12 Nov 2006 11:04 PM

Turkey Mercedes

 The name sounds really odd but is a really great recipe. The holiday bird gets a Caribbean makeover.

Your will need: 1 16-pound turkey, 3 heads garlic, peeled, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons salt (or less to taste), 2 cups fresh lemon juice from about 10 lemons, 1 cup dry white wine, 1/2 of a 12-ounce can frozen orange juice conventrate, thawed

Wash turkey, dicard innards and pat bird dry.  Place in roasting pan. 

Crush peeled garlic cloves with the side of a heavy knife and put in a large bowl.  Add the pepper, cumin, oregano and salt.  Whisk in the lemon juice, wine and orange juice concentrate until well-mixed. 

Using a sharp paring knife, pierce the turkey breast, thighs, legs and underside, creating many holes for the marinade to penetrate.  Pour the marinade over turkey and into teh holes.  Finally, stuff as many garlic pieces from the marinade into the holes as possible.  Cover turkey well with foil, refrigerate adn let amrinate overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove foil and place turkey in middle of oven.  Roast until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh measures 180 F, about 5 hours.  Baste the turkey baster.  Be careful not to let the juices puddle in the bottom of the pan or the lower part of the turkey will get soggy.  (Use baster to suck up extra juices and transfer them to a large bowl to use for basting.) Cover turkey breast with foil the last hour of cooking so it won't burn. 

Let the turkey rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

ENJOY!

Send this to a friend

Write a Journal Entry

Upload Photos

Create a Gallery