The turkey is something many people look forward to as the holiday season approaches. From their own family recipe to experimental new takes on the Thanksgiving classic, one thing is certain: Americans take turkey seriously.
As you prepare for your own holiday celebrations, you may be wondering what recipes can work for the entire season. This holiday turkey with maple glaze is something you will find works both in late November and through the Christmas season. It's smokey sweet flavor is perfect with a side of creamy garlic mashed potatoes or cornbread stuffing.
Before you dive in, get to learn a little bit about the origins of the American turkey dinner.
The History of Holiday Turkey
It's hard to imagine a Thanksgiving without turkey. The
Some link Thanksgiving turkey even further back to a woman named Sarah Joseph Hale, who has the nickname “Godmother of Thanksgiving.” Hale was a multi-talented woman; not only did she author “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” but she also ran a colonial magazine called “Godey's Lady Book,” which contained recipes for classic Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie. Her publications undoubtedly had a role in establishing the traditional Thanksgiving fare we know and love today.
It's most likely that the Native Americans and Pilgrims consumed venison on the first Thanksgiving, and turkey followed suit years later. Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863, and Americans have been celebrating with turkey and traditional side dishes ever since.
ėWe may not know the precise origins of the turkey, but we do know that this holiday turkey with maple glaze recipe can be made not only for Thanksgiving but also as a Christmas dinner.
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Free Up Time With the Right Holiday Recipes
Hosting family and friends for the holidays is a joy, but it's also a lot of hard work. Between cooking, cleaning, gift-wrapping and decorating, you probably find it hard to even have a moment to enjoy the season. By relying on easier recipes, you can free up some time in the kitchen and use it to make precious memories with your loved ones.
A holiday turkey with maple glaze is the perfect choice; all you have to do is prep the bird and leave it in the oven until its ready to serve. We recommend combining this turkey with some of our other wonderfully merry holiday recipes.
Our holiday turkey with maple glaze recipe will bring your family together around the dinner table this year. Its warm, familiar flavors will evoke a sense of peace that everyone should enjoy throughout the season, and it's sure to be a classic that you return to next year.
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Holiday Turkey with Maple Glaze
(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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Ingredients
- 1 whole 12-15 pound fresh turkey
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion
- 3–4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350°F. Rinse turkey inside and out thoroughly.
- Season cavity and the outside with salt and pepper.
- Place onion in cavity, close with skewer and tie legs together.
- Place turkey breast-side up on rack in a large roasting pan. Brush half melted butter over turkey.
- Pour ½ cup stock into pan.
- Roast turkey for 15 minutes per pound or until meat thermometer registers 180°F in the leg and 170°F in the breast (about 3 hours).
- Baste turkey with pan juices and add ½ cup stock to pan every 45 minutes.
- Combine remaining butter with syrup and brush over turkey the last half hour of cooking.