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Roast Turkey with Balsamic Glaze – Lidia’s Signature

Roast Turkey with Balsamic Glaze – Lidia’s Signature

This Roast Turkey and Pan Sauce With a Reduced Balsamic Glaze recipe is a classic holiday centerpiece from Lidia’s repertoire. Over the years she has refined a two-stage “wet-then-dry” roasting method to achieve moist meat and a deeply colored, crisp skin. What makes this version special is the final brush of a reduced balsamic glaze for a rich, glossy finish.

Ingredients (Serves 12 or more)

  • 1 turkey (12 to 14 lb), including neck and giblets
  • 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Vegetables & seasonings for roasting base

  • 1 lb carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 2 large onions, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • ¾ lb celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms, crumbled into ~½-inch bits
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (for vegetables)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (if using unsalted stock)
  • 6 cups vegetable broth

For the reduced balsamic glaze (optional but recommended)

  • 1 pint balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 bay leaf

Optional aromatics for glaze (choose one or a combination)

  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 tender branch fresh rosemary
  • Several small sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Position a rack low enough so the turkey will fit comfortably under the oven ceiling (allowing space for foil tenting).

  2. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey; rinse the bird inside and out under cool running water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Discard lumps of fat from cavities.

  3. Place the turkey (with a wire rack) in a roasting pan. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the salt inside the cavity, and the rest (approx 1¼ tablespoons) over the skin. Drizzle the ¼ cup olive oil over the exterior, and rub it in so the skin is evenly coated. Fold each wing tip downward and tuck under the bird.

  4. In a bowl, toss together the carrots, onions, celery, porcini, peppercorns, rosemary sprigs, and the second ¼ cup olive oil. If using unsalted stock, add the extra 1 teaspoon salt. Spread the vegetables evenly in the bottom of the roasting pan around (and under, as space permits) the turkey.

  5. Carefully pour the vegetable broth into the pan (4 to 6 cups, depending on pan size) to a depth of ~⅓ inch, being careful not to wet the turkey itself.

  6. Create a foil tent: tear two long sheets of aluminum foil, arch one over the turkey and crimp to the pan edges, overlap with the second sheet, and seal well around rim to allow steam to circulate but shield the bird. Place the covered pan in the oven, pushed toward the back, and roast undisturbed for 2 hours.

  7. After 2 hours, carefully remove the foil tent, tilt the pan toward you and baste the turkey with pan juices. Return the bird to roast uncovered. Roast for 30 minutes to 1 hour more, basting occasionally, until the skin browns and the internal temperature (in the thickest part of thigh) reaches 165 °F (74 °C). If the breast browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil.

  8. When done, remove turkey from pan and place on a baking sheet. Loosely tent with foil and allow it to rest while you make the sauce. Keep the oven on at 375 °F if you will later glaze the turkey.

  9. To make the pan sauce: remove the neck and giblets (except the liver). Using a potato masher, crush the roasted vegetables in the pan juices. Strain all solids (pressing to extract liquid) into a saucepan. Discard solids. Bring the sauce to a vigorous boil and reduce uncovered until flavor concentrates.

  10. Meanwhile, prepare the balsamic glaze: in a heavy saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, bay leaf, and optional cloves or herbs. Bring to low boil, then reduce to a steady simmer until it is reduced to about one-third its original volume (from 1 pint to ~⅔ cup), reaching a consistency slightly thick but still brushable. Strain out herbs and aromatics.

  11. To glaze: place the turkey back on the rack or in a clean roasting pan. Brush the warm glaze evenly over the bird. Return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the glaze is shiny and deeply caramelized. Let the turkey rest, loosely tented, once done.

  12. Finish sauce: pour any drippings from the turkey tray back into the simmering pan sauce. Continue to reduce as needed until halved, taste and adjust salt. Strain again through a fine sieve into a serving container. If the sauce is too thin, you may thicken with a small amount of breadcrumbs.

  13. Carve the turkey: remove wings, slice breast meat, separate legs and thighs and slice dark meat. Arrange pieces on platter, drizzle with sauce or serve sauce at the table.

Enjoy Lidia Bastianich Roast Turkey and Pan Sauce With a Reduced Balsamic Glaze – may your holiday feast be warm, beautiful, and delicious!