Turkey Mercedes
Source of Recipe
submitted by Anel
Recipe Introduction
Turkey with a Cuban twist!Rated: 5 out of 5 by 24 members Prep Time: 40 MinutesCook Time: 5 Hours Ready In: 13 Hours 40 MinutesYields: 20 servings
List of Ingredients
3 heads garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons salt (or to taste) 2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen
orange juice concentrate,
thawed
1 (16 pound) turkey
Recipe
Crush the peeled garlic cloves, and place into a large bowl. Season with pepper, cumin, oregano, and salt. Pour in lemon juice, wine, and orange juice concentrate; whisk together until well mixed.
Using a sharp paring knife, pierce the turkey breast, thighs, and legs; creating holes for the marinade to penetrate. Pour the marinade over turkey, and into the holes. Finally, stuff garlic pieces into the holes. Cover the turkey well, and refrigerate overnight to marinate.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Roast turkey in the preheated oven until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh measures 180 degrees F (80 degrees C), about 5 hours. Baste the turkey every 30 to 45 minutes. Once the breast has browned, cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent it from becoming burnt.
Notes: Anel Schmidt's Thanksgiving turkey has no stuffing, but it is full of history. "It's drenched in flavors my family has passed down in Cuba for generations," says Schmidt, whose parents fled the country around 1959, when Fidel Castro took power. "When they began celebrating Thanksgiving in America, they automatically used those seasonings for the turkey. I've never known turkey any other way." That's a good thing, because the first-time food contestant took top honors -- and the $10,000 grand prize -- in America's Top Recipe Contest 2006 for her mother's holiday bird.
Review: I followed the recipe exactly, and it was absolutely delicious. Incredibly moist, flavorful, with a heavenly aroma--best smelling/tasting turkey I've made in 15 years. I left the marinade in the bottom of my roasting pan and used it to baste the turkey every 30-45 minutes. After the turkey was cooked, I made a pan gravy with the drippings/marinade mixture by whisking in about a 1/4 cup of white all-purpose flour. Let that darken, whisked constantly to prevent lumps, then added about 2 cups reduced sodium/fat chicken broth, and some whipping cream (maybe 2-3 Tbsp., and one grated carrot (optional-lemon zest would be nice, too). Whisked misture constantly, letting it get to the desired color and thickness. Served the gravy with the turkey and the combination was out of this world!
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