Asian Whole Turkey with Orange Five-Spice Soy
This is an Asian twist on your traditional roast turkey. Flavoured with soy, orange, five-spice and ginger, the marinade turns into a beautiful dark glaze with crisp skin, and the jus is perfect to serve with the meat. Gray Monk Riesling and Meiomi Pinot Noir are great pairing options for this dish.Ingredients
Serves 10-12
½ cup (125 ml) light soy sauce
½ cup (125 ml) dark soy sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) char siu sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice
¼ small orange, zest only, peeled with a vegetable peeler
6 black peppercorns
1 dried or fresh bay leaf
1 tsp (5 ml) five-spice powder
8 cloves garlic, crushed, divided
3 green onions, cut into thirds
8 × 1-in (2.5 cm) slices fresh ginger, divided
12 to 14 lbs (5.4 to 6.3 kg) whole turkey
2 tsp (10 ml) kosher salt
1 yellow onion, quartered
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter, melted
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine soy sauces, char siu sauce, orange juice, zest, peppercorns, bay leaf, five-spice powder, 3 cloves garlic, green onions and 4 pieces ginger. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool, strain and discard solids.
- Dry turkey with paper towel. Salt cavity, then stuff with onions and remaining garlic and ginger. Truss legs and tuck wings under body. Place on a V-shaped roasting rack on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan and rub with ¼ cup (60 ml) soy marinade. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
- Remove turkey and marinade from refrigerator 2 hours before cooking. Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C)—use convection setting if you have it. Brush turkey with butter, place in oven and turn heat down to 350 F (175 C). Roast for 13 to 15 minutes per pound, or until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of leg reads 165 F (74 C). After 1 hour of roasting, baste turkey with marinade every 30 minutes. Rotate pan after 2½ hours. Cover breast with foil if it browns too quickly.
- Remove turkey from oven, tent with foil and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Strain juices and remove excess fat, then serve jus with turkey.