The Ultimate Kosher Turkey
What makes the ultimate turkey? Garlic schmaltz! We use lots of roasted garlic then add chicken or turkey schmaltz and fresh herbs.
This Thanksgiving will be like no other when you serve the Ultimate Kosher Turkey at your festive table!
What makes this the ultimate turkey? Two words: garlic schmaltz. We start with lots of roasted garlic then add chicken or turkey schmaltz (see how to render poultry fat) and fresh herbs. It makes a flavorful basting liquid to create the ultimate Thanksgiving turkey. If you’re short on chicken or turkey fat, use a little extra virgin olive oil to make up the difference.
Use veggies as a roasting pan “rack” to help your turkey get a crisp, golden skin. Scatter celery, carrots, and onions on the bottom of the pan to keep the bird from sitting in its own juices and getting soggy.
Interested? Watch this one-and-a-half-minute video that shows how to make the Ultimate Turkey.
Cooking Time: 4 ¼ hours
Preparation Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 7 ¼ hours
Servings: 8-10
Garlic Schmaltz
Ingredients
3 heads of garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2 cups rendered chicken or turkey fat (If you’re short on chicken or turkey fat, use a little extra virgin olive oil to make up the difference)
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles stripped and chopped
12 sage leaves, finely chopped
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 bunch thyme sprigs, leaves stripped and chopped
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
2. Slice ¼ inch off the top of a head of garlic, exposing the tops of the cloves inside. Drizzle cut garlic with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and wrap in foil. Roast at 375°F/190°C for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the garlic is lightly browned, soft and very fragrant.
3. Squeeze garlic from the bulbs and mash it with a fork. Stir poultry fat (see how to render poultry fat) into mashed garlic, then add herbs.
4. Chill mixture for 2 hours or overnight. Garlic schmaltz can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Roast Turkey
Ingredients
1. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. If using an Heirloom Turkey, preheat oven to 325°F/163°C.
2. Place celery, carrots, and onion in the bottom of a large roasting pan.
3. Pull out neck and giblets. Reserve. Place turkey in a roasting pan (on top of rack, or if no rack, on top of vegetables). Rub turkey with salt and pepper on the outside and in the cavity. Tuck wings underneath the turkey.
4. Stuff cavity with orange, onion, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Tie legs together with butcher’s twine.
5. Generously rub turkey all over with garlic schmaltz. Save some for basting during cooking.
6. Roast turkey and neck at 375°F/190°C, basting occasionally with garlic schmaltz, for 3½ hours, or when a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 170°F/77°C. Start checking the temperature at 3 hours. Remove from oven, and tent turkey loosely with foil. Rest for 20 minutes.
7. Remove string, herbs, and vegetables from the cavity and discard. Pour pan drippings into a saucepan and skim fat from the surface. Reduce pan drippings until they coat the back of a spoon for a natural pan jus. Carve turkey and serve with pan jus or rich Porcini Mushroom Gravy.
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Jamie Geller is one of the most sought after Jewish food and lifestyle experts worldwide. She is the bestselling author of 5 books and founder of Kosher Network International, publisher of JamieGeller.com featuring more than 10,000 recipes, articles, and videos. Check out her new #1 Amazon Bestseller, Brisket 101 and her new family meal plan “Fresh Families”.
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