Christmas menu: how to cook roast turkey

Since the sixteenth century, the roasted turkey it is a dish traditionally prepared for the nobility and royalty, on festive occasions – in fact, the larger the bird, the greater the demonstration of power and wealth of the host.

Already in Portuguese lands, the roasted turkey gained fame in the 19th century. XVII, when 20 recipes with this bird appear in the first cookbook printed in the country.

Today it is a more than certain presence at Christmas time. See two delicious ways to prepare.

roasted turkey

Ingredients

• 1 clean turkey weighing about 4 kg
• 2 large onions cut into small pieces
• 1/2 tablespoon pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon French mustard
• 1 bottle of dry white wine
• 3 cups of chicken broth
• 1 cup of melted butter
• salt to taste
• Melted butter for injecting

preparation method

• Preheat the oven to 180º.
• Put the onions, garlic, pepper sauce, mustard, 1 cup of wine, 1 cup of chicken broth, butter, salt in a blender and beat well afterwards.
• Transfer to a bowl, add the remaining wine and chicken broth and mix well.
• Stuff the turkey and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Hold the skin of the turkey breast with one hand and, with the other, push it away from the meat.
• Pierce the meat with a fork and, with the help of a seasoning injector, inject the melted butter into several points on the turkey breast.
• Rub the prepared seasoning on the surface of the turkey and inject a little into the meat.
• Pull the skin back, covering the turkey again, and sew with thick thread.
• Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven for about 3 hours, basting the turkey every 20 minutes with any sauce that falls into the pan.
• When the paper is already darkened, remove and leave the turkey in the oven until golden.

Roasted turkey leg with beer

Ingredients

• 1 turkey leg
• 1 stout
• 2 onions cut into rounds
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon sweet pepper
• 1 tablespoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon pipi-piri
• salt to taste
• A thread of olive oil

preparation method

• The day before, make a marinade with the turkey leg, beer, onion, garlic, paprika, paprika, chili pepper and salt.
• On the day of the meal: place the turkey leg on an oven tray, cover with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with a little marinade.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180º for approximately one hour, checking and adding more sauce if necessary.