Roast Turkey with Cranberry Honey Glaze
This festive roast turkey is dressed for both fall and winter holidays with a glistening coat of sweet-tart cranberry and honey glaze.
Recipe Ingredients:
1 cup Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 (8 to 12-pound) turkey
1 Lemon
Cooking Directions:
- Start by making glaze. Combine cranberry sauce and honey in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until sauce is smooth, whisking frequently. Set aside. Makes about 1 cup.
- Be sure turkey is completely thawed. Remove turkey from original wrapper and remove neck and giblets from cavities. Rinse turkey thoroughly with cold water; drain and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck wing tips under back or tie to body. Refasten drumsticks with metal or plastic clip or band of skin.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Thinly slice 1 lemon. Carefully loosen the skin of the turkey towards the front of the breast. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, gently slide lemon slices under skin on both sides of turkey.
- Place turkey breast-side up on wire rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the inner thigh; do not let thermometer touch bone. Liberally brush with cranberry honey glaze.
- Roast turkey uncovered until skin reaches desired brown color; cover loosely with a tent of aluminum foil for remaining time. Continue to baste with cranberry honey glaze during cooking. Roast until thermometer reaches 180°F (85°C), approximately 2 3/4 to 3 hours. Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes before carving.
Makes 12 to 14 servings.
Tips:
- If stuffing turkey, the stuffing should be prepared and loosely packed into the turkey just before placing turkey in oven. Increase roasting time to 3 to 3 1/2 hours. The stuffing should register 165°F on meat thermometer.
- To ensure food safety, remove stuffing immediately after cooling; do not store in bird.
The following information is provided by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service web site, regarding the timetable for cooking a fresh or thawed turkey in preheated 325°F (160°C) oven. These times are approximate and should always be used in conjunction with a properly placed thermometer.
| Product Weight | Unstuffed Timing | Stuffed Timing |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 2 3/4 to 3 hours | 3 to 3 1/2 hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 to 3 3/4 hours | 3 1/2 to 4 hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours | 4 to 4 1/4 hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours | 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4 1/2 to 5 hours | 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours |
Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.