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This is one for the South Africans. As Christmas occurs in the summer, it makes sense to cook your turkey outside on the braai (barbecue). The secret to keeping the turkey moist is to brine it before cooking. Here I’m using a spiced brine to lock in moisture and flavour. The turkey is then flavoured by rubbing in a spice and oil blend. It’s cooked on a braai barbecue and a blend of tea, bayleaf and naartjie peel is used to smoke the bird — adding even more flavour. So, for your ultimate Christmas bird follow this recipe.
12 hours prep/180 min cook/serves 6-8
Ingredients:
For the Brine:
3l (12 cups) chicken stock
200g (1 cup) fine sea salt
½ cup light brown sugar
2 tbsp dried minced onion
2 tbsp chilli flakes
3 whole cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp cracked black peppercorns
½ tbsp cracked allspice berries
½ tbsp cracked juniper berries
½ tbsp ground ginger
5l (6 quarts) ice water
1 x 6kg turkey (13.3lbs) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed, thawed
For the Spice Rub
250ml (1 cup) sunflower oil
1 beef bouillon cube
6 tbsp Durban curry powder (or your favourite curry powder)
2 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp runny honey
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 bayleaf, powdered
For the Smoke:
8 tea bags
2 bayleaves
½ cup oak or hickory shavings
4 tbsp dark brown sugar
Method:
The day before, begin the brine. Combine the chicken stock, salt, brown sugar, onion, chilli flakes, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, allspice berries, juniper berries and ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, 3-5 minutes. Take off the heat, allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate the brine until thoroughly chilled (over night).
The morning you are due to cook, combine the brine and ice water in a clean, food-grade, 10l (10 quart) bucket. Place the turkey in the brine, breast-side down. Cover and refrigerate (or set in a cool area like a basement) for 6 hours, turning turkey once halfway through.
In the meantime, pour the oil for into a bowl. Work in the bouillon cube until completely dissolve. Now work in the curry powder, garam masala, chilli powder, black pepper and salt. You should end up with a thick, spreadable, paste. Now work in the honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic and ground bayleaf. Set the spice blend aside.
Remove the turkey from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine. Pat the turkey dry then cut along the backbone and open the turkey out flat (this is spatchcocking). Now spread the spice paste all over inside and outside. Place the turkey in the refrigerator and chill as you prepare your braai (barbecue).
When the coals are hot and covered with ash, take a foil dish, open the tea bags and spread all over the base. Add the bayleaves and wood shavings then spread over the sugar. Once the barbecue coals are ready sit the foil dish on top. Add the barbecue grill and sit the turkey, breast side down on top.
Once the tea mix begins smoking close the barbecue lid and cook for 1 hour. Turn the turkey over and cook for 1 more hour with the breast uppermost. After this time turn the turkey over again and cook for 1 more hour, by which time the turkey should be done.
Bring to your table and carve.
Note, that like other fowl a turkey needs to be completely cooked through. When done, on piercing the thigh to the bone the fluids should run clear. In addition, a steel knife point inserted in the meat for 20 seconds should feel hot when touched to the lips.
Personally, I have a thermometer in my braai and I try and regulate the temperature to keep at least at 180°C throughout cooking. A spatchcocked turkey will cook quicker than a turkey kept whole.
You can also use this recipe to cook chicken or guinea-fowl.
This recipe will give you a turkey like you’ve never tasted before. Succulent and not dry, well spiced and with a rich hint of smokiness. I used a kettle barbecue to cook my turkey, but any barbecue that can be closed will work. You can even cook this in the oven, just put the smoke mixture in the bottom and arrange the turkey on a rack set in the middle.
