Roast Turkey with Pomegranate Glaze

Make in 5 hours
Yield 12 servings

Currently 4/5 Stars.

Ingredients

Pomegranate Glaze

750 mL (3 cups) unsweetened pomegranate juice
125 mL (1/2 cup) cider vinegar
30 mL (2 tbsp) Dijon mustard
60 mL (1/4 cup) light brown sugar
15 mL (1 tbsp) fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped; if fresh rosemary is unavailable, substitute 5 mL (1 tsp) dried

Turkey

1 turkey, 6.35 kg (14 lbs) (giblets removed), rinsed and patted dry, room temperature
7.5 mL (1/2 tbsp) salt
7.5 mL (1/2 tbsp) pepper
3 sprigs each fresh parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme; if fresh herbs are unavailable, substitute 5 mL (1 tsp) each of dried.
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
60 mL (1/4 cup) butter, softened
2 carrots, rinsed, peeled, ends trimmed, cut into 4 pieces
2 celery stalks, rinsed, peeled, ends trimmed, cut into 4 pieces
250 mL (1 cup) low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

Gravy

750 mL (3 cups) low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
60 mL (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour

Optional
Additional sprigs of fresh herbs for garnishing

Directions

Preheat oven to 232ºC (450 ºF), with baking rack on lowest level.
In a 1.4 L (1-1/2 quart) saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together all the ingredients for the pomegranate glaze—pomegranate juice, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, brown sugar and rosemary—and bring to a boil. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally until mixture has been reduced by half (about 15 minutes). Pour 250 mL (1 cup) of the liquid into a small bowl. You’ll use this to baste the turkey.
Continue boiling remaining liquid in saucepan for another 10 minutes. There should be 125 to 175 mL (1/2 to 3/4 cups) left. Set aside. This reduced liquid will be used to finish the gravy.
Sprinkle salt and pepper inside turkey cavity. Place parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and two onion quarters inside turkey cavity. Tie turkey legs together with cotton butcher’s string. Rub softened butter all over turkey skin and place turkey on roasting rack in a 31.5 × 40.5 × 8 cm (12.5 × 16 × 3 in) or larger roasting pan, tucking wings and loose neck skin under turkey.
Roast turkey for 30 minutes at 232 ºC (450 ºF) and then reduce heat to 163 ºC (325 ºF). Add remaining onion, carrots, celery and chicken broth to roasting pan. Using a pastry brush, baste turkey with the pomegranate glaze from the bowl. Loosely cover turkey, tenting with aluminum foil.
As turkey roasts, baste every 30 minutes with glaze. The turkey will be done when a meat thermometer (inserted deep into the turkey thigh and away from the bone) reads 77 ºC (170 ºF). Start checking temperature after 3.5 hours and then every 20 minutes thereafter until turkey is done. The turkey will have a deep mahogany colour from the glaze. Carefully remove turkey from roasting pan and place on a cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes to absorb juices.
While turkey is resting, remove the roasting rack and pour off all but 30 mL (2 tbsp) of liquid from the roasting pan and place roasting pan across two burners on stove. To make gravy, add chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping browned bits from pan with wooden spoon or spatula. Whisk flour into pomegranate glaze from step 3 until dissolved. Mixture will be thick. Whisking constantly, add this mixture to roasting pan until sauce thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Strain though fine mesh sieve over a medium-size bowl, pressing on solids. Gravy will be very dark from pomegranate juice and will thicken a bit more as it cools. Pour strained liquid into gravy boat to serve. Makes about 750 to 875 mL (3 to 3-1/2 cups).
Place finished turkey on serving platter and garnish with sprigs of fresh herbs for presentation. Carve turkey and serve with gravy.

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