Turkey and maple syrup...what a combination!

I know there are so many recipes out there for turkey but being a stickler for sticking to something that is tried and true, I've always had a hard time deviating from the recipe that I've always used. Although I was so glad to come across this recipe in an email I had received. I had never tried basting a turkey with maple syrup but being Canadian, I knew I had to try it... This recipe was a hit at our family gathering and perhaps our new family favorite...

Maple-Roasted Turkey with Smoked Bacon and Stuffing

Cook Time: 4 hr 30 min

Ingredients:
4 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
½ chourico, diced
3 packages of stuffing (2 packages of seasoning)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1 (12 to 14 pound) PC Real Butter basted turkey
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup hot water
8 strips smoked bacon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and remove the top rack.

In a saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons butter, add the onions and chourico, cook and stir for 15 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from heat. Put the cornbread in a large mixing bowl and scrape the sauteed onion mixture on top. Add the packages of seasoning, egg, heavy cream, and just enough chicken stock to moisten the stuffing without making it soggy (about 1/2 cup.) Toss well to combine.

Remove the neck and gizzards from the inside of the turkey and discard. Rinse the with cold water, pat dry. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Fill the bird with the stuffing without packing too tightly; cook the remaining stuffing separately in a buttered baking dish. Truss the turkey; place it on a rack in a large roasting pan with remaining chicken stock and wine, and put into the oven.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and hot water to thin the glaze out a bit; use this to baste the turkey every 30 minutes (starting at the 1 hour mark). The turkey should take about 4 ½ hours to cook. If the legs or breast brown too quickly, cover with foil.

About 2 hours into cooking, shingle the strips of bacon oven the turkey breast to cover; continue to roast and baste. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F (the thigh juices will also run clear when pricked with a knife.) Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before carving, so the juices can settle back into the meat.

Skim off the excess fat from the pan drippings with a spoon and place the roasting pan over 2 burners set on medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. Whisk the flour into the drippings, stirring as it thickens to prevent lumps. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper and hit it with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Simmer for 5 minutes and then strain to remove any particles.

Enjoy!

Note: Please be careful as the turkey may look ready visually because of all of the sugar in the baste the skin darkens very quickly but that is not a direct reflection on whether the turkey is cooked on the inside. In this case, a thermometer reading is imperative!

Yummy Turkey...

I've made many turkeys since moving into this apartment but never as yummy or juicy as this one...

Roasted Turkey

Ingredients

1 (6.5 kg) turkey
Garlic salt
4 tbsp hot pimento paste, divided
2 lemons, quartered1 medium onion, quartered
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
2 tbsp garlic, pureed
1 cup red wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Spanish onion
8 carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks 1 bag of small yellow potatoes

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove turkey parts from neck and breast cavities and wash the turkey inside and out. Dry bird well with paper towels, inside and out. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the lemons and onion.

Melt the butter. Add the pureed garlic and 2 tbsp of hot pimento paste. Sprinkle the turkey with salt and brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture. Tie the legs together with string and cover the wing tips with foil.

Mix the wine, chicken stock and water and pour ½ into the roasting pan. Set aside the remaining ½ for later.

Peel and slice the remaining onions, toss them with olive oil, and scatter them around the turkey.
Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and tent the turkey with foil. Continue to roast, consistently basting the turkey with the wine mixture for about 3 hours more.

Toss the onion, carrots and potatoes with the vegetable oil and add to the roasting pan. Return the pan to the oven and continue to roast for about 1 1/2 hours more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with foil for 20 minutes. Stir the vegetables and return the pan to the oven. Continue to cook the vegetables while the turkey rests. Slice the turkey and serve on a platter with the roasted vegetables.

Enjoy!