Roasted Citrus Herb Turkey Recipes

HERB ROASTED TURKEY WITH CITRUS GLAZE

Steps:

• Remove giblets and neck from turkey, reserve for gravy.
• Rinse turkey with cold running water and drain well.
• Blot dry with paper towels.
• Peel lemons and limes.
• Squeeze juice from lemons and limes to make least 2 tablespoons juice of each.
• Cut the remaining fruit in half and place in the turkey cavity.
• Sprinkle salt in the cavity.
• In a small bowl, mix the wine, brown sugar and citrus juices; reserve for glaze.
• Gently loosen skin from the turkey breast without totally detaching skin and carefully place 1 tablespoon each of marjoram and sage under the skin.
• Replace skin.
• Fold neck skin and fasten to the back with 1 or two skewers.
• Fold the wings under the back of the turkey.
• Return legs to tucked position.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (about 2 1/2" deep) roasting pan.
• Rub turkey with salt, pepper and oil.
• Insert an oven safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful the pointed end of the thermometer does not touch the bone.
• Roast turkey in a pre-heated, 325° F.
• oven for about 3 3/4 hours.
• During the last hour of cooking time, baste with the pan drippings.
• During the last 30 minutes of cooking time, baste with the citrus glaze.
• Loosely cover with aluminum foil to prevent over browning.
• Continue to roast until thermometer registers 180 degrees F in the thigh, or 170 degrees F.
• in the breast.
• Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.

LEMON-HERB ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and minced thyme. Pat turkey dry. Sprinkle salt and pepper over skin of turkey and inside cavity; brush with butter mixture. Place the lemon, onion, garlic and thyme sprigs inside cavity. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together., Place flour in oven bag and shake to coat. Place bag in a roasting pan; add turkey to bag, breast side up. Cut six 1/2-in. slits in top of bag; close bag with tie provided., Bake at 350° for 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 180°. Remove turkey to a serving platter and keep warm. Let stand for 15 minutes before carving. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy. Freeze option: Freeze cooled turkey and gravy in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered skillet, gently stirring and adding a little broth or water if necessary.

CITRUS AND HERB BRINED ROASTED TURKEY WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• 1. Remove the neck, giblets, and liver from the cavity of the turkey and reserve for the gravy. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water. Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• 2. Brine: 1 cup salt 1 cup brown sugar 2 oranges, quartered 2 lemons, quartered 6 sprigs thyme 4 sprigs rosemary To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary. Note: if you have a big turkey and need more brine than this, use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar for every gallon of water.
• 3. ***Turkey Stock for basting and making gravy*** **Make this before you put your bird in the oven** 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Reserved turkey neck and giblets 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped 1 onion, coarsely chopped 1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped 1 small bay leaf 3 cups canned turkey stock, chicken stock, or canned low-salt chicken broth 3 cups water For the turkey stock: Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard to the pan and saute until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the chopped vegetables and bay leaf to the pan and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Pour the stock and 3 cups of water into the pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the stock is reduced to 4 cups, about 1 hour, adding the chopped liver to the pan during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Strain the stock into a clean pot or large measuring cup. Pull the meat off the neck, chop the neck meat and giblets, and set aside. ***You will use this stock to baste the turkey and for the gravy.
• 4. ***Ingredients for inside of Turkey cavity*** 1 (10 to 12-pound) turkey 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature 1 large yellow onion, cut into 8ths 1 large orange, cut into 8ths 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs thyme ** 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken or turkey stock, for basting.
• 5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels, inside and out. Place breast side down in a large, heavy roasting pan, and rub on all sides with the butter. Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the turkey with the onion, orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, and thyme. Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string.
• 6. Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, turn, and baste with 1/2 cup stock. Continue roasting with the breast side up until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the largest section of thigh (avoiding the bone), about 2 3/4 to 3 hours total cooking time. Baste the turkey once every hour with 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock.
• 7. Remove the Turkey from the oven and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
• 8. ***Gravy***
• 9. For the pan gravy: Pour the reserved turkey pan juices into a glass-measuring cup and skim off the fat. Place the roasting pan on 2 stove top burners over medium heat add the pan juice and 1 cup turkey broth and the white wine to the pan, and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining 3 cup of broth and bring to a simmer, then transfer to a measuring cup.
• 10. In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, to make a light roux. Add the hot stock, whisking constantly, then simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved neck meat and giblets to the pan and adjust seasoning, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Pour into a gravy boat and serve.
• 11. The turkey is so moist and flavorful done this way, Happy Thanksgiving everyone, enjoy !