Turkey tenderloin tempura is a super easy appetizer for Thanksgiving. You just can’t go wrong, simply marinade for 1 hour to apply flavor to the turkey tenderloin, then dip in batter and fry for 3-4 minutes and et voila, you have a nice appetizer for your cocktail party or dinner.
WARNING! You should buy a boat load of turkey tenderloins as these babies are a crowd pleaser. They’re crispy, tasty and once you bite into them, they melt in your mouth. There should be no one who would turn away from turkey tenderloin tempura. Your children will love them, you husband, lover, son, brother, sister – everyone.
I love em, that’s for sure, and instead of serving them to a throng of hungry friends, I served my turkey tenderloin tempura on a bed of rice with an aromatic salad and a dollop of dip and had them for lunch. So good! I had a magical lunchtime moment all by myself.
When preparing the turkey, you will need to cut the turkey tenderloin into strips. You should remove the ligament that runs through it. The ligament is a long white sinewy strip that is super annoying to eat around, so it’s best to remove it. To do this you will need a sharp fillet knife. Just simply run the knife through the flesh. The ligament will be your guide where to cut. Using short strokes expose the ligament, until you are able to free it and cut it out.
Turkey tenderloin tempura is best served with a creamy dip. Any simple creamy dip of your choosing will do, I served mine with sriracha mayo.
No matter how you decide to serve your turkey tenderloin tempura, and who you share them with, you will thoroughly enjoy them, so put some turkey tenderloin on your shopping list and give this recipe a whirl.
Turkey Tenderloin Tempura
Ingredients
- 1 lb turkey tenderloin
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup seltzer water
- Cooking oil
Equipment & Utensils
- Large bowl
- Whisk
- Deep skillet or fry pan
- Tongs
Instructions
- Lay tenderloin on a board and carefully remove sinewy ligament.
- Slice tenderloin into strips and place in a large bowl.
- Mix coriander, salt, pepper and garlic together then add to tenderloin strips.
- Mix well then transfer to a resealable bag and place in the fridge for at least one hour.
- Do not prepare batter until you are ready to coat tenderloin strips.
- Sieve cornstarch, flour and baking powder into a bowl, then add egg yolk and seltzer, then whisk thoroughly into a batter.
- Carefully place tenderloin strips into the batter and coat completely.
- Fill skillet or pan with cooking oil to half way and place on high heat.
- Once oil is at 375 remove turkey strips from batter one at a time, allow excess batter to fall off, then place in hot oil.
- Do not overcrowd your pan, you will likely need to cook in batches.
- Allow to cook for approx. 2 minutes either side then remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
