Maple Glazed Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy
 
 
Adapted from Rachael Ray
Author:
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Thanksgiving
Ingredients
  • ½ c. maple syrup
  • 1½ sticks butter, 1 stick cut into chunks / softened, ½ stick softened
  • 2 TBSP chopped fresh thyme, plus 6 sprigs
  • One 14-lb turkey
  • Salt/Pepper
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 2½ c. apple cider
  • One (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
  • ¼ c. flour
Instructions
  1. In a saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes. Pour into a bowl, then stir in 1 stick of butter and chopped thyme. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Position rack in lower ⅓ of the oven and preheat 400 degrees. Place turkey on large roasting pan. Season with salt / pepper. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the breast and spread half of the maple butter under the skin. Rub the remaining maple butter outside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine onions, celery, and thyme sprigs, season with salt/pepper. Fill turkey cavity with 2 handfuls of onion mixture. Tie the drumsticks together, tuck wings under body. Scatter the remaining onion mixture around the turkey and pour 1 cup of water into the pan.
  4. Place turkey in the oven and lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, basting with pan juices and 1 cup cider (covering foil to pre-vent overbrowning) until instant thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165 degrees, about 2 hours and 40 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a platter; let rest. Strain the pan drippings into a glass measuring cup, discard the solids and skim the fat. Add enough chicken broth to make 3½ cups.
  5. Combine the flour and remaining ½ stick of butter. Place the roasting pan over 2 burners, add the remaining 1½ cups cider and cook over medium heat, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer for 4 minutes. Whisk in the butter-flour paste and the reserved pan juices for 10 minutes, until thickened. Season with salt / pepper. Serve the gravy with the turkey.
Notes
*Tip: After the turkey has thawed, the packaging is removed. The neck and the giblets are usually found inside the body cavity so these can be removed and discarded, or if they are to be used, they should be washed with cold water and patted dry with paper towels. Also, the turkey should be washed inside and out with cold water and then patted dry.
Recipe by Sweet Dash of Sass at http://sweetdashofsass.com/2014/11/maple-glazed-turkey-with-apple-cider-gravy/