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Honey-roasted turkey with citrus

by Lorena

Turkey is the king at your Christmas table. And how can it not be if it’s super tasty and is joined by a delicious gravy? For me, a Christmas table can have different side dishes every year but if there’s something I’m not over yet is turkey. So here I try to give you all the tips and tricks so that you can get a perfect, tasty, juicy honey-roasted turkey to share with your loved ones.

The importance of thawing

First, I will talk about thawing (assuming your turkey was frozen). Turkey, just like chicken, is a bacteria-prone protein. It’s also more prone to host salmonella (the reason why we don’t eat chicken medium-rare). Thus, we need to be really careful when we unfreeze the turkey completely before making this honey-roasted turkey. There are 3 health-safe thawing methods you can use. I highly recommend the first one.

honey-roasted turkey

Safe thawing

  1. Thaw in the fridge: this is the one that takes the longest (by far) but it’s also the most hygiene-conscious. What you do is store it in the fridge (not freezer) on a tray without taking it out of its sealed package. If it’s just turkey breast / crown, then it will only need a day and a half. If it’s a whole turkey and it weighs between 4 and 5kg it will need 2 1/2 days to thaw. If it weighs between 6 and 7kg it will need 4 days. If it’s between 8 and 9kg it will need 5 days. If it weighs between 10 and 11kg it will need 6 days. Now, if it’s bigger than 11kg, ask if it’s a turkey or a Pterodactyl ;). The advantage of this method is that it can remain up to 2 days after thawing in the fridge without any risk of bacteria reproducing. At that point, you can go ahead and make this honey-roasted turkey.
  2. Thawing in cold water: this is also done with the turkey inside the sealed package. It’s important because it prevents the water from carrying bacteria into the turkey. The disadvantage with this one is that you have to change the water every 30min. This is to ensure that it’s cold enough and that bacteria will not start to reproduce on the outside of the turkey. You put the turkey inside a large enough container to submerge the turkey in cold tap water. It takes 30min for every 500g of turkey. So if you have a 10kg Pterodactyl you’ll have to change the water 20 times. The other complicated thing is that because the turkey will be at room temperature at the end, you must begin the marinade straight away.
  3. Microwave: this is only good if you’re adapting this honey-roasted turkey to just turkey breasts or crown or a small turkey that can actually fit in there. Use unfreeze mode and start with the marinade straight away like on the option before.
honey-roasted turkey

The problem is that because we know that it’s dangerous to eat turkey or chicken that isn’t properly cooked through, some tend to overcook them to “kill everything”. However, what we need to do is cook it until every section of the turkey has reached at least 73°C/163°F. At that temperature, we have already killed all bacteria. For this, you will need a food thermometer. The other important point is that at this temperature the turkey is still really tender and juicy. And of course, that’s exactly what we’re looking for with this honey-roasted turkey.


Honey-roasted turkey with citrus

I love the colour that the honey-roasted turkey acquires with this recipe because of the honey. Usually, I don’t use honey and it takes more of a deep yellow colour but this is just stunning. And don’t get me started on the gravy! The gravy is delicious because it’s made from juices that the turkey releases in the cooking process. Therefore, it packs it with flavour. Now, if you feel like this is too advanced of a recipe for you, make my orange roasted chicken but with turkey instead.


honey-roasted turkey

Honey-roasted turkey with citrus

5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Keyword: citrus, honey, roasted, tukey
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 10 people

Ingredients

For the marinade

  • 7 kg whole turkey
  • 200 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper
  • 4 tbsp honey
  • zest from 2 oranges
  • zest from 3 limes
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ground garlic

For the turkey and chicken stock

  • 3 chicken wings
  • turkey neck
  • 100 g white onion, chopped to a medium size
  • 100 g celery, chopped to a medium size
  • 100 g carrot, chopped to a medium size
  • 1 bayleaf
  • 3 l water at room temperature

To inject into the turkey

  • 350 ml stock from above
  • 150 ml gin

To fill the turkey cavity

  • 1 garlic head, cut in half
  • 1 orange cut in 8 (it can be the one from the zest)
  • 2 limes cut in 4 (it can be the one from the zest)
  • 1 green apple
  • 2 bayleaves
  • 6 rosemary sprigs
  • 4 thyme sprigs

To thicken the sauce

  • 2-6 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in cold water

Instructions

Marinade

  • First remove the turkey tail. Also remove the wishbone which is in an inverted “V” shape at the front of the breasts. To get to it you might need to open the skin a bit. For further reference you can watch the video above. Both can be used in the stock, you only need to remove the excess fat from the tail.
  • Remove the bag of giblets that’s inside the turkey’s cavity. The organs can be used for a side dish and the neck goes into the stock.
  • Remove what’s left of the neck (if any) and also use for the stock. Remove also any excess skin around the neck but leave 5cm extra because it shrinks in the oven.
  • Use your hands to separate the skin from the breasts and as much of the leds as you can.
  • Mix all the marinade ingredients and rub on the skin and also under the skin.
  • Cover the turkey in cling film and pop in the fridge for at least one day and a maximum of three so that the meat takes in all the flavour we put in the marinade.

For the stock

  • Put everything in a pot on low-medium heat. Once it starts to bubble time 2 hours.
  • Pass through a sieve and measure the amount of stock we need to inject into the turkey. The rest can be used to increase the volume of the sauce if necessary.

For the cooking of the turkey

  • Fill the turkey cavity with all the ingredients.
  • Tie the turkey using string if you’re going to serve it whole at the table. You can see the method on the video above.
  • Mix the stock at room temperature with the gin and inject on different spots on the turkey meat.
  • Take to a preheated oven at 200C for one hour on an oven tray.
  • Lower the temperature 180C and control the temperature in the turkey every 20min at first until it’s close to 73C, then check every 10min.
  • To make sure that all bacteria have been killed, you need to take the temperature of the turkey at different spots of the turkey (legs, breasts) to make sure that they have all reached at least 73C.
  • Let the turkey rest outside the oven tray for 20min before carving.

For the sauce

  • Pass the juices from the tray through a sieve and place in a pot. Take out the excess of butter that is floating on top of the juices using a spoon.
  • Once it’s difficult to remove more butter without taking some of the juices below, you can stop.
  • Add 2 tbsp of cornstarch dissolved in cold water (to prevent lumps) and wait for it to boil so you can see the maximum thickness it can reach.
  • If you want it thicker, at 2 tbsp at a time, also dissolved in cold water, until you like the consistency. I added 4 tbsp in total.

To carve the turkey

  • Separate the legs from the body and dislocate the bone. Carve with a sharp knife following the shape of the body.
  • Repeat the process with the wings.
  • Cut along the bone that separates the breasts and then start going down one side, carving really cose to the bone so as not to leave any meat behind and then following the shape of the ribs.
  • Cut each piece as you wish to serve and that’s it! In general turkey is served at room temperatura (if you reheat it you could dry it out) but the sauce is served hot.

Notes

Cooking time guide in case you don’t have a thermometer (not recommended as it depends on the oven and how well your turkey was thawed): 5.5kg 1h25min in total, 7kg 2h, 9kg 3h
Tried this recipe?Mention @CravingsJournal or tag #RecipeCJ!
honey-roasted turkey

1 comment

eileen December 1, 2023 - 8:45 am

If I only want to make a turkey breast What should I do different? Is it better to use bone in or boneless
Thank You

Reply

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