How about a spicy stuffed roast turkey for Thanksgiving?

 

Spicy Stuffed Roast Turkey by Diverse Dinners

 

Spicy stuffed roast turkey is pampered into a tasty wonderfulness. First, the bird is placed in a honey buttermilk brine, then stuffed with a sweet and spicy combination, of amongst other ingredients, chorizo and cornbread. Then, before placing in the oven, it is coated in a spicy herb marinade.

This spicy stuffed roast turkey is truly tasty. I’d say it’s rather exciting actually. The flavors bounce around in your mouth, but no one ingredient overpowers any other. The brine applies moisture and basic flavor, the rub ensures you get a tasty bite no matter which part of the turkey is placed on your plate, and the stuffing is that element that adds variety in flavors and texture to ensure you keep coming back for more.

Admittedly, this recipe requires some work, but it’s not a crazy challenge of cooking skills. You just need to set aside time. The more time you allow yourself, the easier this recipe will be.

I often hear of how daunting cooking a turkey can be for some. So, I thought I should share a roast turkey recipe that had steps that could be conquered easily.  The recipe is  separated out so that you can conquer each step which will allow you to be more confident when creating this magnificent bird.

Let the ingredients do the work, and have fun this spicy stuffed roast turkey! 

 

Print Recipe

Spicy Stuffed Roast Turkey

Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time5 hours
Total Time6 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 x 10-12 lb turkey

Brine

  • 1 qt water
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup black peppercorns
  • 2 tbsp allspice
  • 2 tbsp mustard seeds
  • 3 qt buttermilk
  • 6 cloves garlic crushed
  • 6 bay leaves

Equipment & Utensils

  • Roasting bag
  • Large stock pot or bucket
  • Medium saucepan

Chorizo and Cornbread Stufing

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup shallots sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 lb chorizo sausage removed from casing and chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh sage chopped
  • 1 1/2 lb cornbread crumbled
  • 1 cup of peppadew chopped
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth

Equipment & Utensils

  • Saute pan or skillet
  • Large bowl

Spicy Turkey

  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Equipment & Utensils

  • Bowl and whisk
  • Glazing brush
  • Roasting tin with rack
  • Kitchen twine
  • 2 x 8 inch skewers soaked in water for 15 mins
  • Aluminum foil
  • Turkey baster
  • Serving platter
  • Muffin tin pre-greased

Instructions

  • Remove innards from turkey, wash inside and out and remove any stray feathers or pieces of fat.
  • Place turkey into roasting bag and then place it into a large pot or bucket.
  • Make space in your fridge to store the turkey while it brines.

    Brine

    • Place water, honey, salt, peppercorns, allspice and mustard seeds into a saucepan.
    • Heat saucepan contents, but do not allow to boil, and stir until salt has dissolved and contents are combined.
    • Remove from heat and allow to cool for approx. 15 mins.
    • Pour 1 qt of buttermilk into honey mixture to help cool it further.
    • Pour half of honey buttermilk mixture over turkey carefully, making sure everything stays in the bag.
    • Pour 1 qt of buttermilk on top, then add garlic and bay leaves.
    • Pour balance of honey buttermilk mixture on top and then add the last qt of buttermilk.
    • Fold top of roasting bag on top of turkey, making sure the turkey is totally submerged in the brine.
    • Cover pot or bucket, use something to weigh it down if needed.
    • Place in the fridge for 12 hours, turning the turkey after 6 hours to make sure all of the turkey benefits from the brine.

      Chorizo and Cornbread Stuffing

      • Heat pan on high then add butter.
      • When butter is almost melted add shallots and saute until they soften a little.
      • Add garlic and saute until combined.
      • Add chorizo and mix together with shallots and garlic.
      • Cook for approx. 10 mins, continuing to chop up the chorizo into small pieces.
      • Add sage and mix, then remove from heat.
      • Place in a large bowl and set aside to cool for approx. 10 mins.
      • Once sausage mixture has cooled add cornbread and peppadew and mix thoroughly.
      • Finally, add chicken broth and combine - you should arrive at a mash consistency.
      • Set stuffing aside until you are ready to stuff the turkey.

        Spicy Turkey

        • Place dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk then add oil and whisk again until ingredients are combined.
        • With a glazing brush, brush all over the turkey.
        • Place turkey on rack in roasting tin.
        • Pack bird with as much of the stuffing as you can, and place the rest in the fridge.
        • Bind legs of turkey together using kitchen twine.
        • Pull back tips of wings behind turkey and with a skewer secure in place.
        • Place in preheated oven at 350 and allow to brown for approx. 5-10 mins.
        • Cover turkey with foil and allow to cook for 15 mins per pound, and baste every 30-45 mins.
        • Remove foil for final 45 mins to crisp skin.
        • Once cooked, place on serving platter and tent with foil to rest for 15 mins.
        • Remove leftover stuffing from fridge and fill as many of the pre-greased sections of a muffin tin you can.
        • Raise oven heat to 400 and place muffin tin in oven.
        • Cook until stuffing is a little crispy on the outside, then remove from oven and allow to cool a little before removing.
        • Serve stuffing together with turkey once adequately rested.

         

        This recipe is inspired by Jamie Oliver’s “Caribbean turkey with spicy cornbread & chorizo stuffing“.