Roasted Turkey Criolla Marinade Recipes

MARINATED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Prepare the marinade by mixing all of the ingredients together in a large bowl or a plastic Ziplock bag. Add the turkey breast and make sure that every part is covered with the marinade. If using a Ziplock bag, expel as much air as possible before sealing it. Marinate in a fridge for 12-24 hours. If marinating is not an option, roast the breast immediately and serve with those delicious pan juices - it will still be awesome.
• Preheat oven to 325F.
• Place the turkey breast into a deep baking dish and pour in the marinade. It's best to use a baking dish that is not too big otherwise too much liquid will evaporate. Bake uncovered on middle rack for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on size, until the internal temperature of the meat in the thickest part reaches 160F - the temperature will rise to 165F during resting (see Notes). Baste the top and the sides of the breast with pan juices about every 20 minutes - this will prevent the top from drying out and will help with browning.
• If toward the end of baking the skin did not brown enough, turn on the broiler on high for 2-3 minutes. Do this before the internal temperature reaches 160F. I normally do it at about 150F internal. Monitor broiling process very closely as the skin can go from a nice deep-golden brown to charred pretty quickly.
• Remove the turkey breast from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before carving and serving. I find that it's best to transfer the breast to a serving platter immediately upon removing from the oven. If left to rest in the hot baking dish, the internal temperature will rise too much and meat will lose more moisture.
• Carve the meat, place on a serving platter and garnish with fresh rosemary twigs. Serve with the pan juices (don't forget to discard the cooked rosemary twigs), they are out-of-this-world delicious.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.
• Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
• Slice the turkey and serve.

MOJO TURKEY

Steps:

• Rinse turkey well in cold water and pat very dry with paper towels.
• Make the marinade: Combine garlic, cumin, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl and mash the mixture together with the back of a kitchen spoon to make a kind of paste. Stir sour orange juice (or orange and lime juices) and oil into the paste and whisk to combine. Add oregano leaves and mix again. Reserve 1/2 cup of marinade and put aside.
• Put turkey in a roasting pan that can fit in the refrigerator and cover with remaining marinade, making sure to get a lot of it into the turkey's open cavity. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least a few hours. Baste a few times with marinade.
• When ready to cook, heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove turkey from marinade and place on a clean cutting board. Discard marinade and clean roasting pan well. Return turkey to roasting pan, tuck the tips of the wings under the bird and shower it with salt and pepper. Place orange, lime and onion quarters in the turkey's cavity, then truss its legs together with cotton string. Roast turkey, uncovered, in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees. Baste turkey with pan juices, and add remaining marinade to the pan. Continue roasting turkey, basting every 30 minutes and tenting it with foil if the skin is turning too dark, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165 degrees, approximately 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours more. Transfer to a cutting board or platter and allow to rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

MARINATED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Place turkey in a large heavy-duty plastic bag; add half of marinade. Close the bag; refrigerate overnight, turning bag occasionally. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade., Drain and discard marinade from turkey; arrange turkey in a single layer in large shallow roasting pan. Pour reserved marinade over turkey. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until tender, basting occasionally if desired. Remove turkey to serving platter and keep warm. , If desired, make gravy: Strain pan juices into a large measuring cup. Skim fat and reserve 1/4 cup in a medium saucepan; discard remaining fat. Blend flour into saucepan. Add water to pan juices to make 2 cups. Add to saucepan; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute longer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with turkey.