Christmas is in the air! Trees are going up, Christmas lights enchant people’s homes, carols spread the Christmas cheer…all of which means it’s the time of year to begin planning your Christmas gathering with family and friends!

My family’s home (Bethany here!) was the gathering place for our family Christmases. I love cooking, especially for large groups of people. I love how food brings everyone together, and seeing all the smiles and hearing the laughter around the table as we enjoy a good meal is the best part.

The star protein of our family’s Christmas meals vary from year to year, but the maple orange glaze is always a constant. So this year, I wanted to share with you a recipe for the tastiest Christmas turkey ever! Sweet meets savory in this take on a Christmas turkey. Maple glaze with bright notes of citrus…a gravy with Whiffletree seasoning meat and thyme…what’s not to love?

Grab your pasture-raised Whiffletree turkey HERE and give this recipe a try!

What you’ll need:

For your turkey:

1 whole pasture-raised turkey, thawed and giblets removed (brined or not brined! I did just a simple 24 hour saltwater brine for my turkey)

4 oranges

Handful of thyme sprigs

6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

½ tsp whole allspice

For your maple butter glaze:

¾ c. unsalted butter

1 c. maple syrup

½ tsp whole cloves

For your gravy:

1 package Whiffletree seasoning meat (similar flavor to bacon! You can use bacon, but I used seasoning meat in this recipe because it’s fattier and I wanted the fats for the gravy)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ tsp thyme leaves

⅓ c. flour

3 c. reserved drippings and broth (you’ll make this from the turkey neck and giblets)

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnish:

Pomegranate seeds (adds a nice contrasting color and a pop of flavor!)

How to Prepare:

Preheat your oven to 325F.

First, make your maple butter glaze. Melt ¾ cup butter over low heat. Add the maple syrup, the juice from two of your oranges, and the cloves. Bring to a simmer and let cook for a few minutes before removing from the heat. 

Remove your turkey from the package, take off the plastic truss, and set into a roasting pan. Make sure to take the giblets out of the cavity and save them for your gravy! Now is also the time to remove the turkey neck if you wish.

Next, cut the 4 remaining oranges into halves and place in the cavity of the turkey, along with 6 cloves of garlic, ½ tsp whole allspice, and a small handful of thyme (make sure to save enough thyme to get about 1 tsp of thyme leaves from). Then, if desired, take some kitchen twine and truss the legs together. Now take your maple butter glaze and spread all over the turkey skin with a pastry brush. (Make sure to leave about a cup for serving later with your turkey!) Then place the turkey into your heated oven.

*Note: The rule of thumb is 8-10 minutes per pound of turkey, but always plan for less so you don’t overcook your turkey. If you have one, place an oven-safe thermometer into the breast before putting it into the oven. You want the meat to reach 165F to be safe for eating, but no more as you don’t want dry turkey! The breast tends to cook faster than the leg, so if it reaches 165F but the leg doesn’t read that temp yet, simply cut off the legs and leave in the oven to keep roasting until done. This way you don’t overcook any part of your turkey!

While the turkey is roasting, you can start prepping your gravy! Put your reserved giblets (and turkey neck if you removed it) into a small pot and cover with 4.5 cups of water. Set over medium low heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, take out the giblets and turkey neck, and set them aside to cool, saving the broth in the pot. After the giblets have cooled, finely dice them.

After the turkey has reached 165F, drain off the drippings into a bowl and set the turkey aside somewhere to keep warm while you prep the gravy.

Next, fry up your Whiffletree seasoning meat in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the meat is fully cooked, remove to a plate, leaving all the fats behind in the pan. Turn the heat to medium low. Mince your remaining two cloves of garlic and add to the fat, along with 1 tsp. thyme leaves stripped from the stalks. Cook until the garlic is starting to brown and is fragrant. Then, add in the flour, whisking to make a roux. Let the roux cook for a few minutes while stirring often to keep it from burning. Next, slowly pour in 3 cups of your reserved drippings and your giblet broth, whisking the entire time to keep clumps from forming. Cook the gravy for a few minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness. Once it reaches the right consistency, remove from heat, add the diced giblets, and stir in salt and pepper to taste.

And you’re all set! Carve up your turkey and serve with the seasoning meat, thyme gravy, maple butter glaze, and optional pomegranate. Enjoy!