Maple Sage Turkey Recipe for the Holidays. Maple is a healthy sweet and sage can add a special herb flavor to this classic center piece dish. You can season the bird early and make things easier on for the cooking day. Just roast and finish with glaze.
Serves 12
Ingredients:
- 1 – 14 pound frozen turkey
- 3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons maple sugar or packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp. dried sage, crushed
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups hot water
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 4 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Directions:
- Partially thaw turkey, at least 1 to 2 days. (Most of the skin should no longer be icy and
should give to the touch.) Remove packaging, pat dry. - For rub, in small bowl mix salt, sugar, sage and black pepper. Rub evenly over turkey. Place turkey on a rack on roasting pan; cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 3 days more until fully thawed. Remove the plastic wrap the night before cooking.
- Preheat oven to 450° F. Remove neck and giblets from turkey. Loop kitchen string around drumsticks, tie securely to tail. Pour hot water into roasting pan; transfer to over. Reduce heat to 350° F. Roast uncovered for 2 hours. (If breast browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.)
- For glaze, in a small sauce pan heat maple syrup, butter, orange peel, chipotle and peppercorns until warm; whisk to combine. After 2 hours of roasting brush turkey with glaze every 20 minutes for 40 minutes to ah hour or until meat thermometer inserted in thigh (not touching bone) registers 175° . Remove from oven. Tent loosely with foil let stand 15 minutes. Reserve drippings, skimming fat for gravy.