Roast Turkey Rubbed With Achiote-Chipotle Butter

Submitted by Carrlin

"This holiday centerpiece is from chef John Manion of Mas restaurant. If you wish, substitute homemade turkey stock made with the turkey neck and giblets, carrots, onions, celery and one 7-ounce can of chipotles in adobo for the canned chicken stock called for here. Manion also likes to brine the bird overnight in salted water seasoned with brown sugar, achiote paste and vinegar. Do it if you have time. To brine it, I use about 1 gallon of water. Heat it up and dissolve 1 cup of salt into it, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and some achiote paste. Let the turkey sit in the brine for 10-12 hours before roasting."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 50mins
• Ingredients: 18
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• Butter mixture

• 4 chipotle chiles in adobo, undrained
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup achiote paste, see note
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 sage leaves
• 2 oranges, with zest grated, then oranges halved
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• Turkey and gravy

• 1 (10 -12 lb) turkey, thawed, if frozen
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 8 garlic cloves
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery, coarsely chopped
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 1 bunch sage
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 (32 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 3⁄4 cup flour

directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. For the butter mixture, place chipotles and garlic in the food processor; process to a paste. Add the achiote paste, thyme, sage and orange zest; process until combined. Add the butter gradually, pulsing until smooth.
2. Rub the bird inside and out with the salt; rub with the butter mixture, working some of the butter between the skin and the breast as well. Place the garlic, onions, orange halves, carrot, celery, thyme, sage and bay leaves inside the turkey cavity. Tie the turkey legs together with butcher's twine.
3. Place the bird on a rack in a large roasting pan. Pour enough of the broth into the pan to cover the bottom of the pan by about ½ inch.
4. Roast 30 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees. Cook, basting the bird with broth every 30 minutes, adding more broth to the pan as needed. Cook until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees, about 2½ hours. Transfer turkey to a cutting board; set aside, loosely covered with foil, 30 minutes.
5. For the gravy, skim off the fat from the pan drippings; pour fat into a large skillet. Reserve pan drippings in the roasting pan. Heat the fat over medium heat; slowly whisk in flour, whisking until mixture begins to brown and thicken, about 10 minutes. Slowly whisk in all but { cup of the remaining broth.
6. Heat mixture to a simmer over medium heat; slowly whisk this mixture into the reserved drippings in the roasting pan; heat. (If the gravy is too thick, add the reserved broth until you reach the desired consistency.) Carve turkey; serve with gravy.
7. Note: Achiote paste, made from annatto seeds, is available in Latin American markets.