Name: Asian Sesame Soy Turkey Roast
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 35 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 boneless turkey roast (3 lbs.); 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 5 cloves garlic; 2 tablespoons sesame seeds; 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 tablespoon olive oil

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Tender and juicy Asian sesame soy turkey roast is a creative take on a holiday classic. It's packed with traditional Asian flavours in its marinade made of soy sauce, sesame, ginger, brown sugar, and garlic. Plus, after cooking the turkey, the marinade doesn't go to waste. Simmer it into a flavourful and thick gravy sauce to pour over the roasted turkey and your favourite sides. This turkey roast is perfect for a family dinner or a smaller holiday meal for up to 6-8 people. And those leftovers will make for some amazing turkey fried rice.

Tender juicy Asian sesame soy turkey roast is a creative take on a holiday classic, packed with sweet, salty, and savoury umami flavours in every bite. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Asian Sesame Soy Turkey Roast

Robust flavours of soy and sesame. Although roasted turkey is fairly flavourful on its own, the tasty soy sesame marinade adds ginger, garlic, onion, and sugar to the mix. The result is an Asian sesame soy turkey roast packed with sweet, salty, and savoury umami flavours, in every single bite.
Flavourful Asian glaze sauce. Don't throw away that marinade! You'll use it to create a thick and delicious gravy sauce that tastes great drizzled over roasted turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, green veggies, rice, crispy leaf potatoes, and anything else you make for dinner.
Crispy, juicy roasted turkey. After two and a half hours of roasting (or a little longer if cooking directly from frozen), your Asian sesame soy turkey roast will come out of the oven tender and juicy. And if you like an extra crispy crust, you're in for a treat after you oil and broil your bird.

Ingredients

To make this delicious Asian sesame soy turkey roast, you will need the following ingredients:

boneless turkey roast - you will need one boneless turkey roast (about 3 lbs.). I used a Butterball turkey roast which I found easily at my local grocery store.
soy sauce
onion
brown sugar
garlic
sesame seeds
ginger
sesame oil
olive oil - if you choose to broil at the end for a crispier and more browned crust.

You also need measuring cups and spoons, a roasting pan, and a meat thermometer.

How to Make the Best Asian Sesame Soy Turkey Roast

Allow the boneless turkey roast to thaw completely in the refrigerator for one day. Then, remove the plastic bag, but leave the attached netting on.
In a food blender, add soy sauce, onion, brown sugar, garlic, sesame seeds, ginger, and sesame oil. Blend for one minute until smooth.
Transfer the thawed turkey into a zip-loc bag and slowly pour in the prepared marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Press the marinade around the turkey to fully coat. Transfer the turkey into the refrigerator and marinate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Remove turkey from the zip-loc bag and place it on the rack of a shallow roasting pan. Reserve the marinade and set aside.
Roast the turkey uncovered for about 2.5 hours, until internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer. Turn the turkey roast over once, halfway through cooking.
To develop a darker brown crust, brush olive oil over the turkey roast and broil for 3-4 minutes. Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Transfer the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and add one teaspoon of flour. Whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat, and stir continuously until thickened to a desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
Use kitchen scissors to carefully remove the netting from the turkey roast and carve into slices. Pour the sesame sauce on top, as desired.

How to Cook Turkey Roast from Frozen

You can also cook this Asian turkey roast directly from frozen. To do so, just skip the marinating step, and instead cook the turkey roast for one hour at 325 F. Then, take it out and brush a generous amount of the marinade sauce all over the turkey. Return the turkey to the oven and baste it every half an hour (30 minutes) by brushing it with the marinade, until the roast is cooked according to package instructions, or once the temperature of the turkey reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer.

How to Use Roast Turkey Leftovers

You can use those leftovers to make something completely new, like any of these delicious leftover turkey recipes:

Prep, Storing and Freezing Tips

How to thaw: For the best results, thaw the frozen turkey in the refrigerator overnight. You can also cook this recipe directly from frozen (see instructions above in post or in the notes on the recipe card below). If you have the time, I would recommend thawing first as marinating the turkey ahead of time will allow it to absorb the most flavour.
How to store: Allow the turkey roast to cool to room temperature, then transfer it into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the sauce in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator, if possible.
How to freeze: Extend the shelf life of your roasted turkey by freezing it for up to four months. After cooling, portion the turkey roast into airtight, freezer-safe bags or airtight containers before placing in freezer.
How to reheat: Reheat turkey in the oven at 300F for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Thinly sliced turkey will take less time to reheat compared to thick ones. Alternately, reheat in the microwave in 20-second increments until heated all the way through.

More Turkey Recipes

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