Jerk Turkey

I created/served this recipe at a family dinner and an office Christmas luncheon, and got great reviews. It is nicely seasoned without being overwhelmingly peppery.

• Ready In: 65 hrs
• Serves: 30

Ingredients

• 15  lbs  whole turkey
• 3⁄4 cup salt
• 3  limes, sliced in 2
• 3  gallons water (enough to cover the turkey)
• 13  ounces  Caribbean jerk marinade
• 1⁄2 cup soya sauce
• 1⁄4 cup  ground pimientos or 1⁄4 cup allspice
• 1⁄4 cup ground cumin (powder)
• 1⁄4 cup cayenne pepper (powder)
• 1⁄4 cup salt
• 1  cup butter or 1  cup margarine
• 5  sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped with stalks removed
• 8  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3  stalks rosemary, chopped
• 1  medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2  medium carrots, diced roughly
• 1  orange, diced with peel left on
• 3  cups chicken broth or 3  cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1⁄2 cup  orange juice
• 4  tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

1. Brining – helps to keep the turkey moist during cooking.
2. - Pour water into a pan or bucket.
3. - Squeeze limes into water and leave the remains in the water.
4. - Add salt.
5. - Stir to dissolve salt.
6. - Place turkey, neck and livers in mixture for 8-12 hours.
7. Marinade.
8. - Combine the seasonings below overnight before rubbing on the turkey.
9. - Combine 3/4 jerk seasoning, soya sauce, pimento, cumin, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and butter.
10. - Mix together into a paste.
11. - Set aside 2 tablespoons of the mixture.
12. - Remove turkey from brine and dispose of brine.
13. - Rinse turkey lightly with fresh water.
14. - Take 1/4 cup the butter marinade and rub directly on each turkey breast underneath the skin (this helps to keep the seasoning on the breast and ensures it is flavourful and moist).
15. - Repeat this process for the thighs under the skin.
16. - Rub remaining mixture on the outside of the turkey on top of the skin, front and back.
17. - Put turkey, neck, and livers in a plastic bag tied tight to keep the marinade from leaking out. You may want to wrap it in a couple of bags and place in a bowl or foil tin to prevent leaks in the fridge.
18. - Place turkey in fridge for 24-48 hours to marinate. Half way though your marinating time flip the turkey onto its breast so that the marinade isn’t sitting just at the bottom of the bag.
19. - When you are ready to cook, take the remaining 2 tablespoons of marinade and add thyme, rosemary, onions, carrots and orange.
20. - Use this mixture to stuff the turkey (this helps to season the turkey during cooking).
21. Cooking.
22. - Pre-heat oven to 375 – 400 degrees (depending on your oven) – average 20 mins/1 lb of turkey.
23. - Place turkey in roasting pan.
24. - Pour 1 cup chicken broth around the edged of the pan – this helps to ensure there is enough juice to baste the turkey.
25. - Put turkey in oven, covered with tin foil (‘tented’) so not too tight so foil sticks to the skin.
26. - Baste turkey approximately every 30 minutes.
27. - Leave turkey tented while cooking until the final 30 minutes of cooking, then remove foil.
28. - Internal temperature of the breast should be 175 degrees when cooked – I highly recommend you use an oven safe one, that can stay in the turkey while you cook.
29. - If you don’t have a thermometer, when the cooking time has elapsed, make a cut between the thigh and the breast and look at the juice that's released – It will be clear when cooked. If the juice is at all pink or red, put the turkey back in the oven.
30. - TIP: Another good test is to check the turkey neck that was cooking in the pan. If the meat on the neck is falling off the bone with ease, that’s a good sign.
31. Gravy.
32. - Take 1 cup of the pan juices out of roasting pan and set aside.
33. - Take 3 tablespoons of the vegetable stuffing out of roasting pan – (onions, carrots, thyme – TIP: Do not include orange as peel will make gravy bitter.
34. - In a blender, combine the vegetables and 1 cup chicken broth.
35. - Blend the vegetables into a puree.
36. - Optional – for extra flavour add the cooked turkey liver to the blender with the vegetables to puree.
37. - In a sauce pan combine the puree with 1 cup chicken broth and ½ cup orange juice and bring to a boil.
38. - Slowly add ½ cup of the pan drippings. Taste mixture to ensure it is not too salty or spicy.
39. - Add more pan drippings until it reaches a taste you prefer.
40. - In a separate cup mix the cornstarch and 1/2 cup water until cornstarch is fully melted and pours easily.
41. - Pour cornstarch mixture into the gravy, slowly and continue stirring until thickened. If the gravy is too salty or thick add more water as needed.