ROASTED TURKEY IN CHOCOLATE MOLE! 🦃 🍫

chocolate

🥗Healthier: dark chocolate

💰Cheaper: cocoa powder

Dark chocolate provides a similar flavor with less sugar.

dried chiles

🥗Healthier: fresh chiles

💰Cheaper: red pepper flakes

Fresh chiles can add heat without the cost of dried.

almonds

🥗Healthier: walnuts

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds are less expensive and nut-free.

chicken broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with seasoning

Water with seasoning can be a cost-effective substitute.

Start by making the brine in a pot with water, orange juice, honey, salt, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns.

Bring the brine to a boil and let it infuse for about 20 seconds before removing it from the heat.

Let the brine cool in a container.

In a pan, heat oil and toast almonds until golden, then remove them from the oil.

Toast a cinnamon stick in the same oil to release its flavor, then remove some oil from the pan.

Toast sesame seeds in the oil until they start popping, then take them out.

Add chopped onion, tomatoes, and pasilla chilis (seeds removed) to the pan and cook without adding water, allowing the tomatoes to release their moisture.

Add drinking chocolate to the pan and melt it with the mixture, still not adding water.

In a blender, add toasted white bread, the mixture from the pan, and the toasted seeds to create a smooth paste.

Add a bit of chicken stock and a quarter cup of cocoa powder to the blender and blend until smooth, then let it cool.

Use a syringe to inject the cooled brine into the turkey, ensuring to get it into every muscle including the breast, thighs, legs, and wings.

Refrigerate the turkey overnight to allow the brine to infuse.

The next day, dry the turkey with a paper towel to ensure the skin is dry for seasoning.

Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper, making sure to get into all areas including the back and under the wings.

Separate the skin from the breast and add softened butter between the skin and meat to keep it juicy and crispy.

Stuff the turkey with onion, celery, and garlic for added flavor.

Tie the turkey legs together with butcher twine and tuck the wings back to expose the breast.

Cover the turkey with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to keep moisture in, then roast in the oven at 400°F for one hour.

After an hour, remove the plastic wrap and foil, baste the turkey with pan juices using a pastry brush, and repeat the basting every half hour.

Check the turkey's internal temperature; it should be around 158°F before resting.

Cover the turkey with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Heat the chocolate mole sauce on medium-low heat while the turkey rests.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens