Brazilian Christmas Turkey Recipes

BRAZILIAN CHRISTMAS TURKEY

Steps:

• Place turkey (or turkey breast) and all other ingredients in a large oven roasting bag, seal tightly with no air and place in a large dish in the refrigerator to marinate overnight (actually, mine marinated for nearly 2 days--).
• When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove turkey from marinade and place in a large roasting pan.
• In a strainer, drain liquid from the vegetables and seasonings; place vegetables and seasonings in the turkey cavity.
• Roast, covered with foil, for 30 minutes at 425 degrees; reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and roast about another 3 to 3-1/2 hours (for turkey breast; for a whole turkey, adjust your time accordingly), basting periodically.
• Uncover the last 30 minutes or so for browning of the turkey.
• Makes the most excellent turkey sandwiches--.

JAMIE'S CHRISTMAS TURKEY

Steps:

• If you're worried about cooking the perfect Christmas turkey because you're afraid you'll get it wrong, don't be. This recipe is nice and simple and will help you achieve brilliant results for your Christmas meal. Take your turkey out of the refrigerator about an hour before you're ready to cook it so it comes up to room temperature before roasting. Give it a good rinse then pat it dry with some kitchen paper, making sure you soak up any water in the cavity. Drizzle the meat with a good lug of olive oil, add a few good sprinkles of salt and pepper and then rub this seasoning all over the bird, making sure you get in to all the nooks and crannies. Preheat your oven to full whack then get started on your stuffing. For the stuffing: Pour a lug or 2 of olive oil into a large pan on a medium heat and fry off your chopped onion, for about 10 minutes, or until softened. Stir in a good pinch of salt and pepper, the ground nutmeg and your chopped sage leaves, then continue to fry and stir for another 1 minute or 2. Spoon the onion mixture into a large bowl and let it cool completely. Once cooled, add your pork mince and breadcrumbs and use your hands to really scrunch everything together. Once it's mixed really well, bring the stuffing together into a ball, then cover and chill until you're ready to stuff your turkey. Pull the skin at the neck-end back so you can see a cavity and push about 1/2 of your stuffing inside your turkey. Not too much: you don't want to pack it so tightly it slows down the cooking. Once done, pull and fold the skin over the opening and tuck it under the bird so it looks nice. Turn the turkey around and drop a few small pieces of stuffing into the larger cavity along with your clementine halves and a few sprigs rosemary. Place your roughly chopped onion, celery, and carrots in the bottom of a roasting pan and lay your turkey on top. Cover the turkey with tin foil then put it in the hot oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 350 degrees F/ 180 degrees C/ Gas 4. Cook for about 35 to 40 minutes per kilo/ 2 pounds 2 ounces. The 11 pound/ 5 kg bird in this recipe will take about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Check on your turkey every 20 minutes or so and keep it from drying out by basting it with the lovely juices from the bottom of the pan. After 2 1/2 hours, remove the foil so the skin gets golden and crispy. When the time is up, take your turkey out of the oven and stick a small sharp knife into the fattest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear and the meat pulls apart easily, it's ready. If not, pop the turkey back in the oven to cook for a bit longer, then check again. Once ready, cover the turkey with tin foil and a few clean tea towels for 30 minutes and let it rest while you get your vegetables and gravy ready.

ITALIAN CHRISTMAS TURKEY

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add the sausage, celery and onion; cook and stir until meat is no longer pink. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the stuffing cubes, egg substitute and enough water to reach desired moistness., Just before baking, loosely stuff turkey with stuffing. Place remaining stuffing in a greased 2-qt. baking dish; cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking., Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together. Place breast side up in a roasting pan. Rub with salt and pepper., Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3-3/4 to 4-1/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 165° when inserted in center of stuffing and the thigh reaches at least 170°, basting occasionally with pan drippings. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.), Bake additional stuffing, covered, for 25-30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 160°. Cover turkey and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving turkey. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy.

BRAZILIAN-SYLE TURKEY WITH HAM

Steps:

• Remove giblets from turkey and discard. Place a turkey-size oven roasting bag inside a second roasting bag; add turkey. Place in a roasting pan. Combine the salt, pepper and garlic; rub over turkey. , In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, tomatoes, peppers and parsley. Pour over turkey and into cavity. Squeeze out as much air as possible from bag; seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours, turning several times. , Drain and discard marinade. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together. Prepare grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan. Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. , Place turkey over drip pan and grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 180°, tenting turkey with foil after about 1 hour. , Let stand for 20 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, warm the ham. Layer turkey and ham slices on a serving platter.

XMAS TURKEY - CEIA DE NATAL

Steps:

• Rub the turkey inside and out with a paste made with the salt, pepper, garlic, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Place the turkey in a non-reactive pan and pour on olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, champagne, and water. Add bay leaves, onions, scallions, and parsley. Cover loosely with a large piece of plastic and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours, occasionally dousing the turkey with the liquid.
• Remove turkey from marinade and rub it well inside and out with butter. Fill the turkey with dressing if desired, and close the opening with skewers. Reserve marinade for basting. Place turkey in a roasting pan. Crisscross bacon strips on top of turkey breast for flavor and decoration.
• Pour some of the marinade over the turkey. Cover turkey loosely with aluminum foil and roast the turkey in a 325-F degree oven until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh attains 180-F degrees.
• While it's roasting, make sure to baste the turkey at regular intervals with the remaining marinade, about every half-hour. Remove the foil for the final 20 minutes of roasting to crisp the skin and turn it a rich golden brown. Slice and serve!