Turkey Recipes – Adding Fruits to Turkey for a Sweet Thanksgiving Dinner

Since we have been trying different turkey recipes for our Thanksgivings, we’re coming up with a new one for the coming holiday – fruit-glazed and fruit-tasting turkey. This may be more on the sweet side, but everyone will find this something other than the same old turkey. The ones we’ve tried the previous years were more on the savory side using fresh herbs and vegetables from our garden. Adding this fruit-glazed turkey recipe this year can add a bit of sweetness to our Turkey dish. My eldest daughter has already called it our sweet Thanksgiving dinner.

Fruit-Glazed Turkey

Ingredients

12 pounds turkey
1 pack (14 ounces) of unseasoned stuffing cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red apple, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 cup raisins
1 cup turkey or beef broth
1 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
For the Fruit Glaze

2 cans crushed pineapple, unsweetened
1 can mandarin oranges
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
For the Gravy

3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions

Put together first eight ingredients then stuff into the turkey. Place remaining stuffing in a greased baking dish and refrigerate. Skewer the turkey openings and tie to join the drumsticks together. Place turkey with the breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan, and bake at 325° for 1 hour, uncovered.

Meanwhile, place the glaze ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate 1 cup of the mixture for the gravy. After an hour of baking, brush some of the glaze all over the turkey and add at least 1/2 inch of hot water into the roasting pan. Bake for 3 hours longer or until a meat thermometer reads 180° for the turkey and 165° for the stuffing. During the baking process, baste turkey two to three times with the glaze and the pan drippings. When almost cooked, uncover the turkey and bake further for 10 to 15 minutes. When turkey has turned golden brown, you’re done. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving.

For the gravy, pour pan drippings and browned bits into a bowl. Skim the fat. Combine 1 cup of the pan drippings and 1 cup of broth in a saucepan. Gradually mix in flour, salt and pepper until blended well. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, constantly stirring until thickened. Stir in the refrigerated glaze. Bring to another boil, stirring constantly, until thick. Glaze over turkey.

For a festive trick, garnish your turkey with cooked pineapple or strawberry cubes along with fresh parsley. The parsley brings not only a piece of greenery on your Thanksgiving turkey, but something you and your guests can chew after dinner to help freshen up the breath.

Happy Thanksgiving from my home to yours!