Balsamic glaze is back, and this year we’re finishing our holiday turkey with the beloved tangy condiment. Inspired by the Italian influence, we stuffed the bird with plenty of aromatics–sage, thyme, rosemary, and a whole head of garlic–then basted it throughout with a buttery, flavorful broth. Brushing on the rich balsamic glaze at the end imparts a beautiful color and delicious sweet-tart finish.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 3 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 10 to 12 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 3 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 10 to 12 servings |
Ingredients
- One 12- to 14-pound turkey
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Four 1-inch-wide strips lemon zest
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 2 heads garlic, halved
- Several sprigs fresh rosemary
- Several sprigs fresh sage
- Several sprigs fresh thyme
- Olive oil, for the turkey
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the lowest position and remove the other racks; preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Remove any turkey parts from the neck and breast cavities and reserve for another use if desired. Dry the turkey well with paper towels inside and out. Sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper and stuff with the lemon zest, onion, 1 head of the garlic and half of the rosemary, sage and thyme. Set the turkey on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan breast-side up. Rub the outside of the turkey with olive oil, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Put the chicken broth, 1 stick of the butter, 1 cup water and the remaining rosemary, sage, thyme and head of garlic in the bottom of the pan. Tent the turkey with foil.
- Roast the turkey, basting thoroughly every 30 minutes, for 2 1/2 hours.
- Meanwhile, heat the balsamic vinegar, honey and remaining stick of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is simmering. Continue to simmer until thick, syrupy and reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- After roasting the turkey for 2 1/2 hours, remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Roast the turkey for another 15 minutes, then baste with about a third of the balsamic glaze using a pastry brush. Roast for another 10 minutes, then glaze again with half of the remaining glaze. Roast for another 10 minutes, then glaze a final time with the remaining glaze. Continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes more.
- Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 781 |
| Total Fat | 44 g |
| Saturated Fat | 16 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 78 g |
| Cholesterol | 292 mg |
| Sodium | 1418 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 781 |
| Total Fat | 44 g |
| Saturated Fat | 16 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 78 g |
| Cholesterol | 292 mg |
| Sodium | 1418 mg |
Reviews
Did this for Thanksgiving and it was excellent. Used the juices to make the gravy and the balsamic with the drippings made it fantastic. The turkey was so tender and juicy.