Oranges can add a new twist to a holiday classic.
A holiday favorite, traditionally roasted turkey flavors can become boring when the bird is made in the same way every year. Turkey, however, takes well to spices and flavors, so mixing things up is not a difficult task. For a new slant to the old tradition, try adding orange to your holiday roast. With a variety of methods available, the intensity of orange flavor you give the turkey can be as great or slight as you choose. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Smash a whole orange to allow the juices to flow out and place it in the neck cavity of the bird. As the turkey cooks, the flavors from the orange leak out and permeate the immediate area. Gently heat the orange before placing it in the cavity for a greater transmission of flavor.
2. Place whole oranges in the chest cavity of the turkey. Smash a series of oranges and place them in the cavity as you would the neck cavity to flavor a greater portion of the bird.
3. Add orange to the bread-based stuffing. Mix orange slices, zest or juice in with your bread stuffing. Add any combination of the three to achieve the flavor intensity you desire. To make zest, peel just the orange-colored outer portion of the rind, while leaving the bitter white pith behind.
4. Add orange flavors beneath the skin of the bird. Slice a whole orange thinly. Lift the skin of the turkey, taking care not to tear it. Slide the orange slices between the skin and the meat.
5. Add orange flavors to the skin of the bird. Mix orange juice and marmalade with butter and baste or brush the skin as the turkey cooks.
Tags: bird orange, neck cavity, orange flavors, orange slices, skin bird