Tandoori Spiced Turkey

 Today, we’re going to do some #TurkeyTalk! This is a conversation sponsored by Circulon but all opinions are my own.

This year, don’t stick with the same butter and herb roasted turkey! Step outside the turkey box and roast a turkey infused with a combination of Middle Eastern spices, greek yogurt, and a sticky-sweet glaze. But first, let’s talk about this Circulon roasting pan.

• Chrome-plated U-shaped rack: keeps the turkey off the bottom, so the fat drips away from the meat, making it easy to use for gravy!
• Heavy-duty carbon steel construction: balanced heat distribution.
• Generous, hefty handles: making it easy to place in and out of the oven!
• Oven safe to 450F.

If you head on over to the Circulon Facebook Page, you’ll see a list of food bloggers that have also made some amazing turkey recipes! Be sure to enter to win roasting pans! 

Now, let’s talk turkey! Normally, we cook turkey with spices and herbs we tend to cook in our everyday lives. Sure, nothing more classic than an herbed turkey, but for this Thanksgiving, why not step out of your comfort zone, grab some Indian and North African spices, and slather up this baby into a succulent bird that will have your family wondering how you made it taste so amazing?

Now, let’s chat a little about the main spice blends in this recipe:

Garam Masala, a classic spice blend from India is mostly composed of coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Ras al Hanout, a North African blend of spices has a few more spices: cardamom, clove, cinnamon, ground chili peppers, coriander, cumin, peppercorn, paprika, fenugreek, and turmeric. And since we like things spicy here, there was a hint of Aleppo Pepper, grown in Syria and Turkey. All of these spices whisked into your favorite Greek yogurt and you’ve got a marinade in a minute! Of course, you can male your own spice blends. But ain’t nobody got time for that!

Now, how about I tell you all about this Tamarind and Maple Syrup Glaze? Easily found in Latin markets, tamarind paste is a tart paste made from the tamarind fruit. Simmer in water, strained, and sweetened with a touch of maple syrup make this the perfect glaze to brush on your turkey at the end of cooking to give it that gorgeous shine. Also great served and drizzle over turkey slices.

Tandoori Spiced Turkey with Tamarind Maple Glaze

Print Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:3 hours hrs

Total Time:3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 12-14 pound turkey thawed
• 2 cups greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Marash pepper
• 1 tablespoon Garam Masala
• 1 tablespoon Ras al Hanout
• 1 tablespoon dried lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• salt to taste

For the glaze

• 3 inch piece tamarind paste
• 1 ½ cups water
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup maple syrup

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 400F.
• Prep your bird: remove gizzards and neck, tuck wings behind if you'd like, tie legs together. Place bird in roasting pan.
• Whisk together yogurt and spices (everything but the salt).
• Using your hands, slather the bird with the spiced yogurt, inside and out. Get in there! Get in between the meat and the skin! Slather it good.
• Roast for the first 30 minutes at 400 and then lower oven to 350F for the next two and a half hours. Cook until the interior temperature of the bird hits 165F.
• Remove from oven and brush with glaze.
• How to make glaze: simmer tamarind pulp and water for 10 minutes over medium heat. Strain pulp and pour back into saucepan. Whisk in sugar and syrup, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Glaze roast turkey and serve on the side to drizzle over meat.

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Disclaimer: Circulon provided me with a roasting pan to test out and I was under no obligation to write this review.