This roasted garlic turkey with an orange glaze is a fun twist on the traditional bird served at the holiday dinner table. If you are looking for something with a little more excited than a basic turkey, but without more work this is the recipe for you!
Turkey often gets written off as a dry, tasteless bird but I think that is only because many people had to suffer through dinners with dry, tasteless turkeys. When cooked properly turkey can be an absolute treat. While testing out this recipe my husband and I had to find lots of creative ways to reuse our leftovers. We’ve had about 2 weeks now where all we have ate is turkey. I’ll be happy to get to take a short break from it until the big day actually rolls around.
If you are an absolute beginner to cooking the Thanksgiving turkey or still need to learn so of the basics check out my guide on how to make the perfect turkey. There I cover all of the in’s and out’s of different ways to brine, cook, and season a turkey in detail. But even if you are a beginner this roasted garlic turkey is still easy enough you won’t have any problems at all.
This recipe was designed to be gluten free and dairy free, which makes it perfect for anyone with dietary restrictions or following a paleo or Whole30 diet. If these don’t apply to you, don’t worry it will still make a delicious turkey all the same!
How do you season under the turkey skin?
In this roasted garlic turkey recipe we will put all of the seasonings under the turkey skin. This is important to do because it prevents the garlic and herbs from getting burned and crispy. I have found that letting it sit on top of the skin for such a long cook time leads to blackened bits in the end which aren’t very tasty.
Separating the skin from the meat is easy. I suggest just using your fingers though you can use a spatula or spoon. Starting at the opening of the bird gently work your fingers underneath the skin and inbetween the skin and the meat. Be very careful not to tear the skin. There usually is a stronger band of connective tissue running straight down the center line of the two breasts. I usually just leave that alone and separate the skin on either side. Once it has been separated it is easy to slide in the seasonings.
How do you glaze a turkey?
For this turkey you will be adding an orange glaze that is seriously to die for. Not only does it make the turkey taste absolutely incredible it also helps a lot in giving it that deep bronze colored skin. There is nothing better than presenting your guests with a darkly colored turkey that looks like it came straight out of a magazine.
While I think that basting is a waste of time and energy, I do think that glazing is completely worth the effort. The key is to find a balance between opening the oven too often and reapplying the glaze enough times. Some recipes will tell you to glaze the turkey every 30 minutes. Honestly, that’s a lot of work taking it in and out. Plus you loss so much heat out of the oven each time that you are not going to have an even cook at all.
The best way to glaze is to apply before the bird goes in the oven then reapply once an hour and then for a final time before the turkey comes out of the oven. This ensures that it develops a deeply colored coat of flavor, while keeping the oven closed for the majority of the time.
How much turkey do I need?
The general rule of thumb is to have 1 lb per guest or 1.5 lbs per guest if you want to have leftovers. That probably sounds like a lot, but it is including the weight of the bones which will not be eaten. If you are having a large gathering it is better to have multiple birds than an extra jumbo turkey. Once a turkey gets over 14 lbs it is extremely difficult to cook it evenly without drying it out or under-cooking it.
What do I need to cook a turkey?
There is nothing that you necessarily have to have to make a good Thanksgiving turkey. But these are some of the tools that I find extremely helpful. These are the brands I use in my own kitchen but feel free to get whatever is in your budget or fits your needs.
What to serve with Roasted Garlic Turkey:
- Roasted Asparagus with Tomatoes
- Dairy Free Scalloped Potatoes
- Roasted Carrots with Dill Pesto
- Brussel Sprout Salad with Zesty Lemon Vinaigrette
Roasted Garlic & Glazed Turkey
This roasted garlic turkey with an orange glaze is a fun twist on the traditional bird served at the holiday dinner table. If you are looking for something with a little more excited than a basic turkey, but without more work this is the recipe for you!
Ingredients
- 12 Lbs Turkey Defrosted
- 1/4 Cup Morton Kosher Salt or 1/2 Diamond Crystal Kosher
- 4 Cloves Garlic Peeled and crushed
- 4 Tbsp Ghee Sub: Butter
- 2 Tsp Black Pepper
Orange Glaze
- 2 Tbsp Orange Juice Fresh Squeezed
- 4 Tsp Coconut Aminos Sub: Soy Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 4 Tbsp Ghee Sub: Butter
Instructions
Dry Brine
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Starting with a fully thawed turkey remove the giblets and neck from the body. I also like to trim the skin around the neck to make it more even at this point. Pat the entire bird dry with paper towels inside and out.
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Place the turkey in a roasting pan with a roasting rack or on a baking sheet on a wire rack. Make sure it can fit in your fridge. Cover the whole turkey in the salt making sure to coat all of the skin and sprinkling it inside of the cavity of the bird also.
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Leave the bird in the fridge uncovered for 12-48 hours. When ready to cook remove from the fridge and dust off an excess salt. Drain any juices from the pan. Let the turkey sit out at room temperature for 1-2 hours before roasting.
Garlic Rub
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Mince all of the garlic cloves and rosemary finely or chop well in a food processor. Mix with the ghee and black pepper to make a paste.
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Using your fingers or a spatula gently work your fingers under the skin of the bird to to separate it from the meat. Once you have separated it a good amount begin working the garlic ghee mixture underneath the skin. Try to spread it out underneath the breast skin well.
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Line the roasting pan with foil to help with clean up. Place the turkey into the preheated oven for 30 minutes. This will help it develop a deeper golden skin and render all of the fat.
Orange Glaze
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While the turkey is roasting in the hot oven mix all of the glaze ingredients into a sauce pan on the stove over medium high heat. Stirring occasionally.
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Heat until the liquid begins to reduce in volume and thickens into a glaze. This will take about 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cover until it is needed.
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After the turkey has roasted for 30 minutes remove it from the oven and turn the heat down to 325 degrees. Using a basting brush or a spoon, brush a thin layer of glaze all over the turkey. Reserve enough glaze to be able to do this 2 more times.
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Place the turkey back into the oven and continue to cook for another hour. This will be the halfway point for a 12 lb turkey. Remove from the oven and again coat with the glaze. Place the turkey back into the oven for another hour.
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After the turkey has about 30 minutes left of cooking time (about 2.5 hours into the roasting) remove the turkey and apply the final coating of the remaining glaze. Return to the oven and cook until the internal temperature of the turkey's thigh reaches 160 degrees.
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When the turkey has reached 160 degrees (about 3 hours total) remove it from the oven and let it rest for 45 minutes uncovered before carving. This will allow the juices to settle. Serve warm!
Recipe Notes
If you do not have dietary restrictions then you can use butter and soy sauce in place of the ghee and coconut aminos.
If you do not have a roasting pan or a wire rack available lift the turkey off of the pan by making coils out of foil. This will help keep the air flow circulating underneath the turkey and also make sure the bottom is not soggy.
To get the most accurate temperature place the thermometer into the turkey's thigh where the leg and breast meet. Be careful to not touch the bone as you will not get an accurate reading that way.
Resist the urge to open the oven more than necessary as this will slow down the cooking time and dry the turkey out.
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