Roast Turkey with Grand Marnier Apricot Stuffing
Submitted by mrslerch
Roast turkey with Grand Marnier apricot stuffing featuring pork sausage, slivered almonds, orange juice baste and herb stuffing mix. Elegant holiday centerpiece with bright citrus notes.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
3 hrsREADY
4 hrsThis roast turkey goes beyond the usual bread-and-celery holiday playbook. Grand Marnier-soaked dried apricots, pork sausage, and slivered almonds transform the stuffing into something closer to a French pâté-stuffed ballotine than a Thanksgiving staple. Orange juice squeezed over the bird before roasting carries the citrus theme from the cavity to the skin.
The two-temperature roast is the technique to learn here. Blast the oven to 450°F (230°C) briefly to set the skin, then drop to 325°F (160°C) for the long haul. The initial heat kickstarts Maillard browning while the slow finish keeps the breast from drying out. Foil stays on until the last two hours, then comes off for final browning.
Soaking the apricots in 1 cup of Grand Marnier before they go into the stuffing is the move that makes this recipe special. The fruit swells, absorbs the liqueur, and by the time the stuffing bakes it’s sweet-boozy-perfumed in the best possible way.
Pro Tips
- Don’t pack the cavity stuffing tight. Loose stuffing lets hot air circulate through and cooks evenly. Tightly packed stuffing stays cold in the center and holds the turkey back.
- Bake extra stuffing separately in a buttered casserole during the last 30 minutes. It develops a crispy top that no cavity-stuffed version ever achieves.
- Let the turkey rest at least 15 minutes before carving, foil-tented. Skip this and all the juice runs onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
Variations
- Swap Grand Marnier for Cointreau, orange brandy, or even spiced rum for different liqueur notes.
- Use chestnuts in place of almonds for a more traditional European feel.
- Replace pork sausage with Italian fennel sausage or merguez for a spicier, more boldly seasoned stuffing.
Ingredients
Directions
FOR TURKEY: Make the stuffing.
Preheat oven to 450℉ (230℃).
Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry. Squeeze the juice of the oranges all over the turkey and in teh neck and body cavities. Spoon the stuffing loosley into the cavities. Set aside any extra stuffing. Sew up the cavities or close with small trussing skewers.
Place the turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Sprinkle all over with thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread the butter all over the turkey. Turn breast-side up in the pan and cover the pan with aluminum foil.
Place the turkey in the oven and reduce the heat to 325℉ (160℃). Roast for 3 hours. Remove the foil and roast, basting occasionally, until the juices run clear when the meaty part of a thigh is pierced with a sharp skewer., about 2 more hours. Bake the leftover stuffing in a baking dish at 325℉ (160℃) for 30 minutes.
Let the turkey stand, covered with foil, for 15 minutes before carving.
GRAND MARNIER APRICOT STUFFING: Place the apricots and 1 cup of the Grand Marnier in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling. Remove from heat and set aside. Simmer the turkey liver and heart in water to cover in a small saucepan for 5 minutes; set aside to cool.
Melt ½ cup of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and sauté for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Cook the pork sausage in the same skillet, crumbling with a fork, until it is no longer pink. Remove from the heat and add to the celery mixture.
Add the stuffing mix, apricots with liquid, and almonds. Finely dice the turkey livers and heart and add to the stuffing mixture. Stir to combine.
Heat the remaining ½ cup of butter and the stock in a small saucepan just until the butter melts. Pour over the stuffing mixture and add the remaining ½ cup of Grand Marnier. Stir well to moisten the stuffing. Season with the thyme and salt and pepper to taste.
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