Cantonese people have been expertly roasting poultry of all kinds for thousands of years: duck, chicken, pigeon, the list goes on. So why not add a Thanksgiving Honey Glazed Cantonese Turkey to the list?
A Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
Our Honey Glazed Cantonese Turkey is a non-traditional recipe for preparing your Thanksgiving turkey this year. Whether you’re entertaining Chinese guests for Thanksgiving dinner or simply want to provide a new twist to your turkey (and sides!), your guests will love this unique Cantonese turkey, roasted with authentic Chinese flavors and honey glazed for sweetness.
During the Thanksgiving season, everyone in our extended family loves to share their turkey photos and dinners with each other on Facebook and Instagram. Being Chinese, we invariably see the traditional roasted turkey and sides, along with a host of Chinese dishes prepared to round out the feast or to make sure the elders have something familiar to eat.
This was the inspiration for this Cantonese turkey recipe. Why not just combine Chinese and American tradition and––no pun intended––kill two birds with one stone?
Plus, the familiar flavors of a Cantonese roast duck or Hong Kong Style Pigeon translate very well to a turkey: five-spice powder, ground bean sauce, hoisin sauce, and plenty of garlic and ginger.
This recipe includes a non-traditional spin on mashed potatoes, but you could really go all out and prepare some of our other Chinese recipes as side dishes rather than the traditional stuffing and green bean casserole.
I have to say though, most years, we go traditional, so we don’t blame you if you want to as well!
If you’re going that route, use our go-to recipe for Grandpa’s Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey and our other holiday recipes to plan your Thanksgiving dinner.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Cantonese Roast Turkey Recipe Instructions
First, thaw your turkey. Make sure you provide plenty of time for this step. It’s best to let your turkey thaw overnight in the kitchen sink a couple of days before Thanksgiving (if it’s frozen solid) or the day before you’re going to cook it (preferably the morning, as it will still need to marinate). When the turkey is completely thawed, remove it from the wrapper, and if the inside of the turkey is still frozen, run some warm water into the cavity and let it sit for a few more hours to thaw. If you’re in a hurry, you can soak the turkey in lukewarm water to aid the thawing process.
This is the single most important step to ensuring your turkey cooks evenly. Be sure to also remove the giblet package in the cavity and thoroughly rinse the cavity and outside of the turkey. Next, drain all of the water from the cavity, and pat the whole turkey dry with paper towels. You can also let it drip dry on a rack.
Make the marinade by mixing together ¼ cup ground bean sauce, 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 4 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot, 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, 1½ tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, and 1 teaspoon five spice powder.
Rub the turkey down inside and out with the marinade, ensuring all surfaces are thoroughly coated. Work the marinade under the skin where possible.
If you think you have too much marinade, you don’t – just use the surplus amount in the cavity. Finish the turkey by placing the Chinese dried tangerine peels into the cavity.
Place the turkey in a roasting pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, take the turkey out 3 hours prior to roasting to bring it up to room temperature.
When you’re ready to cook the turkey, line the roasting pan with the 3 pounds of chopped potatoes and the chopped leek. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables, breast side down. (We’re going to flip it later).
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, and arrange an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. While that’s happening, prepare the glaze. Mix together ⅓ cup hot water, 2 teaspoons red Zhejiang vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of honey. Set aside.
Roast your Cantonese turkey for 30 minutes. Then use a basting brush to glaze the turkey with your honey mixture and rotate the pan 180 degrees. Roast for another 30 minutes, and give the turkey another basting with the glaze.
Remove the turkey from the oven, and lower the temperature to 325 degrees F. Using a clean kitchen towel and a sturdy roasting fork, flip the turkey breast-side up. Carefully brush off any vegetables that may be stuck to the turkey, taking care not to damage the skin on the breast.
Roast the turkey at the lower temperature for another hour and 5 minutes (for a 13 pound turkey) to an hour and a half (for a 15 pound turkey). Glaze the turkey every 15 minutes, and rotate the pan halfway through the second block of roasting time. If the turkey is browning too much, tent it lightly with aluminum foil.
The surest way to check if your turkey is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the thigh should register 165 degrees and the juices should run clear (not pink).
Roasting Times & Tips for Different Sized Turkeys
We think a 13-15 pound turkey is the perfect size—it cooks quickly and evenly, and you have a good chance of both the thighs and breast finishing at the same time for juicy dark AND white meat.
If, however, you have a larger or smaller turkey, here are approximate roasting times.
| Turkey Weight | Roasting Time Breast-Side Down at 425°F/215°C | Roasting Time Breast-Side Up at 325°F/160°C | Total Roasting Time |
| 12 to 14 pounds (5.4-6.4 kg) | 1 hour | 1 to 1.5 hours | 2 to 2.5 hours |
| 15 to 17 pounds (6.8-7.7 kg) | 1 hour | 1.5 to 2 hours | 2.5 to 3 hours |
| 18 to 22 pounds (8.1-10kg) | 1 hour | 2 to 2.5 hours | 3 to 3.5 hours |
For instance, for an 18-pound turkey, you would roast for 1 hour breast-side-down at 425°F/215°C and then flip the turkey breast-side-up and roast at 325°F/160°C for 2 hours, for a total of 3 hours.
Important Notes:
- Be sure to increase or decrease marinade ingredients proportionally to any changes in turkey size. Click on the serving # in the recipe card below to scale the recipe up or down according to the weight of your turkey.
- Remember to rotate the roasting pan 180° halfway through the first hour of cooking, and then again halfway through the cooking time at 325°F/160°C. This will help ensure even cooking.
- If you’re cooking a larger turkey, tent the breast lightly with foil after it has turned golden brown, so it stays moist even with the extended cooking time.
- Towards the end of your estimated cooking time, it’s a good idea to test your turkey temperature with an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh, to prevent even slight overcooking!
When your turkey is done, transfer it to a serving plate, cover it lightly with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the potatoes and leeks out of the pan. Serve them as-is, or make them into a delicious side of roasted mashed potatoes (just add milk, butter, and salt to taste).
Lastly, pour the pan drippings through a fine mesh strainer into a fat separator to make the gravy. Check out our post on how to make the perfect gravy for your Thanksgiving turkey!
Serve this Cantonese Turkey with your choice of sides!
Honey Glazed Cantonese Turkey
Ingredients
To prepare the turkey:
- 13-15 pound turkey (fully thawed and rinsed clean)
- ¼ cup ground bean sauce
- 3 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 1½ tablespoons salt
- 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon five spice powder
- 3-4 pieces dried Chinese tangerine peel
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces)
- 1 whole leek (about 8 oz/225g, chopped and thoroughly washed to remove sand and grit)
For the honey glaze:
- ⅓ cup hot water
- 2 teaspoons red Zhejiang vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- First, thaw your turkey. Make sure you provide plenty of time for this step. It’s best to let your turkey thaw overnight in the kitchen sink a couple of days before Thanksgiving (if it’s frozen solid) or the day before you’re going to cook it (preferably the morning, as it will still need to marinate). When the turkey is completely thawed, remove it from the wrapper, and if the inside of the turkey is still frozen, run some warm water into the cavity and let it sit for a few more hours to thaw. If you’re in a hurry, you can soak the turkey in lukewarm water to aid the thawing process.
- This is the single most important step to ensuring your turkey cooks evenly. Be sure to also remove the giblet package in the cavity and thoroughly rinse the cavity and outside of the turkey. Next, drain all of the water from the cavity, and pat the whole turkey dry with paper towels. You can also let it drip dry on a rack.
- Make the marinade by mixing together ¼ cup ground bean sauce, 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 4 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot, 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, 1½ tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, and 1 teaspoon five spice powder.
- Rub the turkey down inside and out with the marinade, ensuring all surfaces are thoroughly coated. Work the marinade under the skin where possible. If you think you have too much marinade, use the surplus amount in the cavity. Finish the turkey by placing the Chinese dried tangerine peels into the cavity.
- Place the turkey in a roasting pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, take the turkey out 3 hours prior to roasting to bring it up to room temperature.
- When you’re ready to cook the turkey, line the roasting pan with the 3 pounds of chopped potatoes and the chopped leek. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables, breast side down. (We’re going to flip it later).
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, and arrange an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. While that’s happening, prepare the glaze. Mix together ⅓ cup hot water, 2 teaspoons red Zhejiang vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of honey. Set aside.
- Roast your Cantonese turkey for 30 minutes. Then use a basting brush to glaze the turkey with your honey mixture and rotate the pan 180 degrees. Roast for another 30 minutes, and give the turkey another basting with the glaze.
- Remove the turkey from the oven, and lower the temperature to 325 degrees F. Using a clean kitchen towel and a sturdy roasting fork, flip the turkey breast-side up. Carefully brush off any vegetables that may be stuck to the turkey, taking care not to damage the skin on the breast.
- Roast the turkey at the lower temperature for another hour and 5 minutes (for a 13 pound turkey) to an hour and a half (for a 15 pound turkey). Glaze the turkey every 15 minutes, and rotate the pan halfway through the second block of roasting time. If the turkey is browning too much, tent it lightly with aluminum foil.
- The surest way to check if your turkey is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the thigh should register 165 degrees and the juices should run clear (not pink).
- When your turkey is done, transfer it to a serving plate, cover it lightly with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the potatoes and leeks out of the pan. Serve them as-is, or make them into a delicious side of roasted mashed potatoes (just add milk, butter, and salt to taste). Lastly, pour the pan drippings through a fine mesh strainer into a fat separator to make the gravy.
