Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey for a Sweet and Tangy Holiday Dinner

Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey

A golden turkey with a glossy, tangy glaze is one of those holiday centerpieces that makes the whole table go quiet for a moment.

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This Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey roasts in pieces instead of whole, which means more surface area for the glaze to cling to and more deeply browned edges on every slice.

If you are hosting this year and want a bird that looks impressive without a frantic last hour, this is a very friendly place to start.

Glazing a turkey is appealing for two simple reasons. It adds flavor to the whole bird, and it makes the turkey extra beautiful and shiny when it is served. The glaze here is a blend of cranberry juice, orange juice concentrate, orange marmalade, and rosemary, which brings seasonal fall flavors to the meat and helps the skin turn extra crispy.

Because the sweet and tangy glaze already balances each bite, there is less need to pile on cranberry sauce with this turkey. A spoonful of the pan gravy made from the drippings, plus a little extra glaze on the platter, is usually all it needs. This recipe is adapted from the cranberry orange glazed turkey recipe at Giadzy.

The original recipe roasts the turkey in pieces rather than whole. That choice cuts the cooking time in half and lets each individual piece become super golden brown.

You can ask a butcher to cut the turkey into 6 pieces, and most meat counters will happily do it if you call ahead. If you are feeling ambitious and confident with a knife, you can butcher it at home.

If you would rather roast a whole bird, my best roast turkey recipe covers that approach.

Cranberry and orange are a classic holiday pairing, and the rosemary keeps the glaze from tasting like pure candy. It is sweet, but it has an herbal, slightly savory edge that works beautifully with roasted meat.

That is also why the glaze works twice in this recipe, first as a brush on the turkey and later as a flavor boost for the pan gravy.

Save some glaze for the platter. Brushing it on right before serving keeps the meat tender even after slicing and gives every slice that shiny, tangy sweet finish.

Category

This recipe is presented as a Main Course, and it earns its place at the center of the table. Serve the sliced turkey on a large platter with the pan gravy on the side, then let everyone help themselves. The herb sprigs, orange wedges, and whole cranberries are optional garnishes, but they do make the platter look like a celebration.

Prep Time

Prep time is 60 minutes, and most of it goes to drying the turkey pieces, seasoning them, and arranging them on the baking sheet so they roast evenly. Patting the skin very dry with paper towels is the step that rewards you later with crisp, lacquered skin, so do not rush it.

You can use part of that hour to make the glaze on the stovetop. It needs about 15 minutes of gentle boiling, and having it ready in a small bowl means the second half of the cooking moves quickly and calmly.

Set yourself up before the oven goes on. Choose a baking sheet that fits the six pieces without crowding, and keep the thick breast and thigh pieces toward the corners where the heat circulates best. If you are cutting the turkey yourself, work on a stable board and take your time. Six pieces is the goal, not perfection.

Cook Time

Cook time is 120 minutes. The turkey goes into a 400 degrees F oven unglazed for the first 1 hour and 10 minutes, which gives the skin time to start browning and crisping.

Then you pull it out, brush on the Cranberry Orange Glaze, pour the broth onto the baking sheet to keep the drippings from burning, and roast for 20 more minutes.

If the turkey is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil and keep going. It is ready when an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees F to 170 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh, and you should keep the thermometer away from the bone so you get a true reading.

After it comes out of the oven, the turkey rests for 25 to 30 minutes before slicing. Smaller cuts cook faster, so if you are cooking for a smaller group, a roasted turkey legs recipe can be a smart alternative.

One more timing note. The rest is not optional. Those 25 to 30 minutes give the juices time to settle so they stay in the meat instead of running out onto the cutting board. If you are running behind, tent the platter loosely with foil, but keep the turkey out of the oven.

Ingredients

Here is what you need for the turkey itself. The glaze has its own short list, which follows just below.

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• One 11 pound turkey, cut into 6 pieces
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cranberry Orange Glaze, recipe follows
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• Assorted fresh herb sprigs, for garnish, optional
• Orange wedges, for garnish, optional
• Whole cranberries, for garnish, optional

For The Cranberry Orange Glaze:

The glaze comes together from pantry friendly juice concentrates and a little fresh rosemary. It makes enough to brush the turkey twice and still leave spoonfuls for the gravy.

• 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/2 cup frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1 1/4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Rinse the turkey pieces and pat them very dry with paper towels. Brush the turkey all over with the oil, then sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Arrange the pieces skin side up on a baking sheet, with the thick ends of the breasts and thighs at the corners and the drumsticks in the center. Roast for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
3. Remove the turkey from the oven and brush it with the Cranberry Orange Glaze. Pour the broth onto the baking sheet to prevent the drippings from burning, then roast the turkey for 20 more minutes. Cover loosely with foil if it is browning too quickly. The turkey is done when an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees F to 170 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh, without letting the thermometer touch the bone.
4. Transfer the turkey to a platter, brush it generously with more glaze, and let it rest for 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, scrape all the pan juices and browned bits from the baking sheet into a large measuring cup. Spoon off and discard the fat that rises to the surface. Heat the degreased pan juices in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls of the glaze into the pan juices, or more if you like, to make the gravy, and bring it to a simmer so the flavors blend.
6. Slice the turkey and arrange it on the platter. Garnish with the herb sprigs, orange wedges, and cranberries, and serve the turkey with the gravy.

To make the glaze:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the juices, marmalade, and rosemary to a boil over medium high heat.
2. Boil until the glaze thickens enough to coat a spoon, whisking often, about 15 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat, whisk in the butter, and then season the glaze with the salt and pepper.

A few small details make a big difference at the end. Brush the finished turkey with glaze one more time right before you carry it to the table, and taste the gravy before you pour it into a jug, adding another spoonful of glaze if you want a brighter, more tangy edge.

• Pat the skin dry before oiling so the glaze has a dry surface to cling to.
• Brush the glaze in thin layers instead of one heavy coat.
• Keep the thermometer out of the bone for an accurate reading.
• Hold back a few spoonfuls of glaze for the platter and for the gravy.

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Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey A golden turkey with a glossy, tangy glaze is one of those holiday centerpieces that makes the whole table go quiet for a moment. This Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey roasts in pieces instead of whole, which means more surface area for the glaze to cling to and more deeply browned edges on every slice.

• Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey
Main
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
One 11-pound turkey, cut into 6 pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cranberry-Orange Glaze (recipe follows)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Assorted fresh herb sprigs (for garnish)
orange wedges (for garnish)
whole cranberries (for garnish)

Cranberry-Orange Glaze
Cranberry-Orange Glaze
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 1/4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey
Main
1-Position an oven rack in the bottom: Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2-Rinse the turkey pieces and pat very: Rinse the turkey pieces and pat very dry with paper towels. Brush the turkey all over with the oil, and then sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Arrange the turkey pieces, skin-side up, on a baking sheet with the thick end of breasts and thighs at the corners and the drumsticks in the center. Roast for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
3-Remove the turkey from the oven and: Remove the turkey from the oven and brush with the Cranberry-Orange Glaze. Pour the broth onto the baking sheet to prevent the drippings from burning and roast the turkey 20 more minutes, covering loosely with foil if browning too quickly, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F to 170 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh (do not let the thermometer touch the bone).
4-Transfer the turkey to a platter: Transfer the turkey to a platter. Brush generously with more glaze and let rest 25 to 30 minutes.
5-Meanwhile, scrape all the pan juices and: Meanwhile, scrape all the pan juices and browned bits from the baking sheet into a large measuring cup. Spoon off and discard the fat that rises to the surface. In a heavy, medium saucepan, heat the degreased pan juices over medium-high heat. Whisk 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls of the glaze into the pan juices (or more if desired) to make the gravy and bring to a simmer for the flavors to blend.
6-Slice the turkey and arrange on the: Slice the turkey and arrange on the platter. Garnish with the herb sprigs, oranges wedges and cranberries. Serve the turkey with the gravy.

Cranberry-Orange Glaze
Glaze
7-In a small saucepan, bring the juices,: In a small saucepan, bring the juices, marmalade and rosemary to a boil over medium-high heat.
8-Boil until the glaze thickens enough to: Boil until the glaze thickens enough to coat a spoon, whisking often, about 15 minutes.
9-Remove from the heat: Remove from the heat. Whisk in the butter, and then season the glaze with the salt and pepper.

Last Step:

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