Jamaican Jerk Fried Turkey Recipes

JAMAICAN-SPICED TURKEY

Steps:

• Brine the turkey: Combine all the brine ingredients except the turkey in a large stock pot and add 1 gallon water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in another 1/2 gallon water; let cool to room temperature. Place turkey breast-side-down in a container large enough to hold it and the brine. Add brine and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours. Remove from refrigerator about an hour before cooking and bring to room temperature.
• Make the herb butter: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 9 to 12 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning, until butter darkens to deep amber. Add thyme and scallions and remove from heat. (Butter may foam up; stir to keep it from foaming over.) Let steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain into a bowl, pressing out all the butter with a spatula. Allow butter to cool so it firms up, but is still a little soft and pliable. Stir butter while it cools to re-incorporate any bits that fall to the bottom.
• Make the spice rub: Combine all the rub ingredients in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Toast, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Let cool, then grind finely in a spice grinder or mortar.
• Roast the turkey: Heat oven to 475 degrees. Line a large roasting pan with the scallions, onions, celery, fennel, garlic and carrots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour in stock.
• Remove turkey from brine and pat dry. Season cavity with about 1/2 tablespoon of the spice rub. Gently loosen the breast skin with your fingers as far down as you can go, being careful not to tear the skin. Spread almost all of the herb butter under the skin and smooth it out as evenly as possible by rubbing the skin. Rub remaining butter lightly over the rest of the turkey. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the spice rub all over turkey.
• Place turkey in pan on top of vegetables. Tuck the wings under turkey, and tie legs together with kitchen twine.
• Roast turkey for 30 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and loosely cover with foil. Cook turkey, basting with the liquid in the pan every 45 minutes, until the leg feels loose in the socket and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees. Start checking the temperature after about 2 hours. Depending on the size of your turkey, it may take up to 4 hours to cook through. Let sit 20 to 25 minutes before carving.

JAMAICAN JERK FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Place the turkey in the empty fryer pot and cover it with about 2 inches of water. Remove the turkey from the pot, dry it thoroughly with paper towels, and set it aside at room temperature.
• Use a waterproof marker to mark the water level on the inside or outside of the pot so you know how much oil to put in the pot.
• Discard the water then wash and dry the pot thoroughly.
• Arrange the burner on a flat surface far away from the house, garage, or anything that could easily catch fire. Place the pot over the burner and clip a long-pronged deep-fry thermometer to the side of the pot.
• Using the mark you made earlier, fill the pot with oil. Heat the oil until the thermometer reaches 375°F.
• While the oil is heating, make the rub: In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and paprika. DO AHEAD: The herb rub can be prepared ahead and kept, in an airtight container, up to 1 month.
• Starting at the neck end of the turkey, slowly and carefully slide your hand between the skin and the meat of the breast, thighs, and upper drumsticks to separate and loosen the skin. Spread the herb rub under the skin on the thighs, drumsticks, and breasts.
• Spread any remaining rub inside the turkey cavity and on top of the skin. To ensure good oil flow, make sure the neck cavity is wide open, and use a small sharp knife to cut a small slit through the skin where the leg meets the breast.
• Place the turkey on the poultry rack, with the breast facing down and the legs facing up. Once the oil reaches 375°F, turn off the burner.
• Wearing an apron and long heavy-duty oven mitts, use the hook that attaches to the rack to slowly lower the turkey into the oil using a stop-and-go method-slowly lower the turkey 1 to 2 inches into the oil then pull it back out a bit, repeating until the bird is fully submerged.
• Turn the burner back on and bring the oil to 350°F. Throughout frying, adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the 350°F oil temperature. Fry the turkey for about 3 1/2 minutes per pound.
• Use the hook that attaches to the rack to slowly and carefully remove the turkey from the oil and place it on a cutting board or large rimmed baking sheet.
• Using an instant-read thermometer, test the fleshy part of the thighs and the thickest part of the breasts (test both sides, close to but not touching the bone); the thermometer needs to register at least 165°F.
• f not, use the hook to slowly and carefully lower the turkey back into the oil to finish frying.