Spicy Turkey Recipe

Spiced Turkey...........Michael Raucci

I have been working on this recipe for awhile now and I think I have finally perfected it. I made it up though I wouldn't be surprised if its been done before.

Turkey is a staple food for Americans. Its large size, ability to be domesticated, low fat content, and mild flavor have guaranteed its place in American cuisine. Its claim as the food that the Pilgrims and the Indians shared on the first Thanksgiving have made it the traditional favorite on that holiday. Unfortunately, if not properly prepared it often does not live up to its hype as a national culinary favorite.

The following recipe will spice the turkey up and help keep it moist (a sometimes difficult feat). Once you have procured a bird and defrosted it (if it was frozen), you must remove the giblets from both the front and rear cavities. Place those in a pot with some onions, celery, salt and pepper and water to prepare gravy. I use an inexpensive gravy packet and mix it in along with turkey drippings to make gravy. Cook this for about one hour. Wash the bird by rinsing it under a faucet.

Now its time to prepare the bird. Start with the bird breast side down in a large roasting pan so that you can spice the bottom side of the turkey as well as the underside of the wings and arms. First rub some olive oil onto the skin. For spices I like to use Season All; coating the skin liberally. I also add additional pepper and parsley. You don't need more salt because the Season All already contains plenty of salt. Next tip the bird up so that the large body cavity is open to the ceiling. Sprinkle some Season All inside the cavity. It is usually necessary to put some on your fingers and then rub it inside the cavity on the underside of the breasts. Finally, rest the turkey in the pan with the breasts' side up and spice that side with the Season All, pepper and parsley. If you would like a little extra kick then also sprinkle on some dried red pepper. If you use red pepper, keep in mind that much of it will ultimately end up in the drippings making the gravy spicy.

Next, stuff the cavity with any of the four options listed below:
1) Roasted red peppers
2) Hot cherry peppers
3) Pepperoncini
4) Jalapeno peppers

If using red peppers, make sure they are sliced so that the some of the pulpy interior is making contact with the turkey cavity. With the other types of pepper (the hot cherry peppers are my favorite) you can either leave them whole for a milder spice or for some extreme kick cut them up before putting them in the cavity.

Next is the tricky but crucial part. You are going to gently lift the skin on the breast by pushing your finger under the breast skin at the top of the opening of the body cavity. Once you gotten it started, you'll be able to work the entire breast skin up. Do both sides. Now take large flattened slices of roasted red peppers (use ones that have been jarred in olive oil) and slide them under the skin so that the pulpy side is in contact with the breast muscle. When you are lifting the skin try to maintain some of the connection at the center, in between the two breasts. This will help keep the roasted red peppers more secure under the skin. Do the same to the thighs and if you would like to the drumsticks. Doing the drumsticks will require you to make a slit in the skin in order to insert the peppers .

Add some water to the pan and some onions and celery to that water.

Place the turkey into a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and cover the now browned top with tin foil. Follow the cooking instructions for a stuffed turkey. The peppers in the cavity will slow the cooking process. Baste the top of the turkey occasionally.

When the deep muscle temperature of the turkey reaches 180 degrees remove it from the oven. The preferred location to take the temperature is between the leg and breast with the probe midway into the thigh. When the turkey has reached its temperature and the juices are all clear, remove it from the oven and place it on the counter to rest for 15 minutes. Do not cut it immediately upon removing it from the oven. The resting time allows the juices to be reabsorbed by the muscles so that when the bird is carved the juices stay in the meat and don't run out onto the cutting board.

While the bird rests, pour some drippings into the gravy and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the giblets, onions and celery so that there is nothing but liquid in the gravy. The gravy will be spicier than you are accustomed to especially if you dressed the turkey with dried red pepper earlier. Remove the peppers from the cavity and place them in a separate bowl for those people who might want to eat them with the meal.

DON'T STOP READING YET.

This recipe requires a particular carving method. Remove the drumstick/thigh combination from both sides and then separate the drumstick from the thigh. Next remove the entire breast from both sides of the turkey. This is done by running the knife down along the breast bone (at the center, between the breasts). Once you reach the breast plate, take a fork and insert it along the breast bone, tines down and with the concave portion of the fork facing the meat. Pull with the fork a little at a time as simultaneously pull the breast away with your other hand. Once the breast starts to move away from the breast plate switch back to the knife and carve down on a diagonal to remove the entire breast. Do this to the other side as well. Now remove the wings. Finally you must carve the breasts. You will need an exquisitely sharp knife. Hold the breast to the carving board with your left hand and carve across the short distance of the breast, starting at one side and progressing toward the other side. Use your pointer and middle finger on your left hand to hold the skin while you carve 1/4 inch slices with your right. Use long strokes to guarantee that the skin, pepper, and meat all stay together.

I like to keep the breast slices right where they are, completing the entire breast before sliding the knife under the entire breast to place it on the platter. I place both sliced breasts side by side on the platter, flanked on the outside by the drumsticks, thighs and wings. Finally take some of the cooked peppers from the bowl and place them in various places on the platter. This makes for a wonderful presentation. You should have some extra drippings. Drizzle them over the breast meat.

Serve with the remaining peppers in a bowl with the gravy also on the side. Either mashed potatoes or mashed or whole sweet potatoes make a wonderful accompaniment along with some greens (swiss chard and spinach fried in a pan with olive oil, garlic and cannelloni beans are perfect). This is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Buon Appetito.