Maple Orange Glazed Turkey

Name: Maple Orange Glazed Turkey
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 15 lb turkey, spatchcocked; Sweetwater Spice Classic Holiday Turkey Bath; 1/2 cup Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt; 1 gallon water; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pats; Cattleman’s Grill Ranchero Seasoning; 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 1.5 oranges; 1/2 cup Tapped Maple Syrup; 1/2 cup chicken stock; 1 tbsp Texas Olive Ranch Balsamic Vinegar; 1 tbsp Kozlik’s Dijon Classique; 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Oct 15, 2024 • Tom Jackson

The Maple Orange Glazed Turkey is a flavorful dish that begins by spatchcocking a 15 lb. turkey, which involves removing the backbone and flattening the bird. The turkey is then brined in a solution made from Sweetwater Spice Classic Holiday Turkey Bath, Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt, and water for an hour per pound. After brining, it’s seasoned under the skin with Cattleman’s Grill Ranchero Seasoning and butter pats are placed on the breasts under the skin to ensure moisture. The turkey is cooked on a Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill at 375°F for about 90 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 155°F. While it cooks, a Maple Orange Glaze is prepared by reducing a mixture of fresh orange juice, Tapped Maple Syrup, chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and fresh thyme. Once the turkey rests, the glaze is brushed over it, giving it a sweet, tangy finish.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

A glaze that does double duty: The maple-orange glaze — orange juice, Tapped Maple Syrup, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, chicken stock, and fresh thyme — reduced to a syrup is sweet, tangy, savory, and aromatic all at once, and it goes on after the cook so it stays glossy.
Butter under the skin: Tucking butter pats directly onto the breast meat before cooking bastes the white meat from the inside out through the entire 90-minute cook — the single best technique for keeping breast meat juicy on a spatchcocked bird.
375°F for crispy skin: Higher-heat roasting on the YS640s means the skin renders and crisps properly in 90 minutes without sacrificing juiciness — the brine and butter do the moisture work while the heat handles the skin.
Done in 90 minutes: Spatchcocking a 15 lb bird at 375°F means it's on the table in an hour and a half — a genuine holiday time-saver that doesn't compromise on results.

Maple Orange Glazed Turkey

Tom Jackson

Rated 4.5 stars by 12 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

8

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

90 minutes

Calories

468

If you're looking for a show-stopping centerpiece for your holiday table, this Maple Orange Glazed Turkey is the perfect choice. The combination of sweet maple syrup, tangy orange, and savory herbs creates a glaze that brings out the best in the juicy, tender meat. Spatchcocking the turkey ensures even cooking, while brining and adding butter under the skin keep the bird moist and flavorful. Whether you're hosting a holiday gathering or just want to try something new, this recipe offers a delicious twist on a classic roasted turkey with a sweet and zesty finish.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

15 lb turkey, spatchcocked
Sweetwater Spice Classic Holiday Turkey Bath
1/2 cup Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
1 gallon water
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pats
Cattleman’s Grill Ranchero Seasoning

Maple Orange Glaze:

1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 1.5 oranges
1/2 cup Tapped Maple Syrup
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp Texas Olive Ranch Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp Kozlik’s Dijon Classique
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

View Cart (0) Checkout

Directions

Spatchcock the turkey by using poultry shears to cut all the way up and down both sides of the backbone, removing the backbone. Flip the turkey over and press down on the breasts to flatten the bird.
Whisk together the Sweetwater Spice Classic Holiday Turkey Bath, 1/2 cup Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt and one gallon of water.
Place your turkey in a briner bag. Pour the brine over the turkey and brine one hour per pound in the refrigerator.
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 375ºF, set up for indirect cooking.
Season the turkey under skin, on the meat, with Cattleman’s Grill Ranchero Seasoning.
Place the butter pats under the skin, on the breasts, then pull the skin back over the meat, then season the skin.
Cook the turkey to an internal temperature of 155ºF in the breasts, about 90 minutes. Remove and rest.
While the turkey cooks, make the glaze. Combine all ingredients in a 10” Lodge Steel Skillet and reduce until you have a syrupy glaze that coats a spoon.
Pour the glaze over the turkey and brush to spread evenly.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

How long do I need to brine the turkey?
The recipe calls for one hour per pound in the refrigerator — for a 15 lb turkey, that's 15 hours, so plan to brine overnight the night before you cook. The Sweetwater Spice Classic Holiday Turkey Bath does the work; just make sure the bird is fully submerged in a briner bag and stays cold throughout.

When do I apply the glaze — during cooking or after?
After cooking. The glaze is prepared while the turkey cooks and poured then brushed over the bird once it comes off the grill. Applying a sugar-heavy glaze during cooking at 375°F risks burning the maple syrup and orange juice before the turkey is done. The residual heat of the rested bird sets the glaze into a glossy, sticky coating without scorching.

Can I make the glaze ahead of time?
Yes — the glaze can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently over low heat before applying; it will thicken as it cools and needs to be pourable for brushing. Add a splash of orange juice or chicken stock if it over-reduces when reheating.

Do I have to spatchcock, or can I roast the turkey whole?
Spatchcocking is strongly recommended. It cuts cook time to about 90 minutes, ensures the breast and thighs reach their target temps simultaneously, and produces dramatically better skin all the way around. If roasting whole, add 1.5–2 hours and monitor temps closely — the glaze still applies the same way after cooking.

Can I make this indoors?
4 out of 5 — Great in the kitchen, better on the grill. Roast at 350°F in a standard oven until the breast reaches 160°F — cook time will be nearly identical. The pellet grill adds a subtle ambient smoke layer that an oven won't replicate, but the spatchcock technique, butter under the skin, and glaze produce an excellent result either way.

Recipe Highlights

Brine one hour per pound: The Sweetwater Spice Classic Holiday Turkey Bath delivers salt, sugar, and holiday spices deep into the meat during the brine. For a 15 lb bird, that's 15 hours — the timing is calibrated so the salt fully penetrates without making the turkey taste cured. Don't rush it with a shorter brine or the seasoning will be surface-only.
Season under the skin, then on the skin: Cattleman's Grill Ranchero Seasoning goes directly onto the breast and thigh meat under the skin first, then on the exterior. Under-skin seasoning survives carving and seasons every bite of meat; exterior seasoning builds the crust and color. Both layers are necessary — one without the other produces noticeably less flavor.
Butter pats on the breasts under the skin: Placing butter pats directly on the breast meat — not just rubbing butter on the outside — creates a continuous self-basting environment inside the skin pocket during the 90-minute cook. The fat renders into the breast meat rather than dripping off the exterior, which is the single most effective technique for preventing dry white meat.
Reduce the glaze to syrupy before applying: The orange juice, maple syrup, balsamic, Dijon, stock, and thyme need to reduce to a thick, syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon before going on the bird. Too thin and it runs off; properly reduced, it clings to every surface and sets into the glossy, lacquered finish that makes this turkey a showstopper.