Asian Spiced Turkey Recipes

ASIAN STYLE ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Peel off one whole garlic and mash it a little bit.
• Cut a piece of ginger (2 oz) into 8 slices.
• Peel and cut a medium sized onion into half.
• Wash and cut 4 sticks of green onion into strips.
• Pour 12 cups of water into a big pot. Then, add 1 cup of kosher salt, 1 onion, 4 sticks of green onion, 8 slices of ginger, 2 sticks of cinnamon sticks, 10 pieces of star anise, 1 teaspoon of clove, 1 whole garlic and ½ cup of soy sauce. Next, turn on medium to high fire to boil them, until it's boiling. Then, turn to a small fire and simmer for 15-30 minutes.
• After that, add 6 cups of ice into the brine water and let it cool off. Remember to let the liquid completely cool down. Then, immerse the whole turkey ( I used 11.62 pounds) starting with the breast side for a few hours and turn the other side. Brine the turkey for a day and overnight in the refrigerator.
• Take the brined turkey out of the pot, use a paper towel to dry it and put it through the angel fruit cake stand. Cut up 3 potatoes, 4 carrots, 3 sticks of celery and mix them with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, ⅛ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper. Then, lay the mixed vegetables around the tray.
• Preheat the oven for 425 F. Add one cup of water around the tray and vegetables. Bake the whole turkey at 425 F for an hour. Then, change the temperature to 350 F and bake around 1.5 hours until it reaches 165 F internal temperature.***(The baking time depends on the size of the turkey. Most of the time for non-stuffing turkey is every 13 minutes per pound and stuffing turkey is 15 minutes per pound. In this Asian turkey recipe, the turkey is 11.62 pounds. (11.62 pounds x 13 minutes)/60 minutes = 2.52 hours. I round up to 2.5 hours total bake time. Usually I roast it until the last 30 minutes. Then, I keep checking if it reaches 165 F internal temperature. Remember don't over bake the turkey because it will be very dry.)
• Next, cover the whole turkey and rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting up.

ASIAN SPICED TURKEY

Steps:

• Place celery and onions inside the turkey cavity. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup water, soy sauce, sugar, apple juice, vanilla and seasonings; mix well. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan; pour remaining water into the pan. Pour 1/4 cup soy sauce mixture into the cavity and another 1/4 cup over turkey; set remaining sauce aside. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until a thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with remaining sauce. When turkey begins to brown, cover lightly with foil. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving.

TANDOORI TURKEY

Steps:

• For tandoori masala:
• Toast spices in a skillet over medium heat, swirling often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Working in batches, finely grind mixture in a spice mill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• For garam masala:
• Toast spices in a skillet over medium heat, swirling often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Working in batches, finely grind mixture in a spice mill. Sift through a medium-mesh strainer into a small bowl; stir to combine. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• For turkey:
• Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Rub inside and out with salt; transfer to roasting bag. Stuff turkey with cardamom pods and cumin seeds, then onion, celery, and garlic.
• For marinade:
• Purée all ingredients in a blender. Pour marinade into roasting bag. Smear all over turkey. Tie bag and arrange turkey, breast side down, in a large heavy roasting pan. Refrigerate overnight.
• Let turkey stand in bag at room temperature for 1 hour. Turn breast side up. Create steam holes in bag if required by manufacturer's instructions.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (puncturing bag with thermometer) registers 160°, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Cut top of bag open, being careful of steam and juices, and pull back over turkey. Roast turkey until breast is deeply browned but not burned and a thermometer inserted into thigh registers 165°F, 15-30 minutes longer.
• Transfer to a platter. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, strain juices into a large saucepan. Spoon fat from surface. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes.
• Carve turkey. Serve with accompanying gravy.

ASIAN TURKEY BURGERS

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Mix ground turkey, onion, water chestnuts, bell pepper, garlic, parsley, soy sauce, water, ginger, salt, and pepper in a bowl; shape into 4 patties.
• Cook the turkey burgers on the preheated grill until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 4 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

CANTONESE-STYLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove turkey from refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and allow turkey to come to room temperature while you prepare the sauce.
• Swirl 3 tablespoons oil into a wok or large Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add scallions, leeks and celery and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften and cook down, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add soybean sauce, orange peel, sugar, rice wine or sherry, white pepper, soy sauce and oyster sauce to the vegetable mixture, along with 2 cups water. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and allow mixture to simmer and thicken, 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 20 minutes.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce over turkey and spoon 2 tablespoons into its cavity. Tuck the tips of the wings under the bird and truss its legs together with kitchen string. Pour remaining sauce and 2 cups water into roasting pan and transfer to oven. Roast turkey, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 325 degrees. Baste turkey with pan juices, and tent it with foil. Continue roasting another 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees. If pan starts to look dry, add hot water or turkey or chicken stock, if you have any, 1 cup at a time.
• Transfer turkey to a cutting board or platter and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving. Pour pan drippings into a small pot, adding enough warm water or stock to equal 1 cup, and keep warm on the stove.
• Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Grease a large sheet pan with 1 tablespoon oil, and arrange halved potatoes on the pan, cut side down. Season with salt and black pepper, and slide potatoes into the oven. Cook, undisturbed, until potatoes are tender and cut sides are nicely browned and crisped, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove pan from the oven, drizzle reserved drippings all over potatoes, toss and return to the oven to finish cooking, 5 minutes longer. Serve potatoes with turkey.

ASIAN-SPICED FRIED TURKEY WITH SWEET POTATO FRIES AND CRANBERRY SYRUP

Steps:

• Two to three hours in advance, combine the water, salt, sugar, soy sauce, peppercorns, ginger, anise, and bay leaves in a cooler large enough to hold the turkey and stir to mix. Taste the brine, it should taste like sweet ocean water. Adjust salt and or turkey to taste. Add the turkey, if it is not covered, add more water and adjust seasoning accordingly. Fill the cooler with ice packs and cover.
• Fry in 375 degree F oil until cooked through 10 to 12 minutes depending on piece. Remove the turkey and season with the same chile salt used for the fries.
• Note: If you would like to do some of the cooking in advance, heat oil to 345 degrees F and blanch the turkey for 10 minutes. Later when ready to serve, heat the oil to 375 degrees F and finish cooking until a meat thermometer registers 170 and the skin is crisp and golden.
• Plating: Arrange the turkey in the center of the plate, stick spears out of the turkey with the cranberry syrup in a small separate bowl. Sprinkle with chile salt, garnish with fried sage leaves. Dip in cranberry syrup, and enjoy.
• Serve the turkey, if desired, with sweet potato fries and garnish with sage leaves that have been fried at 375 degrees F for 1minute until crisp and translucent, not brown.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sweat the onions and the ginger until the onions are translucent. Add the cranberries, orange zest/juice, vinegar, cranberry juice, and sugar and simmer until reduced by about 25 percent. The mixture should coat a spoon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the chunky sauce in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Cut the sweet potatoes into spears and place in the prepared fryer for 10 minutes until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with the chile salt.
• Note: as with the turkey, the fries can be blanched in 345 degree F oil ahead of time until just tender, but not brown, and refried in 375 degree F oil until crisp and golden.

SPICY ASIAN GROUND TURKEY WITH CABBAGE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large pan. When hot add ground turkey and stir fry it for 5 minutes. Add Hoisin sauce, hot chili sauce and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Continue to stir fry until almost cooked through. (I use the pampered chef tool to break up the meat into small pieces).
• In a bowl, combine the scallions, half of the ginger, cabbage, half of the chili pepper, the garlic, the 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and the lime zest.
• Add vegetable bowl mixture to wok and continue to stir fry until cooked but still slightly crisp.
• While the turkey and vegetables cook, make the dipping sauce. In a bowl, combine the remaining ginger and chili pepper, the 1/3 cup of soy sauce, the lime juice, the sesame oil, the honey and a splash of water. Taste and adjust the seasoning; if it's too salty, add another drizzle of honey.
• Before serving the meat stir in the cilantro leaves.
• Garnish with extra cilantro leaves and serve with the spicy lime dipping sauce.
• Wrap in lettuce cups or serve over noodles or rice.

CHINESE 5 SPICE TURKEY TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• in crockpot combine first 10 ingredients. cook on low for 8 hours.
• 15 minute prior to dinnertime, in saucepan, stir fry frozen veggies with 1/3 cup citrus soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoons 5 spice powder. serve over steamed rice.