Roast Turkey with Almond Dressing and Lemon-Honey Glaze

posted by admin on 2nd, 2009

turkey dinner

4 hours/10 servings
Source: www.sunkist.com (Sunkist Growers, Inc.)

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup chopped whole natural almonds
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 cups day-old bread cubes (1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 raisin, or any combination)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed range juice
1/2 cup Chablis or other dry white wine
2 eggs, slightly beaten
13 lbs. turkey, thawed if frozen
butter or margarine, melted
parsley sprigs

Lemon-Honey Glaze (combine ingredients in small bowl)

1 lemon
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. brandy

To make dressing, melt the 1/2 cup butter in a large saucepot; sauté the onions and celery with the bouillon cubes until just tender. Stir in almonds, parsley, poultry seasoning, and pepper. Add bread cubes and toss lightly. Add orange juice, wine, and eggs; toss until just mixed.

Remove the neck and giblets from the body cavity of the turkey; rinse the turkey well and drain. Fill the neck cavity with a small amount of dressing; fasten the skin back with skewers. Fill the body cavity loosely with the remaining dressing.

Tie the legs together with string. It is not necessary to close the body cavity with skewers or string. Turn the wing tips under the back.

Place turkey, breast-side-up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer deep into inside thigh muscle. Brush the turkey well with melted butter. Protect the skin of the neck cavity, wing tips, and leg bones from over browning by covering with small pieces of aluminum foil.

Roast, uncovered, at 325º F As turkey becomes lightly golden brown (after about 1-1/2 to 2 hours), cover loosely with a “tent” of foil. Continue roasting for a total of 20 to 22 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 180º to 185º F (A 12-pound turkey will take about 4 to 4-1/2 hours; 14-pound about 4-1/2 to 5 hours.)

The turkey is done when the meaty part of the leg feels very soft and twists easily at the joint. As turkey roasts, brush occasionally with melted butter and accumulated pan drippings. Remove the skewers and string.

Let cooked turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving. Place on large serving platter. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve with Lemon-Honey Glaze.