Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Thanksgiving may still be a ways away for our American cousins south of the border but it is right around the corner for us here in Canada, so with one of the biggest turkey days of the year at hand, here's a delicious idea for a very flavorful roast turkey that your guests will love. The lemon sage butter gets tucked under the skin of the bird to infuse its flavor directly into the meat while adding extra moisture to ensure a succulent, juicy turkey. The cavity of the turkey gets stuffed with extra aromatic lemon and sage do that the flavor infuses from inside and out. If you're looking for an easy and delicious way to depart from your traditional roast turkey, this is the recipe you need.

Some delicious Maple Roasted Vegetables are pictured with this tasty turkey too.

Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

The lemon sage butter gets tucked under the skin of the bird to infuse its flavor directly into the meat while adding extra moisture to ensure a succulent, juicy turkey.

Prep time: Aproximately 20 minutes.
Cook time: Aproximately 20 minutes per pound.
Total time: Dependent on turkey size.
Ingredients

• One 10-15 pound turkey
• 3/4 cup butter
• zest of one lemon, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage, (or 1 tsp dry sage if fresh is unavailable)
• 1/2 clove fiinely minced garlic (optional)
• 1/2 lemon
• 3 springs fresh sage
• 1 small onion, or large shallot cut in chunks

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat together the butter, lemon zest, salt, pepper, sage and minced garlic until well combined.
3. Loosen the skin on the breasts and thighs of the turkey by very gently pushing your fingers between the skin and the meat. Be careful not to tear the skin.
4. Using about a tablespoon of the lemon sage butter at a time, gently push it under the skin all over the turkey.
5. Pat the outside of the turkey to distribute the butter as evenly as you can all over the bird.
6. Place the onion (or shallot), lemon and sage sprigs in the microwave for a minute or so to get them heated before stuffing them into the body cavity of the turkey. Preheating them helps these aromatics begin to immediately start infusing their flavors as the turkey roasts.
7. Tie the turkey legs together with butcher string and tuck the wing tips under the turkey.
8. Place the turkey on a roasting rack and roast UNCOVERED until the turkey is completely cooked. It is not necessary to baste this turkey.
9. Turkey generally takes about 20 minutes per pound to be completely cooked but sometimes an unstuffed bird will roast more quickly. I ALWAYS use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature at the center of the thickest part of the breast and thighs has reached 170 degrees F. Avoid hitting a bone with your thermometer as this can give an inaccurate reading.
10. ALWAYS let your turkey rest under a tent of aluminum foil for 20 minutes before carving. This step is essential for a juicy turkey; carving a turkey too early can result in drier meat, especially breast meat.

Brown Sugar Pecan Glazed Pork Loin

Brown Sugar Pecan Glazed Pork Loin

We purchased a beautiful pork loin roast for dinner the other night and when thinking of a new way to prepare it, Spouse suggested maybe some kind of pecan crust. My mind immediately went to the thought: Have we done that on Rock Recipes yet? Thinking no and that it would be a good idea to try as a new recipe, I couldn't get rid of another thought, that pecans would be fantastic in one of our most popular roast pork recipes, a very simple brown sugar and Dijon mustard glazed roast.

Giving in to the compulsion to try it, I was not disappointed in the least! The pecans toasted up beautifully in the time that the pork took to cook to juicy perfection and were an absolutely delectable addition to the simple glaze. We served it with some cornbread stuffing and baked cauliflower for a terrific Fall meal.

Here's a link to the stuffing recipe: Apple Pecan Cornbread Stuffing

Brown Sugar Pecan Glazed Pork Loin

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Such an easy recipe to create a sweet, savory and crunchy glaze on a juicy pork loin roast.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: About 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on actual size of the roast
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes, approximately.
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients

• 3 1/2 pound pork loin roast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped unroasted pecans

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Trim the fat from the roast, leaving only a quarter inch of fat on top at the most.
3. Season the pork loin with salt and pepper and open roast on a rack in a 425 degree F oven for 1/2 hour.
4. Combine the brown sugar and dijon mustard into a paste and fold the chopped pecans into it.
5. Remove the roast from the oven after 30 minutes and reduce the heat to 375 degrees F.
6. Spread the prepared paste evenly over the top of the roast and return to the oven.
7. Baste the roast about every 15 minutes, scooping up the glaze and nuts that fall off back over the top of the roast.
8. Continue to roast until the internal temperature of the roast hits between 145 to 160 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
9. NOTE: This roast was cooked to 160 degrees which is about right for well done. The US Dept of Agriculture revised the safe cooking temperature of pork loin to 145 degrees a couple of years ago but at that temperature the meat will still be a little pink which is perfectly fine but many people will not prefer it pink.
10. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes after you take it out of the oven before carving and serving.

Ginger Braised Beef Roast with Hoisin Jus

Ginger Braised Beef Roast with Hoisin Jus

Here's a different take on your Sunday pot roast... and a really delicious one too. My kids and Kathryn, our spare teenager and frequent dinner guest, particularly liked the beef jus that we served with this roast. It's simply made from the leftover braising liquid that's simmered with Hoisin sauce and soy sauce for familiar Asian flavor that goes so well with the slow cooked beef. All three teenagers at the table devoured this meal in short order, even going back for seconds. We served it with simple stir fried baby bok choy and peppers and some sweet potato mash for a completely satisfying dinner.

Ginger Braised Beef Roast with Hoisin Jus

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

A beautiful, fall-apart tender, braised pot roast with Asian inspired flavors. Served with a delicious beef jus that's flavored with Hoisin and soy sauce at the end.

Prep time: Aproximately 20 minutes
Cook time: 3 to 4 hours
Total time: Aproximately 4 hours
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients

• 4 lb beef roast, cross rib or sirloin work well
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp five spice powder
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground fennel seed
• 2 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
• 6 carrots, cut in sticks or coins

Cooking Directions

1. Season the roast with salt and pepper and brown on all sides in a cast iron pan with a little canola oil added to the pan. Transfer the roast to a covered roaster or heavy dutch oven.
2. Add the beef stock, orange juice, onion, garlic, five spice powder, salt, pepper, ginger and honey. Stir to blend the ingredients together.
3. Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil before adding the lid. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is tender and almost falling apart.
4. In the last half hour or so of cooking time add the carrots to the roasting pan.
5. Remove the meat from the pan, cover with aluminum foil and hold in a 150 degree oven while you prepare the jus.
6. Pour the beef braising liquid from the roasting pan into a saucepan and skim any excess fat.
7. Simmer to reduce the volume by about 1/4, then add the soy sauce and Hoisin sauce. Simmer for just a few minutes more and serve with the carved beef roast.
8. Delicious served with simple steamed rice or sweet potato mash and stir fried Chinese vegetables. 

Ginger Braised Beef Roast with Hoisin Jus

Maple Chipotle Glazed Roast Chicken

Maple Chipotle Glazed Roast Chicken

A roast chicken dinner is about as homey as good cooking gets. At our house roasted potatoes are a must with a good roast chicken; not making roast potatoes would be a cardinal sin in my son's eyes especially. You can find our very popular version of English style roast potatoes here. We often roast off other root vegetables like carrots and Spouse's favorite parsnip to serve as well but the star of the show is always a perfectly roasted chicken.  

  

I like to brine my poultry before roasting but it's not essential if you are pressed for time. You can read more about my brining technique here. 

This one was particularly good with a sweet and smoky glaze to make for a perfect Sunday roast dinner.

Maple Chipotle Glaze

In a small pot sauté together:

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

Add

1/3 cup low sodium chicken stock

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 tsp chipotle powder

Simmer slowly stirring often until the glaze reduces by at least half in volume.

Roast your chicken uncovered in a 350 degree oven. In the last half hour or so of cooking time, brush several layers of the glaze all over the chicken about every 10 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes when it comes out of the oven before carving and serving.