Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Baked Turkey
Just look at this Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Baked Turkey! The most amazing turkey brine and glaze recipe, that produces a golden glistening juicy turkey with a crispy crust!
Beautifully bronzed and delicious, let Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Baked Turkey grace your table this Holiday season.
It will certainly be the centerpiece of your festivities.
Of all the turkey recipes I have eaten, Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Baked Turkey is an absolute favorite!
The turkey is moist and tender, honey kissed, and glazed with a festive cranberry jalapeno orange sauce. The glaze adds a lovely glossy luster with a touch of spicy sweet tartness that won’t overpower your savory bird.
Whether an old pro or a novice cook, turning out a Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Baked Turkey will make you an accomplished chef this year.
You will be surprised how simple it is to make.
Simple, yes, but it does take some planning and attention to timing.
I always brine my turkey for 2-3 days before roasting it. This infuses it with flavors and makes it moist and tender.
If you have never brined a turkey you have got to try it. It makes a huge difference. I brine mine in a medium sized cooler a little bigger than the bird.
You can use a brining bag (or oven roasting bag) to line the cooler. I don’t brine my turkey in the fridge because there just isn’t enough room for that with all of the condiments filling a large percentage of space.
As a child I watched my mother taking so much care and time cooking and basting and basting and cooking her turkey to ensure it wouldn’t dry out.
You can skip the basting all together when you have brined first.
Next is the roasting, watching carefully to not overcook. The time it takes to bake your bird depends on the accuracy of your oven temperature, size of your turkey, how often you open your oven door, and if you are cooking other dishes along with it.
Average time is 15 minutes per pound at 325 degrees F.
Glazing comes near the end of the roasting process. About 30 minutes before done brush on and repeat the process.
Your Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Baked Turkey will be the talk of the table this Thanksgiving or Christmas.
If you’ve had trouble with turkey roasting in the past, this recipe is fool-proof and fantastic! Success is at your fingertips!
Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Baked Turkey
Ingredients
For the Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Baked Turkey:
For the Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Glaze:
- 8 ounces Cranberry Jalapeno Jam (1 jar) homemade or store bought
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
For the Brine:
- 2 cups salt
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- Peel of 2-3 oranges
- 1 yellow onion, chopped into wedges
- 1-2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons whole allspice
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 3 bay leaves
- 3-5 cloves garlic (large), smashed
- 1 bunch fresh sage, 4-6 sprigs
- 1 bunch fresh thyme, 8-12 sprigs
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary, 4-6 sprigs
- 1 gallon warm water
- Ice
Instructions
Prepare Brine:
- Place brining bag in a cooler. Pour warm water and all seasonings into the bag. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Add turkey and more water until turkey is submerged. Seal the bag. Add ice and close the lid. Add ice as needed to keep cool. (If you don’t have a cooler you may brine in a large food safe bucket or pot. Cover and refrigerate.) Brine for 2-3 days.
Cooking the Turkey:
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Remove turkey from brine, drain liquid, place on rack in a large roasting pan. Allow the skin to dry thoroughly, patting with paper towels if needed.
- Brush the turkey with oil. Then salt and pepper generously.
- Bake uncovered for 2 hours, then tent with foil to prevent the breast meat from overcooking. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer while roasting. Take the turkey out of the oven when the thickest part of the breast meat reaches 165 degrees F. Calculate your average total cooking time by multiplying 15 minutes by the weight of the turkey. (Example: 12 pound turkey X 15 minutes = 180 minutes, or 3 hours.)
- While baking mix the glaze ingredients together until combined. Approximately 30 minutes before the turkey is done (around 130 degrees F) remove the foil and brush the turkey skin with glaze. Bake another 15 minutes and brush with the remaining glaze. Then bake until done. Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Hi there, do you suggest adding anything ie onions, rosemary into the turkey cavity during roasting? Thanks!
Hi Nate!
If you have any extra herbs, leftover from the brine, those would be great to place in the cavity. Happy holidays!!
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Brilliant
Hello! I’ve made your Asian spiced turkey before and it was such a hit! It was my first time making a turkey. I’m trying this recipe now but I’m curious to why the times and temperature is different? Is there a reason this is set to 325 degrees instead of 400? Do I still start with my turkey upside down for the first hour?
Hi Karrina,
The time difference has to do with the ingredients used in and on the turkey. So a lower temperature would indicate ingredients that might brown too fast at a higher temp. Does that make sense?