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Honey glazed turkey with glossy golden skin on a holiday platter

Honey Glazed Turkey

A juicy, golden honey glazed turkey brushed with a sweet-savory honey butter glaze. This easy oven-roasted turkey is the perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas centerpiece.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole turkey (12-14 lb), thawed
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the turkey completely dry and place it on a rack in a roasting pan.
  2. Rub the softened butter all over the turkey and under the skin, then season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  3. Whisk the honey, orange juice, Dijon, garlic, thyme, and rosemary into a glaze.
  4. Roast the turkey uncovered, basting every 45 minutes, for about 3 hours (roughly 13-15 minutes per pound).
  5. During the last 45 minutes, brush the honey glaze over the turkey every 15 minutes until golden and sticky.
  6. Roast until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C). Tent with foil if it browns too fast.
  7. Rest the turkey 20-30 minutes before carving, then spoon the pan glaze over the slices.

Notes

For a honey glazed turkey breast instead of a whole bird, use a 4-5 lb bone-in breast and roast about 1.5 to 2 hours, glazing in the last 30 minutes, until it reaches 165°F. Marinate or dry-brine overnight for even juicier results.