Holiday Turkey
The traditional Turkey is becoming a staple dish in every Latino Household across the country during the holidays. When it comes to sabor, Chef Pati Jinich makes sure every cook roasts the perfect turkey seasoned with tons authentic flavors from Mexico and Latin America.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons achiote paste from a bar
6 cups bitter orange juice or its substitute
6 cups homemade chicken broth or store bought
- 12 cloves garlic charred, broiled or toasted with the skin on, and then peeled
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 16- to 18-pound turkey rinsed and patted dry
- 4 whole red onions peeled and sliced
- 8 ripe tomatoes roughly chopped
- 2 to 3 banana leaves (optional)
- 1 brining bag large enough for a turkey (or an extra-large plastic bag)
Chorizo, Apple and Corn Bread Stuffing
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ANOLON Advanced| 13" x 16" Roaster Set
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ANOLON| Salt and Pepper Grinders
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ANOLON| 10-Piece SureGrip Utensil Set
For the Marinade
For the Turkey
Recommended Products
Directions
To make the marinade
In a blender or food processor, working in 2 batches, add the achiote paste, bitter orange juice or its substitute, chicken broth, garlic, oregano, cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper and puree until smooth.
Slide the turkey, with the breast side down, into the brining bag. Pour the marinade into the bag and massage it into the bird, working it into the cavity and all the crevasses. Place the bag in a mixing bowl or roasting pan and refrigerate for 12 to 48 hours, turning the turkey a couple of times to redistribute the marinade.
To make the turkey
Set the oven rack at the lowest position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread the onions and tomatoes in a large roasting pan. Sit the turkey on the vegetables breast side up. Stuff the main cavity with as much stuffing as it can hold and place the rest in a buttered baking dish. Close the cavity by crossing and tying the legs with butcher’s twine. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Pour as much of the remaining marinade over the turkey as will fit halfway up the pan.
Roast the turkey for 30 minutes. Cover the turkey with layers of banana leaves, if you are using them, and then cover the entire pan with aluminum foil, sealing it as best as you can. The less steam that is able to escape the better.
- Reduce the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place turkey back in the oven and roast for 3 1/2 hours, or for at least 12 minutes per pound. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the leaves and/or the foil, being careful as the steam is hot. Return to the oven and roast for 20 more minutes. The turkey should be completely cooked through and nearly falling off the bone.
- Remove turkey from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes, loosely covered with the aluminum foil.
- Strain all the cooked vegetables and juice into a medium 3-quart saucepan, pressing with the back of the spoon to get as much liquid as possible. Set aside 1 cup for the stuffing. Simmer the remaining sauce for 15 to 20 minutes, until it has reduced by half.
- While the turkey rests, pour the reserved marinade over the stuffing in the baking dish and place it in the oven for 20 minutes, or until it is hot and the top is crisped.
- Carve the turkey and serve with the stuffing.