Balsamic Roasted Turkey with Apple Stuffing
This week, I have been testing the Thanksgiving menu that I shared with those of you signed up for my newsletter. We had almost a full Thanksgiving dinner last Wednesday and leftovers Thursday and Friday. Needless to say, my husband was not too thrilled with eating turkey 3 nights in a row just a week before Thanksgiving.
Below is the turkey recipe I used for our pre-Thanksgiving feast. I will make it again this Thursday for the real turkey day. This recipe includes the basic steps for how to make a turkey and also provides a simple gluten-free stuffing. No fuss, so you can focus on side dishes, my favorite part of the meal.
Balsamic Roasted Turkey with Apple Stuffing
- 1 turkey (10-15 pounds)
- ½ cup grapeseed oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon celtic sea salt
- 10 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
in half
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- Remove the gizzards (save in refrigerator for gravy)
- Rinse bird well and pat dry with paper towels; then truss (tie legs together with string)
- Place turkey breast side up in a roasting pan, then put rosemary inside bird
- Drizzle bird with grapeseed oil and balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with salt
- Wedge apples around roasting pan to prop turkey up evenly --place 2 apple halves in cavity of bird
- Place roasting pan with turkey, apples, etc. in oven on lowest rack
- Roast at 325°, 15 minutes per pound; a 15 pound turkey requires 3 hours and 45 minutes
- If skin begins to brown too soon, cover with foil
- To check temperature stick a meat thermometer deep into thigh; at 175° it is safely done
- Remove turkey from oven and allow to sit for 20 to 30 minutes before carving
- Serve
Serves 12
To thaw out a frozen turkey place in refrigerator --this will take about one day for every 5 pounds, a 15 pound bird needs 3 days. Alternatively, thaw the bird in a cold water bath, this requires 30 minutes per pound --7 ½ hours for a 15 pound bird. Below are cooking instructions for the thawed turkey.
Take note, because of the balsamic vinegar in this recipe, the turkey skin will be much darker than a bird cooked in the traditional method.
More dinners and turkey you might enjoy:
Where do you get gluten free balsamic vinegar?? thanks
You say in the recipe to "slip rosemary underneath." I don't quite understand what you mean, in the past I have put herbs inside the turkey, are you talking under the skin? thanks!
Hi Elana,
I love that you've gone Paleo as that is the way of eating my family and I try to follow too. Here's the only question I have for you. Is there any reason you are using grapeseed oil for so many of your Paleo recipes instead of coconut oil? Just curious. Thanks, I look forward to your reply. Keep the great recipes coming! Have you tried paleoplan.com's carrot banana muffins? Best paleo muffins I've made from other sites. I'd love some mods on them if you have ideas.
What do you do with the apples when it's done?