Ingredients
- 1 whole regular or young turkey (about 7 pounds/3.15 kg)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 (28-oz) can pears in natural juice, drain and reserve juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken bouillon
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup from Canada
- 2 tsp chopped fresh herbs or 1/2 teaspoon / 2.5 ml dry herbs
- 1 1/2 Tbsp flour
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- In a roasting pan, place the turkey, breast side up. Season the cavity with salt and pepper; fill with pears, arranging any extra around the turkey. With cooking thread, tie legs together to maintain shape. In the middle of oven rack roast uncovered for 15 minutes; remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325° F.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic; cook and stir until fragrant and golden. Add wine; bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced to 1/3 the original volume. Add reserved pear juice, bouillon, pure maple syrup, herbs, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Pour sauce over turkey.
- Cover turkey with aluminum foil and return to oven; roast, basting with sauce regularly until the meat easily comes off the bones, about 2 hours and 20 minutes, or for 40 minutes for every 2 pounds of turkey. For a golden color, uncover turkey the last 20 to 30 minutes of roasting.
- Remove from oven. Allow to rest 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, remove roasting juices to small saucepot; bring to a boil. Mix flour with a little bit of water; whisk into saucepot; simmer until thick. Serve turkey with the pears and gravy.
Advice from Maple experts
This Thanksgiving, try a new turkey glaze that uses pears to naturally keep the meat moist while baking. The subtle sweetness from the fruit balances with the stronger herb flavors, leaving family and friends guessing the recipe. Need to whip up some gravy? There’s no need to reach for a store-bought mix. Simply add flour to thicken leftover baste juices to make a gravy that satisfactorily complements with the rest of the dish. People will happily come together once they smell the ambrosia from the dinner table.
