Festive Maple Turkey with sweet and salty gravy
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.
I normally make a simple tried-and-true Epic Holiday Turkey but sometimes you want to change things up.
This Festive Maple Turkey is, for the most part, the same techniques as the Epic Holiday Turkey only a change in flavour. I think this unexpected, and delightful, twist on this classic dish, really makes it something special. To be honest, when I made this turkey at Christmas everyone commented on the flavour and were quite surprised with how much they loved it!
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. When you bring home your turkey, make sure it fits in the pan.
- Plan for the rest of the meal. This is not necessarily to do with the turkey, but just know that your 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 lbs. 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 perhaps a 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. Defrosting it in water throughout the day, takes a few hours, and you have enough going on! Plus, you need something big enough to fit the bird and water, and continuously change out the water. Trust me, defrosting it before is the easiest option.
How to prepare an unstuffed maple turkey
- I always 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 and lifts it up a bit.
- Now you can place your defrosted bird on top, breast side up. Remove any giblets and neck. You can discard them if you do not want them, or remove them from the package and roast them with the bird. (Some people love eating them!)
- Roughly chop an onion. Place some of the chunks in the pan and stuff 2 or 3 chunks inside the cavity of the bird.
- Quarter and removed the seeds from 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 oil, don’t go overboard. Just a few drizzles back and forth. Grind on some salt and pepper, all over the top of the bird.
- Drizzle the top of the bird with maple syrup. (This is what adds so much flavour to the turkey and the gravy!) Use about ¼ cup.
- Pour ¾ of a cup of water into the bottom of the pan.
Now that the prep work is done, it is time for the oven!
How long to cook a turkey
The turkey cook time is dependant on the weight of the bird. If cooked at 350 degrees F, 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 degrees F for the first half hour. Then reduce to 350 degrees F, and cover for the remainder of the time. This allows the bird to get nice and golden, and for the maple syrup to caramelize on 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 degrees F and the breast meat is at least 170 degrees F.
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. (Now, you have your oven back to do any final casserole reheats, in the last half hour before dinner!)
- Finally, you can carve the bird! You’ve done it!
Festive maple turkey
Equipment
- 1 Roasting pan
Ingredients
- 1 turkey
- 3 ribs of celery
- 2 carrots cut in half lengthwise
- 1 onion chopped roughly
- 1 orange quartered
- 2 apples quartered and core removed
- 2-3 Tbsp oil
- salt and pepper
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Place celery and lengthwise cut carrots at the bottom of the roasting pan. This stops the bird from sticking to the bottom and lifts it up a bit.
- Preheat the oven to 425 ℉ (220 ℃).
- Now you can place your defrosted bird on top, breast side up. Remove any giblets and neck. You can discard them if you do not want them, or remove them from the package and roast them with the bird.
- Roughly chop an onion. Place some of the chunks in the pan and stuff 2 or 3 chunks inside the cavity of the bird.
- Quarter and removed the seeds from 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 oil and grind on some salt and pepper.
- Drizzle the top of the bird with maple syrup. (This is what adds so much flavour to the turkey and the gravy!) Use about ¼ cup.
- Pour ¾ of a cup of water into the bottom of the pan.
- Place the turkey uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden.
- Reduce the oven to 350 ℉ (180 ℃)
- Cover the turkey with the lid or seal the top with foil.
- Return the turkey to the oven and cook covered for the remainder of the time.
- 15 minutes before the turkey is done, start checking for doneness. Thigh at least 180 ℉ and breast meat at least 170 ℉.
- When done remove from oven. Recover with the lid, and wrap the roasting pan with towels or small blanket. Rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Remove to a platter and carve.
- You can now make your gravy from the drippings!
- Serve warm alongside the rest of your holiday feast.
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!
For gravy thickened with cornstarch
- First 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 mixture.
- 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.
Holiday Turkey Gravy
Ingredients
- Turkey drippings 2-3 cups approx.
- 1-2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅔ cup cold water
- 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- After the turkey is removed from the roasting pan, strain the liquid into a pot.
- On medium high heat, bring the turkey drippings to a boil. (I usually have a few cups of liquid in my pot.)
- In a small bowl or cup, add the cornstarch. Pour in water and stir with a fork until you have a smooth liquid.
- With a whisk, slowly pour ⅓ of the cornstarch mixture into the pot of boiling drippings. Whisk as it thickens. Continue to pour increments of cornstarch mixture to your pot of gravy, until you have reached your desired thickness.
- Reduce to medium low. Add the tamari and salt and pepper to taste.
- Cool slightly, and serve.
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, about 3 minutes.
- 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. Simmer the gravy 5-8 minutes, or until it is smooth and thickened.
- Adjust the seasonings to your taste.
Sweet and salty turkey gravy
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2-3 cups festive maple turkey drippings
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 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, about 3 minutes.
- 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. 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 Favorite Mashed Potato Casserole, From-Scratch Herb Stuffing Bread, plus stuffing recipe