Orange Chili Roasted Turkey

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey
• 1 cup margarine
• 3 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 1/2 cups orange juice (fresh is best)
• kosher salt
• coarsely ground black pepper

Directions

1. 1

   Remove giblets and neck from turkey, reserve for gravy.

2. 2

   Rinse turkey with cold running water and drain well.

3. 3

   Blot dry with paper towels inside and out.

4. 4

   Preheat oven to 325° degrees.

5. 5

   Reduce orange juice down to 1 cup.

6. 6

   Melt margarine with chili powder and garlic powder.

7. 7

   Mix in reduced orange juice.

8. 8

   Cool slightly.

9. 9

   Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (about 2 1/2" deep) roasting pan.

10. 10

    Use an injector to inject the mixture into the turkey, especially in the meaty parts of the breast and thighs (see photo).

11. 11

    Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper.

12. 12

    Insert an oven safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful the pointed end of the thermometer does not touch the bone.

13. 13

    Roast turkey in a pre-heated, 325° F oven.

14. 14

    Loosely cover with aluminum foil to prevent over browning, remove foil during last hour and a half of cooking time.

15. 15

    Continue to roast until thermometer registers 180 degrees F in the thigh, or 170 degrees F in the breast.

16. 16

    Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.