"It smells like Christmas", my daughters say when this turkey is in the oven. And it is because this recipe has accompanied us at each and every one of our Christmas dinners. My mother used to prepare the turkey like this, and it is a tradition that I maintain to this day, and I hope that my daughters continue it because family traditions give us a sense of belonging, they give us solid foundations, they give us roots and they create incredible memories for us and our children.
The secret to this recipe? Prepare it with your family. My daughters love taking turns injecting the turkey with the incredible and tasty Pisco and orange juice mixture, because that's what cooking is all about – playing and enjoying while we create culinary magic with the ingredients.
If you don’t know what Pisco is, well, it is a Peruvian spirit, within the category of brandy, and has been granted an appellation, or its denomination of origin. It is distilled from eight specific types of grapes called “criollas” that are native to Peru. It is delicious either alone, in cocktails (as Pisco sour) or to give an incredible flavor to foods like this delicious turkey.
Ingredients
1 young turkey (approximately 8 lb)
2 yellow onions, cut into 8 pieces
3 red apples, cored and cut into 4
2 green apples, cored and cut into 4
6 oz pitted prunes
10 oz uncured, no-sugar bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp honey
1/3 cup Pisco (Peruvian spirit)
3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1/2 cup salt
7 liters of water
3 bay leaves
10 whole allspice
Directions
In a large pot, combine 7 liters of water, 1/2 cup of salt, bay leaves, and allspice. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and let the preparation cool.
Place the turkey in the salted water and allow it to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a baking dish, arrange the onions cut into 8 pieces. Place the turkey on top of the onions. Stuff the turkey with a portion of the apples, prunes, a sprig of fresh rosemary, and bacon. Place the remaining apples, prunes, bacon, and rosemary in the baking dish surrounding the turkey.
In a small bowl, mix the freshly squeezed orange juice, Pisco, 2 tsp of salt, and honey. Mix well. Remember to taste this mixture because the saltiness will depend on the type of salt you use, all salts have different intensities.
Inject the orange juice and Pisco mixture into the turkey meat to infuse it with flavor.
Cover the baking dish with parchment paper.
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and roast the turkey until its internal temperature reaches 180°F (82°C). For a golden-brown finish, remove the parchment paper during the final few minutes of cooking.
Once done, let the turkey rest for a while before carving and serving.
