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apple and herb infused roast turkey

(1)
DoughmesticGoddess avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Tammy Brownlow
@DoughmesticGoddess
Dallas, TX

This is my holiday roast turkey. It is so flavorful and moist. My family loves the infusion of fruit, and herb flavor. I know it's a little unconventional to use chicken broth, but I think it enhances the flavor without taking away the natural flavor of the turkey. I know there are a lot of steps, but even if you are a beginner with roasting turkey, you can do this in a roasting bag with no basting required! The juices created a wonderful sauce to serve with a little seasoning. I hope you will make this for your family and friends. You may become the official turkey maker. (:

Blue Ribbon Recipe

If you've never injected a turkey, this is a great recipe to try the method. The mixture that is injected into the turkey is mild and has all the flavors you expect in a holiday turkey. You're hit with little bursts of flavor in the slices of turkey. Stuffing the cavity with apples, rosemary, carrots, and onion infuse additional flavor into the turkey. In the Test Kitchen, we used a roasting bag like Tammy recommends. With perfectly crisp skin, the meat is tender and just falls off the bone. This is a delicious turkey recipe if you're looking to try something new.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(1)
yield serving(s)
prep time 30 Min
cook time 3 Hr 30 Min
method Roast

Ingredients For apple and herb infused roast turkey

  • 1
    turkey (I used a 20 pounder)
  • FOR CAVITY:
  • 1 sprig
    rosemary
  • 1 md
    carrot
  • 1/2 md
    onion
  • 2 clove
    garlic
  • 1 stalk
    celery
  • 1 lg
    Granny Smith apple
  • FOR INJECTION
  • 1 c
    chicken broth
  • 1 c
    apple cider
  • 1/2 tsp
    poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp
    each, fresh ground pepper, granulated garlic
  • 1 sprig
    rosemary
  • FOR UNDER SKIN:
  • 1/4 stick
    butter, room temperature - sliced thin
  • 1 lg
    clove garlic, sliced thin
  • ADDITIONAL SEASONINGS:
  • 1 slice
    butter
  • salt, fresh ground pepper, and poultry seasoning

How To Make apple and herb infused roast turkey

  • 1
    Thaw turkey in fridge until you can remove the packet gravy mix, livers - etc, thermometer, and that plastic piece that ALWAYS gives me fits trying to take off.
  • Broth and seasonings in a microwave-safe measuring cup.
    2
    For Injection: Place all ingredient in a microwave-safe bowl EXCEPT cider. Microwave for 2 minutes.
  • Infusing the rosemary into the broth.
    3
    Let rosemary steep in the hot liquid about 10 minutes.
  • Cider added into the broth ready to cool.
    4
    Add the cider, then place in the refrigerator. This is an important step - you don't want to inject a cold turkey with hot liquid.
  • Veggies prepped in a bowl.
    5
    Prep your veggies. Core apple and quarter. Remove peel from onion and cut in half. Cut carrot and celery into approx 3-inch pieces. Cut rosemary into 2 smaller sprigs. Smash garlic. At this time I go ahead and slice the other clove of garlic into thin slices. It will basically melt away with the butter under the skin.
  • Stuffing the veggies, apple, and garlic into the turkey cavity.
    6
    Place veggies, fruit, rosemary sprigs, and smashed garlic in cavity.
  • Gently separate the skin.
    7
    Separate the skin from the breast as best you can. For me it makes the job easier to use a long rubber spatula handle to reach further.
  • Placing pats of butter under the skin.
    8
    Place the thin butter slices, and garlic slices evenly under both sides of the breast skin. The spatula handle comes in handy for this as well.
  • Sprinkling seasoning over the buttered skin.
    9
    Use last tab of butter to spread all over exposed turkey. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Don't overdo it. You will have a lot of flavor going into the turkey with the injection.
  • Injecting the broth/cider mixture into the turkey.
    10
    With your injector, at even intervals, inject your turkey with the cider, herb, and spice mixture. Be sure to not only inject the breasts but the legs and thighs as well. You probably will not use the entire amount. I had a large turkey and had a little over 1/4 cup left.
  • 11
    I chose to use a cooking bag, but if you prefer to baste you can add the remaining liquid to your roasting pan. More juices will accumulate as you go, so you will have plenty of basting liquid to work with.
  • Prepped turkey placed into a cooking bag.
    12
    Spray non-stick cooking spray inside the roasting bag and dust with a little flour. Place the turkey in the roasting bag, rinse the roasting pot, and then place back into the roasting pan.
  • Cutting slits into the cooking bag.
    13
    Cut six 1/2 inch slits on top of the bag.
  • Baking the turkey in the oven.
    14
    Bake as recommended. For my turkey size, it is 3 to 3 1/2 hours in the bag. There are many sites where you can find the cooking times for your turkey.
  • Apple and herb infused roast turkey on a platter.
    15
    After 3 hours, check the temperature. I check on the inside of the leg where the breast meets the thigh, in the upper thigh area. When the temp reaches 165, set aside and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.
  • 16
    This will give you time to bake off your sides, and rolls, before slicing turkey.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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