Best Spice Rubbed Roast Turkey Recipes

SPICE-RUBBED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the first five ingredients. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from the turkey; rub half the spice mixture under the skin., Brush turkey with oil. Rub remaining spice mixture over turkey. Place lemons inside the neck and body cavity. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together., Arrange onions in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Place turkey, breast side up, over onions., Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thigh reads 180°, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving., Remove lemons from cavity. When cool enough to handle, halve lemons and squeeze juice over turkey if desired. Discard onions.

HOMEMADE TURKEY SEASONING

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. To use on whole turkey, rub under skin, over skin and in body and neck cavities before roasting.

SUNNY'S BUTTERFLIED ROAST TURKEY WITH EASY ORANGE SPICE RUB

Steps:

• For the brine: Combine the salt, peppercorns, thyme, sage, orange and 1 1/2 gallons water in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the salt is dissolved and the water is fragrant. Turn off the heat and let cool completely.
• For the turkey: To brine the turkey, place the turkey in a roasting bag, large plastic bag or bowl large enough to fit it with still more space for the brine. Pour in the brining liquid and seal or cover. If there's not enough room for all of the liquid in the brine, be sure to at least include the herbs, orange and peppercorns. Refrigerate at least overnight and up to 3 days.
• When ready to cook, remove the turkey from the brine and discard all of the brining liquid and solids. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
• To butterfly the turkey, using kitchen shears or a knife, cut out the backbone of the turkey. Break the breastbone to open up and flatten the bird by gently pressing down with the skin-side up. Flip over and pat dry. Using your finger, gently release the skin from the muscle of the turkey and insert the butter pieces between the skin and meat all over the bird.
• For the rub: In a medium bowl, mix together the cumin, paprika, chili powder, orange zest, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the rub in a small bowl and set aside.
• Drizzle the turkey with olive oil and sprinkle with the rub. Gently rub into the skin. Place the turkey cavity-side down on a rack in a roasting pan and allow to sit on the countertop for about 2 hours to come to room temperature.
• For the glaze: To the reserved 1 tablespoon of rub, stir in the honey and orange juice until smooth. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Add 1 to 2 inches of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the turkey in the oven, lower the heat to 350 degrees F and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the turkey from the oven and brush the glaze over the skin. Return to the oven and continue to roast, glazing every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 160 degrees F, 1 to 2 hours.
• Let the turkey rest at room temperature before carving, tented with aluminum foil, until it comes up to 165 degrees F, about 30 minutes. Plate the turkey and garnish with orange slices and sage and thyme sprigs.

SPICE RUB ROASTED THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Steps:

• Combine garlic powder, paprika, cumin, basil, salt, and pepper in a zip-top bag. Close and shake spice rub until well mixed.
• Cut small slits into the skin of the turkey. Use a palmful of spice rub at a time to rub all over turkey-on top, sides, bottom, inside cavity, and into the slits in the skin. Stuff the cavity with cilantro, onion, and garlic. Place in a roasting pan, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Remove turkey from the refrigerator. Baste with melted butter. Pour 1/2 of the chicken broth inside the pan. Cover with foil.
• Roast in the preheated oven, for 3 hours. Remove foil and baste with remaining chicken broth. Continue to roast until turkey is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 2 1/2 hours longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).

WHOLE ROASTED TURKEYS WITH FENNEL SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove necks and giblets and put into a large saucepan. Add onions, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat and let simmer until reduced to about 2 cups. Strain and reserve; this is the turkey stock that you will use for the gravy.
• Wash the turkeys, inside and out, and dry well. Coat inside and out with half of the olive oil. Season each turkey on the outside generously with the spice rub, pressing it in to adhere. Place 4 rosemary sprigs and 2 lemon halves inside the cavity of each turkey.
• Arrange 4 of the halved carrots and 4 celery stalks on each of 2 half-sheet pans or baking sheets. Position each turkey on top of the carrots and celery so that the turkey does not rest directly on the bottom of the pan. Drizzle turkeys with remaining olive oil.
• Roast until an instant-read thermometer (inserted deep into the thigh but away from the bone) reads 165 degrees F and juices in the thigh run clear when pierced with a fork, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours; begin checking at 2 hours. Remove from the pans and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Reserve pan juices for gravy.
• While turkeys are resting, make the gravy. In a medium heavy saucepan, cook flour and butter over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until a blond roux is formed. Add pan juices and then reserved turkey stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and let simmer until thickened and ready to serve.
• Carve turkey as desired and serve with gravy.
• Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat. Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly. When light brown and fragrant, pour the seeds onto a plate to cool. They must be cool before grinding, or they will gum up the blades.
• Pour the seeds into a blender and add the salt. Blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender occasionally to redistribute the seeds. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.

SPICE-RUBBED ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse inside and outside of turkey; pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Tuck wings under turkey. Fill cavity loosely with stuffing, and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Squeeze 1 orange over turkey. Season outside of turkey generously with salt, and sprinkle with pepper. Gently rub seasonings into turkey.
• Heat juice of remaining orange, the butter, and wine in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Roast turkey, basting every half hour with melted-butter mixture until thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. (Halfway through, rotate pan and cover with foil.)
• Remove stuffing, and transfer to a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan. Bake until stuffing reaches 165 degrees, about 30 minutes more. Meanwhile, let turkey stand for 30 minutes. Transfer to a platter; reserve pan juices in roasting pan for Aleppo pepper gravy. Carve turkey. Garnish with persimmons and sage if desired.

ORANGE-SPICE RUBBED ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Spray a roasting pan and baking rack with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together the spices.
• Using your fingertips, loosen the skin from the turkey breast and rub the spice mixture evenly over the breast.
• Cover it with the skin, place the turkey on the rack in the roasting pan, and insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part making sure it doesn't touch the bone.
• Roast, uncovered, for meat thermometer 170 degrees, approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.
• Let the turkey stand for 15 minutes; remove the skin and any visible fat.
• Slice the turkey and enjoy.