The Fig, Balsamic, Orange Glaze on this Roast Turkey adds such a depth of flavour and is so simple it may become your go-to holiday recipe!
The glaze coats the turkey but it also drains down into the pan juices and adds a depth of flavour to your gravy as well. It is actually rather subtle - I am not sure, except for the orange flavour if you would actually pick out the fig or balsamic flavours individually.
All together they add up to a bright flavourful turkey.
I stuffed the turkey with this Cranberry Orange Pecan Stuffing and it was the perfect complement.
When plating my husbands plate he said " Not too much stuffing... I am not really a stuffing guy" (Surprise to me after all these years.... but then ... I didn't know he puts gravy on his coleslaw either!)
After he went back for more stuffing he said this recipe might make him a convert!
This is actually sort of a 'no fuss' turkey. In the past I often brined the bird overnight, slathered butter and herbs between the skin and the breast, simmered stock for gravy for hours. Those are all good techniques but I can tell you... the flavour in this glaze and gravy is so good that you don't need to do all those other steps for this recipe!
Winnning!!!!
The Cranberry Orange dressing is the perfect complement to this glaze. The fresh cranberries in the dressing give little bursts of tartness. I didn't even serve cranberry sauce with it but of course you could if you want.
Wine Pairing
My go-to for roast turkey is usually a rich Chardonnay. I absolutely love the savoury tones that you often find in a Pouilly-Fuissé but this can also be the place for a rich California-type Chardonnay because it will stand up to the robust savoury elements of the meal.
A medium to full-bodied Lugana or White Grenache would work as well. Even an aged Riesling or Gewurztraminer could work with their pronounced aromatics.
On the red spectrum a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais would work. Other low tannin wines to consider would be Barbera or a Rhone GSM blend.
And of course... a Sparkling, especially a rich one with orchard and brioche notes would be divine as well.
FAQs
This is not recommended because the jam has reduced and sweetened the figs to the right consistency.
You could use Balsamic Glaze. In that case you will need to reduce the remaining glaze ingredients to a jam consistency and add the balsamic glaze at the end. You will need less since it is already reduced. I would suggest ½-1/2 cup of glaze and just heat it through with the other ingredients once they have been reduced.
Of course you can. The suggested dressing just complements the Balsamic Fig glaze nicely but feel free to use your family's favourite dressing instead.
Related Recipes
Roasted Turkey With Fig, Balsamic, Orange Glaze
If you tried this, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know it went in the 📝 comments below!
Save Print Pin FacebookIngredients
- 10.5 lb turkey
- 3 cups turkey broth can substitute chicken broth
- 1 recipe Cranberry Orange Dressing optional
Glaze
- ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¾ c cup fig jam
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
- zest of one orange
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Remove neck and gizzards from cavity if they are there. Rinse turkey.
- Optional- simmer neck and gizzards in sauce pan covered with water 10-15 minutes to create turkey broth.
- Stuff turkey and seal up the loose skin with skewers so stuffing is held inside the cavity and the neck space.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees for convection or 350 degrees for regular.
- Add 3 cups of turkey broth from above to the bottom of the roasting pan. (Or substitute chicken broth). Settle turkey, breast side up, in the roasting pan. I use a turkey lifter in the bottom of the pan to keep the turkey a bit above the pan juices and to help remove the cooked bird eventually.
- Cover the turkey breast loosely with foil. Calculate roughly 20 minutes per pound for cooking time. While turkey is roasting prepare the glaze.
- For the glaze, whisk the vinegar, fig jam and orange juice together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until mixture reduces to about 1 cup and the texture of runny jam -about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the olive oil and zest and set aside to cool.
- Thirty minutes before the end of the turkey roasting time remove the foil and brush ⅓ of the glaze over the breast and legs. Roast another 15 minutes and then spread ⅓ of the glaze over turkey again. Return to oven for another 15 minutes. Check the turkey for doneness using a meat thermometer. The thickest part of the breast and leg (without touching bone) should reach 175 degrees F.
- When turkey is done remove from oven, spread the remaining glaze over the turkey. Transfer turkey to a carving surface and tent loosely with foil. Allow turkey to rest 20-30 minutes. Turkey will continue to cook during tenting.
- While turkey is resting strain any solids out of the pan juices. Deglaze the bottom of the roasting pan with a splash or two of white wine over the burners or bridge burner on top of your stove. Return the strained pan juices to roasting pan. Take about ⅓ cup of the pan juices and shake in a tightly sealed jar with about 2 Tbsps of corn starch. Stir slurry back into the pan juices and simmer until gravy is the consistency you like.
- When ready to serve, remove stuffing from the cavities and transfer to a serving bow.
- Carve and plate turkey. Drizzle with gravy or pass gravy separately.
- Enjoy!
Shelley
OMG this looks amazing! So does the meringue tree! Can't wait to try!
thewineloverskitchen
It is pretty good!! Let me know how it works out for you!