Orange Apricot Turkey

By Paula Deen

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6 reviews • 0 questions

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

2 sticks well chilled butter
1 can reserve liquid apricot halves
1 small can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 (12-14 lbs) turkey
4 stems optional fresh rosemary

Directions

Preheat oven to 400º

Place turkey in large roasting pan (no rack). Slice chilled butter into long slices. Slide one full stick of butter under the skin of each breast. Under the skin of one side place apricot halves. Take the frozen orange juice out of can and place in the cavity of the turkey along with the juice from apricot can and one cup of water. Cook at 400º for 20 minutes.

Reduce heat to 250º and roast until turkey is done. Baste frequently with the orange/apricot/butter drippings.

Notes From the Paula Deen Test Kitchen: Turkey will take longer than instructed on a typical turkey package since you are roasting at a lower heat for the final time. Typically, a 12-14 pound bird will take a total of 4 to 4Â½ hours to roast with this method. We used Apricot preserves mixed with a little of the pan juices for a final baste on our turkey. Flavor was delightful and a nice twist on the usual turkey preparation.

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Reviews (6)Questions (0)

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Dianna

November 29, 2014

This was a very good and different recipe for a Turkey....Very Moist and the citrus Flavors were a nice compliment to the overall taste....I made a simple syrup with the pan juices and made a glaze that I brushed on my Bird....Very tasty....

Ulrike

December 27, 2012

Dear Paula, weÂ´re stationed here in Germany for the last three year and as weÂ´re not celebrating Thanksgiving, but IÂ´m always cooking turkey for X-mas. The last 20 or more years I have always made a traditional turkey with a little more German based side dishes and filled with stuffing. This year your recipe inspired me and my whole family liked it very much. The turkey was soooooooo juicy amd delicious. As sides I made stuffing and your sweet-potato casserole, Brussels sprouts with sweet onions and bacon and lamb lettuce with orange filets. Your casserole recipe was supposed to be for 8 people, but we could easy feed 12 with it. Thank you for your inspiration and your great Turkey recipe. Ulrike from Stuttgart, Germany

Star Malouff

November 20, 2012

We make a very similar recipe every year and they all seem to love it! The difference is we actually stuff the turkey with quartered oranges, one quartered lemon, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme and salt and pepper. (Crush the fruit while stuffing to get juice flowin and use enough oranges to fill, about five) Same butter under the skin, but no apricot. We then place the whole thing into a baking bag, no need to baste, same pre-heat but up here at altitude we cook at 275! And just wait until you make some gravy with these drippins!! YUM ^_^ Happy Thanksgiving!

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