Have you already thought about your turkey recipe and how you plan to wow them this Thanksgiving? If you fear boring your guests with a thirty-year-old turkey and mash potatoes traditional family recipe, perhaps you should look internationally to spice up your lives this year. Sure, it may be called “the great American bird,” but turkey was first domesticated in Mexico, where, as James Beard once said: “It was to that country what beef is to the United States.” That’s why we’ve included a few recipes on this year’s list that are seasoned with flavors from Mexico, other regions of Latin America, and other continents, so that you can give a cultural makeover to your turkey recipe this year.
1. Turkey in Mole Poblano
This spicy, sweet, savory sauce hails from Puebla and requires a slow braise of breast meat in a deep, dark mole that’s shot through with three kinds of dried chiles, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds and enriched with chocolate and spices. Serve with tortillas or rice, and your Thanksgiving turkey will be sure to wow.
Read Related: The Bird is the Word: 14 Unexpected Ways to Marinate a Turkey
2. Miso Rubbed Turkey
Try this miso rubbed turkey for an ultra-moist turkey this year. Though it won´t necessarily give the turkey an Asian flavor, it will add a rich meatiness to the gravy and deliver on the juiciness. Guaranteed to bring good ying-yang to the table, too.
3. Braised Turkey in Green Mole
The cilantro and tomatillo add the green coloring to this traditional mole dish with a twist. Braising is the perfect solution to the “dry thanksgiving turkey” issue.
4. Turkey with Sauerkraut, Riesling, and Pork Sausages
In a mood for an Austrian style Thanksgiving served up with some chilled white and delicious Riesling? Braised with wine, sauerkraut, apples, and onions, this turkey comes out incredibly aromatic due to the fruity flavor of the wine and the smokiness of the pork.
5. Maricel Presilla’s Latin-Style Turkey
The famous Cuban chef´s idea of Thanksgiving pays tribute to her Cuban roots with the adobo of her hometown that includes cumin, oregano, and allspice. Serve the carved turkey with a side roasted plantains and sweet potatoes.
6. Salvadoran Roast Turkey
Chilis, pumpkin seeds, bay leaves, roasted tomatoes and green peppers star in this authentic Salvadorian sauce. The day after, you can use the leftovers for panes con chumpe or turkey sandwiches.
7. Peruvian Style Turkey and Stuffing
With fresh lime juice, aji panca paste, chorizo pork sausages and rice for the stuffing that includes prunes, raisins, dried apple rings, fresh ripe pears, diced yellow onions, with walnuts and chestnuts, you’ll never go back to your old turkey recipe again.
8. Yucatecan Citrus Turkey Marinade Recipe
Chef Jose Garces prepares the bird as you would cochinita pibil, the Yucatan dish which slow-roasts pork marinated in citrus and annatto paste, which gives your pale turkey a healthy orange hue.
9. Moorish Turkey Marinade
Does your palette need a vacation to Morocco? Exotic spices such as Spanish sweet paprika, ground cumin and coriander will turn that old bland bird into a mouthwatering vacation. Be generous with the dry sherry.
