Turkey with Brown-Sugar Glaze

Turkey with Brown-Sugar Glaze

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Turkey with Brown-Sugar Glaze
Serves 8-10
Prep time 40 minutes
Cook time 2 hours, 45 minutes
Total time 3 hours, 25 minutes
Meal type Main Dish
Occasion Thanksgiving

Ingredients

  • 1 Whole Turkey (about 12 pounds) (thawed if frozen, rinsed, and patted dry (neck and giblets chopped into 2-inch pieces; liver discarded))
  • 2 Medium Carrots (Roughly Chopped)
  • 2 Celery Sticks (Roughly Chopped)
  • 1 Large Yellow Onion (Roughly Chopped)
  • 1 Nonstick Cooking Spray
  • 1/4 cup or 1/2 stick Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
  • 1 pinch Corse Salt and Ground Pepper
  • 2/3 cups Packed Dark-Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Grated Orange Zest (plus two tablespoons of orange juice)

Directions

Step 1
Let turkey sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Place neck, giblets, carrots, celery, and onion in a heavy-bottomed metal roasting pan. Set a roasting rack over vegetables and coat with cooking spray.
Step 2
Tuck wing tips underneath body of turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Rub turkey all over with 2 tablespoons butter; season with salt and pepper. Place turkey on rack in pan; roast on bottom oven rack until golden brown, 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Add 2 cups water to pan; roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh reads 125 degrees, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring vinegar, brown sugar, and orange juice to a boil over high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and orange zest.
Step 4
When thermometer reads 125 degrees, brush turkey with glaze. Rotate pan and roast, brushing turkey with remaining glaze every 15 minutes, until thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reads 165 degrees, 30 to 45 minutes (tent turkey with foil if browning too quickly). Transfer turkey to a platter. Loosely tent with foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving. Reserve pan with drippings for Pan Gravy.