Lunch / Dinner
Roast Turkey with Pomegranate Molasses Glaze
No one element of the Thanksgiving feast is nearly as good on its own, but if there’s one stand-out star, it’s the turkey. This one features a pomegranate-molasses glaze for subtle sweet flavor and beautiful color, but on the whole, it’s a classic roasted bird.
Ingredients
FOR THE TURKEY —
FOR THE GLAZE —
A common dilemma when roasting turkey is the breast meat drying out before the dark meat is done. To help avoid this, give the legs and thighs a head start by putting them in the hottest part of the oven, which is at the top and toward the back.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°; place a foil-lined roasting rack in a roasting pan.
Prepare turkey by removing the giblets, which are usually in the neck and body cavities. Save them to make gravy later. Cut through the skin to the bone around the end of the drumstick, then clip the tendons with shears. For extra flavor, fill the bird’s cavity with onion, apple, and celery chunks.
Tuck the wing tips behind the turkey’s back. This keeps the tips from burning during roasting. Overlap the ends of the legs, then tie them together at the knuckles using butcher’s twine. Rub the entire turkey with oil, then season with lots of salt and pepper to coat the skin evenly.
Place the turkey breast-side down on the foil-lined rack. The foil keeps the rack from marking the breasts. Position the pan so that the turkey’s legs point toward the back of the oven where it’s hottest. After 2 hours, flip the turkey over by holding its ends using paper towels (remove foil). Return to oven. After another hour, take the temperature of the breast meat. Once it reaches 150°, start glazing. Brush the glaze over the turkey. Once the breast hits 160–165°, remove the turkey, tent with foil, and let it rest 30 minutes before carving. While turkey roasts, prepare the glaze.
Combine pomegranate juice, molasses, vinegar, and mustard in a saucepan; simmer over medium heat 2 minutes. Baste turkey with glaze. Allow turkey to rest before carving.
Cut through the skin to the bone around the end of the drumstick, then clip the tendons with shears.
Overlap the ends of the legs, then tie them together at the knuckles using butcher’s twine.
Position the pan so that the turkey’s legs point toward the back of the oven where it’s hottest.
After another hour, take the temperature of the breast meat. Once it reaches 150°, start glazing.
Use a clean pair of pliers to pull out exposed tendons from the leg—this makes the drumsticks easier to eat.
Cut the thigh free, then push it down to pop the joint. To remove the leg, cut across and through the joint.
Pull and cut the breast meat away from the rib bones, working around the wing joint. The meat comes off cleanly.
For an impressive presentation, slice the breast meat in 1/2"-thick slices.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per 6 oz. turkey
Calories: 384
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 52%
Sodium 127mg 5%
Carbs 6g 2%
Fiber 0g 0%
Protein 54g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.