Caja China Turkey Recipe Holiday Cooking With Latin Touch

CUBAN TURKEY IN THE CAJA CHINA WITH SWEET AND SOUR PINEAPPLE MARMALADE

Steps:

• Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl and rub the turkey with the mixture on the inside and outside.
• Make the marinade: Put all the marinade ingredients in a blender and blend to combine. Fill an injector with the mixture and inject the turkey all over. It will plump with the fluid.
• Place the turkey, breast side down, in a disposable aluminum pan. Put the pan inside the Caja China box. Place the lid tray in position and build a charcoal fire in the tray (I use a chimney starter to make this easy). Roast the turkey in the box (no peeking!) for 1 1/2 hours, continuously adding charcoal as it burns out. You will use about 8 pounds of charcoal per hour.
• While the turkey is roasting, make the marmalade: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk the orange juice, vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, and the brown sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the pineapple, onion, and jalapeno. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened, about 15 to 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Carefully remove the lid from the Caja China (have a safe place to set it down, as the charcoal is still burning on top). Use the tongs to flip the turkey breast side up. Replace the lid and allow the turkey to roast for another 40 minutes, until the internal temperature of the thigh meat reaches at least 165 degrees. Remove the turkey and tent it with foil for 15 minutes. Slice and serve on buns if desired, with pan juices and pineapple marmalade.

CAJUN BRINED TURKEY-TWO WAYS

Steps:

• Two days before cooking: Combine the Spanish paprika, New Mexican chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, chile de arbol and cayenne in a small bowl. Remove 1/4 cup for another use, such as the Eggplant Casserole with Red Pepper Pesto and Cajun Breadcrumbs. Dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons cold water in a large (at least 16-quart) stockpot or a clean bucket. Whisk in half of the remaining spice rub, the garlic, bay leaves and onion. Add the turkey, cover and refrigerate or set in a very cold place (that stays somewhere between 32 to 40 degrees F) for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Rinse well under cold water and pat dry to remove the salt. Let air-dry in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• In The Big Green Egg: Light a large chimney filled with charcoal briquettes (about 5 quarts) and allow to burn until all the charcoal is covered with a layer of fine gray ash. Empty the coals into the grill. Top with some of the soaked wood chips if using. Put in the ceramic plate, then the grill rack. Put the cover on and let the grate heat up. Brush the turkey with oil and rub the entire turkey (including the cavity) with the remaining spice rub. Tie the legs together. Adjust the grill vents to get and maintain an internal temperature of 350 degrees F. Roast the turkey for 2 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 165 degrees F. Remove from the grill, tent with foil and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
• In the Caja China: Prepare the charcoal briquettes according to the instructions that come with the box. Put the roasting pan with its rack (comes with the box) inside, and put the turkey breast-side down on the rack. Put on the top and fill with charcoal. After 30 minutes, flip the turkey breast-side up and continue cooking for about 1 more hour, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 165 degrees F. Add charcoal as necessary according to the box instructions. Remove from the box, tent with foil and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.

CAJA CHINA TURKEY RECIPE: HOLIDAY COOKING WITH LATIN TOUCH

Steps:

• Place the turkey on top of the rack, breast down if cooking whole, or skin down if cooking split. Attach top rack using the 4 S-Hooks.
• Place turkey inside the caja china roaster, skin or breast down, (attach probe from wired thermometer or insert meat thermometer here should you have one).
• Cover your La Caja China style Roasting Box with the ash pan and charcoal grid.
• Add 15 lbs. of charcoal and light up.
• Once lit (20-25 minutes) spread the charcoal evenly over the charcoal grid of your caja china box.
• Cooking time starts now.
• After one hour, open the box by removing the complete set of ash pan and grid together and place it on top of the long handles.
• Now flip the turkey(s) over, skin or breast side up.
• After one hour (2nd hour) add 10 lbs. of charcoal.
• After one hour (3rd hour) add 10 lbs. of charcoal.
• Do not add any more charcoal; continue cooking the turkey until you reach the desired temperature reading on the thermometer of 175 f. Should you not have a thermometer, check the turkey after approximately 30 minutes. Cook until desired tenderness.
• Carve and enjoy with those you love most! (Added that last one myself.)

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.