Festive Maple Turkey with sweet and salty gravy

Updated November 14, 2024

By Rebecca St. Clair

Turkey is certainly a special occasion meal at my house. Christmas or thanksgiving, this is the main show. That big glorious golden bird. So, it has to be a show stopper!

I have made many turkeys over the years and I have learned a few things from experimenting with different ways of cooking this festive meal.

This Festive Maple Turkey is an unexpected, and delightful, twist on the classic roast bird. Everyone will be commenting on the delicious flavour that the hint of maple, citrus, and apple bring to your holiday feast.

How to make a turkey

The whole process actually starts before the day you are going to cook your turkey. If you do not have the extra time, there are a few short-cuts.

Everything you need to do before the big day

• How much turkey do I need per person? Aim for 1½ pounds per adult. (That is not 1½ pounds of cooked turkey meat.) That is the weight of the uncooked bird.
• Make sure the turkey fits in your pan. (I have done this before!) You don’t want to find out, right before you cook your meal, that the turkey is too big for the pan.
• Factor in rest time. The turkey will likely be taking up your entire oven space for many hours, leading up to the big meal. You get about 30-40 minutes after the turkey is done cooking to use the oven for other things. (This is when the cooked bird is resting)
• Defrost your turkey a few days before. Turkey defrost time is about 24 hours per 5 pounds (2.3 kg). This will save you time and frustration. Yes, you can cook a bird from frozen, and you can defrost a turkey in water the day of the meal. But a few days before, in the refrigerator is far easier. If you cook it from frozen, there will, more than likely, be a package of giblets and neck, frozen inside of your bird. You are going to have to fish out during cooking time, when it has become unfrozen enough. It will also be very tough to stuff anything in a frozen bird.

How to prepare an unstuffed maple turkey

• Place celery and some lengthwise cut carrots to make a stand at the bottom of the roasting pan. This stops the bird from sticking to the bottom.
• Place the turkey on top, breast side up. Remove any giblets and neck from inside.
• Roughly chop an onion into chunks. Place some in the pan and stuff 2 or 3 chunks inside the cavity of the bird.
• Quarter and core 2 or 3 apples. Place some chunks in the roasting pan and some in the bird.
• Quarter an orange. Place half around the bird and half inside the cavity.
• Drizzle the top of the bird with 2 – 3 Tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper, all over the top of the bird.
• Drizzle with ¼ cup maple syrup.
• Pour ¾ of a cup of water into the bottom of the pan.

How long to cook a turkey

The turkey cook time is dependant on the weight of the bird. If cooked at 350 °F (180 °C), it is 13 minutes per pound. Then add on an extra hour. This will account for the resting time, the time you need to carve and plate the turkey, and some extra incase of any mishaps.

What temperature to cook a turkey

Bake at 425 °F (220 °C) for the first 30 mins. Then reduce to 350 °F (180 °C), and cover for the remainder of the time. This allows the bird to get nice and golden, and for the maple syrup to caramelize the top. If your lid doesn’t fit with the large turkey, seal with foil instead.

When to baste the turkey

Basting…I never baste my bird. That’s right, never! I used to because, I thought you needed to or your turkey would be dry. Not true!

Basting also extends the amount of time you need to cook the turkey. You are opening the oven multiple times, which changes the temperature of the oven. You have to take the roasting pan in and out. Take time to suck up the juices and pour it over the entire bird, this also adds to the time!

I never baste my bird. I give it a few quick checks to make sure everything is cooking well and the pan is not drying out. Other than that keep the heat in the oven!

How to know when the turkey is done

Use a meat thermometer. Starting 15 minutes before the turkey is supposed to be done, check it with a meat thermometer.

Always check in the meatiest part of the thigh as well as the breast. Make sure the thermometer is through the meat and not touching the bones.

The turkey is ready when the temperature of the thigh is at least 180 °F (82 °C) and the breast meat is at least 170 °F (77 °C).

What to do with the turkey after it comes out of the oven.

• Once done, and removed from the oven, keep the turkey covered. You are now going to wrap the roasting pan, with the lid on, in a towel or small blanket. This will keep all the heat inside. (I have left the bird for almost an hour and it was still hot and steaming when I removed the lid!)
• Now, leave it alone! It needs to sit and rest for 20-30 minutes, before you can start carving it. This will keep all the juices in the meat when you are carving it.
• Finally, you can carve the bird! You’ve done it!

How to make gravy from turkey drippings

Now that the turkey is done, we are left with some flavourful liquid in the bottom of the pan. Let’s turn it into a sweet and salty gravy! We don’t need to add much to it, since we already did all the work of flavouring it, by adding the onions, apples, orange, and maple. Not to mention, all the flavour from the turkey!

How to make gravy thickened with cornstarch

• Remove the bird from the pan and strain off the liquid into a sauce pot.
• Place the turkey drippings over medium high-heat.
• In a small bowl add 2-3 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Add 2/3 of a cup of cold water and mix with a fork until it is a smooth.
• Whisk part of the cornstarch liquid into the turkey drippings. It will thicken as it boils. 
• Continue to add more of the cornstarch mixture until you have the thickness you like for your gravy.
• Adjust the seasonings to your taste.

How to make gravy thickened with flour

• Remove the turkey from the pan and strain off the liquid to use for the gravy.
• In a sauce pot, over medium heat, melt ¼ cup of butter.
• Once it starts to colour, whisk in ¼ cup of all-purpose flour.
• Cook and whisk until the flour mixture starts to bubble.
• Slowly, whisk in 1 cup of the hot turkey drippings. Whisk until you have a smooth mixture. Then, add in the rest of the drippings.
• Cook the mixture until it starts to boil.
• Turn the heat to low and simmer the gravy 5-8 minutes, or until it is smooth and thickened.
• Adjust the seasonings to your taste.

Need some turkey dinner sides? These are some of my favourites! Big Batch Pull Apart Dinner Rolls, Homemade Ruby Red Cranberry Sauce, Family Favourite Mashed Potato Casserole, From-Scratch Herb Stuffing Bread, plus stuffing recipe

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