 minutes. It will take approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes. After this period of cooking time, cover turkey lightly with foil and continue baking until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 30 minutes to 1 hour, occasionally brushing with the glaze. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh, near the bole should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).

Remove the turkey from the oven. Cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in the warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

This recipe will suit for 20 servings.

Roasting a turkey is the easiest cooking method: the oven remains a constant temperature, and it’s easy to baste the turkey and check the internal temperature periodically, which should be around 165 degrees F (75 degrees C) at the thigh.

But for the adventurous, grilling or deep-frying provides a different experience and flavors, while it frees up the oven for other dishes.

Deep-frying a whole turkey can be messy and present some hazards. If you choose this cooking method, you should do so always outdoors on a flat, non-flammable surface (not on a deck or inside a garage).

On the other hand, the benefit of smoking a turkey is that it is almost impossible to overcook anything in a smoker. The temperature remains low and the cooking is slow, resulting in perfectly moist and tender meat with a rich flavor.