Salvadorian Roasted Turkey Recipes

EL SALVADORAN ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Blot the defrosted turkey with a paper towel and massage the skin with the butter and mustard. Pour the chicken stock into the bottom of the roaster and add the dried bay leaves. Place turkey into roaster breast side up without the rack and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Toast the sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, annato seeds and peppercorns in a small saucepan until just fragrant and add to a blender container. Drain the liquid from the can of tomatoes into the blender container and add water, garlic, dried peppers, paprika, and salt. Blend until ingredients form a paste. Add the rest of the canned tomatoes to the blender and pulse until a salsa appears. Add in the capers and olives (don't blend). You may need to add more water. The salsa should be thick but pourable.
• After the turkey has cooked for 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 325 degrees and pour the blended tomato sauce over the entire turkey. Place turkey back into the oven and roast until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 170 degrees, generously basting every half hour. Turkeys typically cook 15 minutes per pound. Place foil over the turkey when it starts to darken. Let rest before carving.
• To serve traditionally (recommended) - place the carvings back into the salsa to marinate together. Add in more stock as needed to thin out.
• Or, carve and serve with the sauce on the side like gravy.

PAVO SALVADOREñO (SALVADORAN ROAST TURKEY WITH SAUCE)

Steps:

• The day before roasting the turkey, remove and reserve the giblets and wash the turkey well with cold water. Pat it dry with paper towels and tuck the wings under the body to keep them from burning. Season the inside and outside of the bird with salt and pepper.
• Mix the mustard and Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl, and spread the mixture liberally all over the outside of the turkey. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
• Remove the turkey from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before you put it in the oven to let it come to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Set the turkey, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Place the roasting pan in the lowest rack of the oven and roast the turkey for about 1 hour.
• Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Carefully turn the turkey over so it is breast side up.
• Add the tomatoes, onions, peppers, carrots, prunes, olives, capers, garlic, and the wine or water to the roasting pan around the turkey.
• Return the pan to the oven and roast for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting the turkey periodically with any juices that form in the pan.
• The turkey is done when the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh measures between 165°F and 175°F (use a meat thermometer). If the breast begins to brown too much, cover it loosely with foil.
• Remove the turkey to a cutting board or baking sheet. Tent with foil and let it rest while you finish the sauce.
• Sauce:
• Remove any excess fat from the roasting pan. Add the turkey giblets (except for the liver) and the ingredients and juices from the roasting pan to a blender or food processor and puree.
• Add the puree to a large saucepan along with the 3 cups of water or stock Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until lightly thickened Strain through a sieve, discarding any solids.
• Return the strained sauce to the saucepan, reheat and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Once the turkey has cooled somewhat, slice and serve with the warm sauce.
• *Variations.
• Relajo Spice Mixture: Many Salvadoran cooks add a mixture of spices, peppers and seeds called a relajo to their sauce. If you use a relajo, you can omit the giblets from the sauce.
• â-¦1/3 cup sesame seeds.
• â-¦1/4 cup unsalted peanuts.
• â-¦1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas).
• â-¦1 chile guaque or other dried chile, destemmed and deseeded.
• â-¦10 bay leaves.
• â-¦2 teaspoons dred thyme, or 1 sprig fresh.
• Add the spice mixture when you add the vegetables to the roasting pan. Puree and strain the sauce as directed above.

SALVADORIAN ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the topmost position and preheat oven on the broil setting. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place tomatoes and bell pepper onto the baking sheet, cut-side down. Broil on top rack of preheated oven until the skins begin to blacken, about 5 minutes.
• Place charred vegetables into a bowl and seal with plastic wrap to steam until their skins loosen.
• Lower oven rack to accommodate a roasting pan, and turn oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, pour vegetable oil into a roasting pan (or skillet large enough to fit the turkey), and place over medium-high heat. When hot, add the turkey and sear on all sides until browned, about 10 minutes.
• Once the turkey has been browned, place breast side up into the roasting pan, and stuff with quartered apples and olives. Set aside.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the ancho chiles, pumpkin seeds, and bay leaves. Cook and stir until the pumpkin seeds begin to smell toasted, about 5 minutes, then pour the mixture into a blender.
• Once the tomatoes and peppers have steamed enough that the skins have loosened, remove and discard the skins.
• Place tomatoes, green peppers, and onion into the blender with the pumpkin seeds.
• Blend until you have a thick, smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adding a little liquid from the olives if desired.
• Brush the sauce onto the turkey, and place into preheated oven. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 180 degrees F (80 degrees C), about 3 hours, basting occasionally.

A SIMPLY PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.
• Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.
• Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 4 hours.
• Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.