Ancho Rubbed Turkey Recipes

TURKEY WITH ANCHO-ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork; put them in a microwave-safe dish and microwave until tender, about 20 minutes. Halve the sweet potatoes and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash with a fork until fluffy; cover and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, pat the turkey dry and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chile powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• Wipe out the skillet and place over high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until dark around the edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon chile powder and the cumin; cook 30 seconds. Add the broth, heavy cream, honey, mustard, and orange zest and juice; simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and warm through, 1 minute. Serve with the mashed sweet potatoes.

ADOBO RUBBED TURKEY BREAST WITH CHORIZO CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Toast dry chiles on a grill, then soak all chiles in warm water for ten minutes. Remove them from the water and place them in a food processor with the oregano, white vinegar and chopped garlic. Season the turkey breast with salt and pepper. Rub it generously with the adobo and let marinade for one day.
• Meanwhile cook the chorizo in a skillet for five minutes until fat has rendered. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook for ten minutes until the vegetables have caramelized. Add crumbled cornbread, cilantro, chicken stock and salt and pepper. Make sure that the stuffing itself is not dry but at the same time that it is not too wet. Add chicken stock slowly and as needed. With a knife make a four inch pocket on the breast and insert stuffing.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place turkey breast on a sheet pan with a rack and cook/or l and 1/2 hours or until the meat thermometer registers 180 degrees. Slice pieces and serve

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY WITH GARLIC-ANCHO CHILI PASTE AND GRAVY

Steps:

• For paste:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Separate heads of garlic into individual cloves (do not peel). Pierce each clove once with toothpick. Scatter garlic on baking sheet; roast until tender and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Peel garlic, cutting hard tip off each clove. Pack enough garlic into 1/2-cup measuring cup to fill (about 40 cloves); reserve any remaining garlic. Blend 1/2 cup garlic in processor to form course puree.
• Meanwhile, place chilies in small saucepan. Add enough water just to cover. Simmer over medium-low heat until chilies are soft and most of water evaporates, about 15 minutes. Add chili mixture, oil, cumin, and honey to garlic in processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover paste and garlic; chill.)
• For turkey:
• Pat turkey dry. Season with salt and pepper. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosen skin. Spread 1/2 cup garlic-paste over breast under skin. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing into main cavity. Rub 2 tablespoons paste all over outside of turkey. Reserve remaining paste for gravy. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey. Place on rack set in roasting pan. (Can be done 1 day ahead if turkey is not stuffed. Chill turkey and paste separately.)
• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add neck and giblets, turkey neck pieces and onion; sauté brown, about 15 minutes. Place contents of skillet around turkey in pan. Add celery, tomato, allspice and any reserved garlic to pan; pour in 2 cups broth. Roast turkey 1 hour 30 minutes. Tent turkey and entire pan loosely with heavy-duty foil. Continue to roast turkey until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F. or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer, basting often with pan juices and 3 cups broth, about 1 hour 40 minutes longer for unstuffed turkey (about 2 hours 25 minutes longer for stuffed turkey). Place turkey on platter. Tent with foil; let stand at least 30 minutes. Reserve mixture in pan for gravy.
• For gravy:
• Using tongs, remove turkey parts from pan; discard. Pour mixture in pan into sieve set over large bowl. Press on solids in sieve to release liquid. Spoon fat from pan juices; add enough broth to juices to measure 6 cups.
• Stir 1/2 cup reserved garlic-chili paste in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until liquefied. Add flour and stir 1 minute (mixture will be very thick). Gradually add 6 cups broth mixture, whisking until smooth. Simmer until reduced to 4 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper.
• Serve turkey with gravy.

ACHIOTE BUTTER-BASTED TURKEY WITH ANCHO CHILI GRAVY

Steps:

• Char poblano chilies over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose chilies in paper bag. Let stand 10 minutes to steam. Peel and seed chilies.
• Toast ancho chilies in heavy large skillet over high heat until color darkens slightly and chilies are fragrant, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer ancho chilies to medium bowl. Add enough hot water to bowl to cover chilies. Let stand until chilies soften, about 20 minutes.
• Puree 4 ancho chili halves with 1/2 cup soaking liquid in blender. Add roasted poblano chilies; puree. Season with salt and pepper. Drain remaining 2 chili halves; chill. (Puree and soaked chilies can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse turkey inside and out. Pat turkey dry. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper. Cut remaining 2 ancho chili halves into strips. Place chili strips and onion in turkey cavity.
• Mix butter and achiote paste in small bowl to blend. Run fingers between turkey breast skin and meat to loosen. Rub half of achiote butter over turkey breast under skin. Rub butter over outside of turkey. Place turkey in large roasting pan. Tuck wings under turkey. Tie legs together to hold shape. Pour 1 1/2 cups broth into pan.
• Roast turkey 45 minutes. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Continue roasting until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices, about 3 1/2 hours. Transfer to platter. Tent with foil.
• Pour turkey pan juices into measuring cup. Spoon off fat from pan juices, reserving 1/4 cup fat. Add enough remaining broth to pan juices to measure 3 cups. Return 1/4 cup fat to roasting pan. Place pan over 2 burners set at medium heat. Add Masa Harina; whisk until mixture resembles paste, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Add chili puree; simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.