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Recipe Detail Page
Perfect No-Baste Roast Turkey with Sour Cherry Sauce
Holiday 2017
Turkey gets a bad name for turning hosts into stress cases, tied to the oven basting while every one else is out having fun. Stress no more! This tried-and-true method is as easy as seasoning and sticking it in the oven. You can sneak upstairs and read for a couple of hours, then reappear in time to wow them with your perfect bird and luscious cherry sauce.
Serves 8 to 10
TURKEY
1 farm-fresh turkey, 14 to 16 lbs (about 6.5 to 7 kg), neck and giblets removed
1 tsp (5 mL) sea salt
1 tsp (5 mL) fresh cracked pepper
Butcher’s string
2 cups (500 mL) water
SOUR CHERRY SAUCE
½ lb (250 g) dried sour (or tart) cherries (about 1 cup/250 mL)
1 cup (250 mL) pitted fresh (or frozen, thawed) cherries, halved
3 cups (750 mL) fruity red wine
3 tbsp (45 mL) sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) flour
1 Put oven rack in lower third of oven, removing
1. Put oven rack in lower third of oven, removing 1 or 2 of the other racks to be sure your turkey has enough clearance. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Season turkey evenly with salt and pepper, inside and out. Tuck wing tips under the breast and tie drumsticks together with butcher’s string.
3. Pour 2 cups (500 mL) cold water into a large, heavy-duty roasting pan (this is to prevent smoking up the kitchen) and then place a roasting rack in pan. Put turkey on the rack and roast, rotating the pan 180 degrees when you’re halfway through the cooking time (after about 1 hour, 15 minutes). If turkey begins to brown too much, cover loosely with foil. Your turkey is done when a thermometer inserted into the fleshy part of the thigh (without touching the bone) registers 170°F (77°C). This will take 1¾ to 2½ hours total, depending on the size of your bird.
4. Remove turkey from pan. Drain juices from pan and add turkey back to pan to rest, covered loosely with foil, for at least 20 minutes. Remove and discard string.
5. To make the sour cherry sauce, combine sour cherries, fresh cherries, red wine, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then lower to a medium-low simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until reduced by half. In a small bowl, mash together butter with flour to form a buttery paste, then stir into sauce and simmer for another few minutes. The sauce should look thick and glossy and have a nice sweet and sour balance.
6. Carve golden turkey and serve with cherry sauce.
Serves 8 to 10
