Maple-Glazed Turkey with Gravy

Name: Maple-Glazed Turkey with Gravy
Total time: 3 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 whole turkey; 2½ cups water; 1½ teaspoons black peppercorns; ⅔ cup Grade B maple syrup; ½ cup malt vinegar; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 5 cups turkey stock; 1 set equipment

A succulent whole turkey glazed with maple syrup and black peppercorns, served with a rich homemade gravy made from pan drippings. Perfect for special occasions and holiday meals.

8 servings

3 hr 45 min

Published October 4, 2025

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Ingredients

•1 whole turkey
•2½ cups water
•1½ teaspoons black peppercorns
•⅔ cup Grade B maple syrup
•½ cup malt vinegar
•½ cup all-purpose flour
•5 cups turkey stock
•1 set equipment

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in lowest position.
10 min
2.
Rinse turkey inside and out, then pat dry. Put turkey on rack in roasting pan and sprinkle turkey cavities and skin with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Fold neck skin under body, then tie drumsticks together with kitchen string and tuck wings under body.
15 min
3.
Add 1 cup water to pan and roast, without basting, 1 hour.
60 min
4.
Place peppercorns in a small sealable bag or wrap securely in a kitchen towel, then crack with a rolling pin or bottom of a heavy skillet. Transfer to a small heavy saucepan and add syrup, then cook over medium-low heat until heated through. Remove from heat and let syrup steep until ready to glaze turkey.
10 min
5.
After turkey has roasted 1 hour, rotate pan and add 1 cup water to pan. Roast, without basting, 45 minutes more.
45 min
6.
Just before 45 minutes is up, pour syrup through a small fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, discarding peppercorns.
5 min
7.
Brush turkey all over with syrup and continue to roast (if bottom of pan is completely dry, add remaining cup water) until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thighs (test both; close to but not touching bone) registers 170°F, 15 to 20 minutes more (total roasting time: about 2 hours).
20 min
8.
Carefully tilt turkey so juices from inside large cavity run into roasting pan, then transfer turkey to a platter, reserving juices in roasting pan. Let turkey stand, uncovered, 30 minutes (temperature of thigh meat will rise to 175°F).
30 min
9.
Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners, then add vinegar and deglaze pan by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Strain through cleaned fine-mesh sieve into measuring cup and let stand until fat rises to top. Skim off and reserve fat. (If using a fat separator, strain pan juices through sieve into separator and let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully pour pan juices from separator into measuring cup, reserving fat.)
10 min
10.
Heat 6 tablespoons reserved fat (if you don't have enough fat, substitute butter) in a heavy medium saucepan and whisk in flour. Cook roux over medium heat, whisking, 5 minutes. Add pan juices and stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then bring to a boil, whisking. Stir in any turkey juices from platter and briskly simmer, whisking occasionally, until gravy is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
20 min

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in lowest position.

10 min

Rinse turkey inside and out, then pat dry. Put turkey on rack in roasting pan and sprinkle turkey cavities and skin with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Fold neck skin under body, then tie drumsticks together with kitchen string and tuck wings under body.

15 min

Add 1 cup water to pan and roast, without basting, 1 hour.

60 min

Place peppercorns in a small sealable bag or wrap securely in a kitchen towel, then crack with a rolling pin or bottom of a heavy skillet. Transfer to a small heavy saucepan and add syrup, then cook over medium-low heat until heated through. Remove from heat and let syrup steep until ready to glaze turkey.

10 min

After turkey has roasted 1 hour, rotate pan and add 1 cup water to pan. Roast, without basting, 45 minutes more.

45 min

Just before 45 minutes is up, pour syrup through a small fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, discarding peppercorns.

5 min

Brush turkey all over with syrup and continue to roast (if bottom of pan is completely dry, add remaining cup water) until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thighs (test both; close to but not touching bone) registers 170°F, 15 to 20 minutes more (total roasting time: about 2 hours).

20 min

Carefully tilt turkey so juices from inside large cavity run into roasting pan, then transfer turkey to a platter, reserving juices in roasting pan. Let turkey stand, uncovered, 30 minutes (temperature of thigh meat will rise to 175°F).

30 min

Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners, then add vinegar and deglaze pan by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Strain through cleaned fine-mesh sieve into measuring cup and let stand until fat rises to top. Skim off and reserve fat. (If using a fat separator, strain pan juices through sieve into separator and let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully pour pan juices from separator into measuring cup, reserving fat.)

10 min

10.

Heat 6 tablespoons reserved fat (if you don't have enough fat, substitute butter) in a heavy medium saucepan and whisk in flour. Cook roux over medium heat, whisking, 5 minutes. Add pan juices and stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then bring to a boil, whisking. Stir in any turkey juices from platter and briskly simmer, whisking occasionally, until gravy is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

20 min