If you’re looking for the best turkey recipe ever, you can stop looking.
This turkey is juicy, the meat is tender, and it has a crispy seasoned skin that’s just to die for. Seriously, everyone who makes this/eats it is hooked.
Crispy, Juicy, Delicious Thanksgiving Turkey with Poblano Cilantro Gravy
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year, I love the food, the smells, the flavors and the fact that most people stop and give thanks for their blessings.
Y’all know that after discovering brining last year, I am convinced that it’s the trick to a ridiculously moist and flavor-packed Turkey. Whether you fry – YUM – or roast or grill, I seriously suggest brining that Turkey.
For my Poblano Roasted Turkey, I used Apple Cider and Water for my brining liquid
To that, I added fresh ground peppercorns, brown sugar, kosher salt, jalapenos, and crushed garlic.
Mix everything together and pour it into your container: lots of you suggest using small coolers, I have a VERY large pot that I use, add your Turkey to the brine and refrigerate and brine for 12 to 24 hours.
After your Turkey is done with its brine bath, remove it from the brine, pat it dry and choose your seasonings.
I used brown sugar, cayenne, fresh ground peppercorns, oregano, cumin, sugar, and crushed garlic — and that’s just the rub. That rub right there, makes me wish for scratch and sniff internet, so y’all could smell that little bowl of heaven.
Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the flesh and massage the rub all over the flesh. Rub the skin with olive oil and whatever rub you have left-over.
Now, comes the fun part, stuffing the turkey with delicious vegetables and fruits and herbs that will impart an amazing flavor to the turkey from the inside out.
I am a HUGE fan of poblano peppers, as y’all well know; so I chose them to be one of my ingredients for thisTurkey.
I stuffed my Turkey with Sliced Poblano Peppers, Garlic, Gala Apples, Cilantro, and Oranges.
I placed my turkey, breast side up, wings and legs tucked, on a roasting rack in my roasting pan and I put, 2 sliced poblanos, 1 sliced apple and 1 C vegetable broth in the bottom of the pan.
My Turkey was 12.2 pounds so I cooked it for a total of 3 1/2 hours.
Holy deliciousness. Nathan has declared this to be the best Turkey ever.
I used the drippings from the Turkey, 2 of the roasted poblanos and more vegetable broth and flour to make a ridiculously amazing gravy.
Sliced Thanksgiving Turkey with Homemade Poblano Gravy
Oven Roasted Turkey with Poblanos and Cilantro
Ingredients
- 12 lb Butterball
- *For the Turkey Brine
- *1 gallon water
- *1 gallon apple cider
- *3 jalapenos sliced
- *6 cloves garlic crushed
- *1 1/2 C brown sugar
- *1 C kosher salt
- *1/2 C fresh ground peppercorns
- For the Turkey Rub
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper you can use less if you’re pepper sensitive
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- For the Inside of the Turkey
- 4 poblano peppers quartered
- 2 gala apples quartered
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 orange quartered
- Additional
- Vegetable Broth
- Flour
Instructions
- Combine the brine ingredients
- Remove neck and giblets from turkey cavity
- submerge turkey in brine and soak, refrigerated, for 12 to 24 hours
- remove from brine, pat turkey dry and set aside.
- Combine Rub ingredients
- using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the flesh and massage the rub into the turkey under the skin.
- rub some olive oil over the skin and massage any leftover rub into the skin
prepare your inside ingredients:
- Stuff the cavity with 1/2 of the poblanos, 1/2 of the apples, all of the cilantro and the orange quarters.
- Put the remaining poblanos and apple into the bottom of a foil lined roasting pan. Pour in 1 1/2 C vegetable broth
- Put in a pre-heated 325 degree oven, check your Butterball Turkey guide that came with your turkey for how long to cook.
- I cooked mine for 3 1/2 hours. At 2 1/2 hours, I took the turkey out, covered it with a foil tent and placed it back in to finish cooking.
- After the Turkey is done cooking, allow to rest 15 minutes before carving so the juices can go back in to the turkey and it’ll be the juiciest, most delicious turkey imaginable
- Gravy
- Pour drippings from pan into a 4 Cup measure. Strain the fat off the drippings and put in a skillet over medium heat.
- Chop up 2 of the poblanos from the roasting pan and add to the skillet.
- Stir 1/2 C flour into the fat and poblanos and stir until smooth, gradually blend in drippings.
- Cook and stir the gravy until it comes to a boil and thickens over medium heat. (if you need to add vegetable broth to the gravy to thin it, add it a little at a time)
- Continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes
- Season with Salt and Pepper, if desired
If you’re looking for the best Thanksgiving turkey recipe ever, you can stop looking.
This turkey is juicy, the meat is tender, and it has a crispy seasoned skin that’s just to die for. Seriously, everyone who makes this/eats it is hooked.
What’s your favorite way to prepare a Turkey/Turkey Recipe? I made my last turkey in the crock pot, which it was a small one it but it was delish!! Had it with a cranberry dressing. YUM!
I love to cook and experiment all the time, but for turkey there is only one way to me. Bells seasoning. Its a northern seasoning, I am from New England, and I have to beg to get it most of the time down here. It’s a sage heavy flavor and a match met in heaven for turkey.
http://twitter.com/#!/mom2nji/status/3439365111943168 I tweeted
Oh Em Gee, I love a good ole fashioned southern deep fried turkey. But, personally, I just love to herb it up. Oh and Liquid Smoke!
I would be so blessed to win a turkey! I hope I do!
Deep fried – all the way baby. It’s the easiest way to cook a turkey. Just remember to deep fry it outside.
Your recipe look amazing. I just might have to change things up this year and try it.
Last year I discovered the best turkey brine ever – and it also had apple cider in it. It was the most amazing turkey! I also made a rub that I mixed with butter and put under the skin. It was so good! Some day I want to try a fried turkey because I’ve heard they’re fantastic.
My favorite way is to watch my mom bake it in the oven 🙂
So I too have discovered the wonders of brining {courtesty of an Alton Brown episode} & that is the first step my husband & I take when roasting our turkey. With the actual roasting part, I go very simple-EVOO & seasonings all over the turkey. For the first part of the roasting I tent the turkey with foil & then take it off for the turkey to crisp up. Brining makes the turkey so moist & delish.
One of my most recent favorite Thanksgiving memories {and there’s lots} happened a couple of years ago. We were at my in-laws for dinner & had my husband’s Aunt’s family there as well. The Aunt was in charge of the turkey. My bro-in-laws had previously cooked up a cornish game hen, offered to de-stuff the turkey, placed the hen inside the turkey, and gave it back to my Aunt. My Aunt then took the turkey to make sure it was completely cleaned out & found this “baby turkey” inside. Apparently the next day, she called the butcher and told him about the “baby turkey” {not getting that her nephews had punked her}.
Wow, Rachel. I am so glad I clicked over to your blog today. Didn’t know you and Butterball had such a great giveaway – Thanks! But, better yet – this poblano – cilantro “tonguegasmic turkey” sounds awesome. It sounds so great, I had to read the recipe out to my hubby – who agrees it sounds like the BEST TURKEY EVER!! I WILL be making your turkey. Thanks for sharing all your great cooking tips and recipes. I have never used a brine – but I am now a believer. 🙂
Favorite way to prepare a turkey – Well, until reading this recipe, I love when my Uncle fries up a turkey. They are so moist – when done correctly.
Just tweeted. http://twitter.com/blessedwGrace/status/3503724454477824
Favorite Thanksgiving memory – this is easy – It would be the Thanksgiving my husband proposed to me, in front of all our family! (Thanksgiving 1993) It was a day I will never forget. 🙂
brine. it’s the only way to go!
My most favorite turkey recipe in the whole universe is Layered Turkey Nachos from the Saving dinner cookbook. It’s AMAZING and such an awesome dish that everyone actually eats it and we rarely have leftovers anymore!
I tweeted!! http://twitter.com/#!/ShirleyB1996/status/3543574486450176
I have never made a turkey, but I think I may try your recipe, Rach. I am scared though! Can I call you all day on Thanksgiving?
My favorite Thanksgiving memory is every Thanksgiving after I was in Kindergarten. That year, for our project, we made turkeys out of lunch bags and construction paper. That year, my little turkey sat as the centerpiece on my grandmother’s table. Afterwards, it was placed atop the buffet where grandma kept her ‘special’ dishes. Every year, it was placed as the center piece, until the year my grandmother passed away. I’m considering having my Sunday school class make some this year, so I can have 3 turkeys on my table!
Here’s the link for the Tweet… The other one is goofed up!
http://twitter.com/ShirleyB1996/statuses/3551417830744064
My mouth is literally watering– looks AMAZING!! I made my first turkey last year and couldn’t believe how easy it was. My mother always made it sound like the most complicated thing in the world— ha!
My mom always cooks her turkey in an electric roaster. It stays very moist. But I like turkey any way it’s fixed.
I have never prepared a turkey so I don’t have a favorite recipe. I am cooking one for the first time this year and am looking for the best brine recipe.
My favorite Thanksgiving memory is sitting down as a family to watch The Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
OMG! This turkey looks soooo good. It is one of my favourite meals and I could eat leftover turkey ’til is came out my ears (white meat only however). I’ve never brined a turkey but you have gotten me curious to do so.
My sister always roasts her turkeys upside down. She swears it makes them even moister and she hasn’t cooked a dry one yet!
Hoping you have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend coming up.
i loved fried turkey
i tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/purplelover04/status/3612047912734720
i remember the last thinksgiving my dad was alive it was the best one ever we did not even have a turkey but it was the best
Mmmmm…. that looked awesome!
I do mine with Aunt Cora’s Soulful Seasoning as the under-skin and cavity rub, then I stuff it with quartered apples, sweet onions and whole garlic cloves. I roast breast side DOWN so it stays crazy moist, and I cook it in my domed covered roaster so it steams cooked and takes SOOOO much less time.
OMGOOODNESS, you’re making me want turkey!!!
I love deep frying our turkey but that is usually done by the guys in the garage. When I make Turkey dinner for my family, I rub with melted butter & paprika to season the skin. Very simple yet really delicious.
I’ve never done a brine before…I’m inspired to try that soon!
One of my best Thanksgiving memories is having a wonderful turkey dinner with all the fixings in a one room hunting camp with no running water. The camp is very sentimental in our family and we roughed it in honor of those loved ones who worked so hard to obtain it and keep it in the family. It really makes me appreciate the basics I often take for granted!
A special tree was planted that day too!
I love roasting a turkey breast (on the bone) with salt & pepper, sage and EVOO smothered on top. Super simple! 🙂 I’ve never made a WHOLE turkey but I’m up for trying!
I love to brine the turkey first, then to put it into the smoker. It has the perfect balance of smoky flavor with earthy spiced infusion. We have a cooler that is dedicated to brining ONLY 🙂
I would have to say that my favorite Thanksgiving memory is the year that I lived in Pittsburgh and we all played flag football before we ate. Not only did we have an absolute ball, but after dinner (and a nap of course) we went to watch a new movie at the cinemas. It was such great fun having everyone together, paricipating in the holiday, with no drama. Truly everyone was just being thankful that day.
I am a huge fan of Alton Brown’s turkey brine, which is actually pretty similar to what you used. I totally agree—once you brine a turkey, you will never ever ever go back to just baking it. Holy flavor, Batman.
Also: My favorite Thanksgiving memory: I came home from college one year for Thanksgiving and my dad and I got up early and started cooking. (My mom, who can be… ummm… difficult… has always been a late sleeper.) So we prepped a bunch of stuff and then sat down and watched a football game. That one ended, we checked the food, we watched another game. We were on our third game when it was time to eat, and we had to wake my mother for dinner. She was really mad at us, which for some reason struck us as completely hilarious. We are mean, I guess. But we had a nice day being couch potatoes and then a really yummy meal! 🙂
My favorite way to make a turkey….have my mom make it! I’ve never made a turkey! Each year we go to my aunt’s house with the entire family (my mom’s 8 siblings and my cousins). We have about 40 people each year and spend the entire day eating and laughing.
🙂
Darn you…now I want Turkey. Because I have the smallest house I don’t get a chnce to prepare it for the family, like ever…but I do, once a year, prepare one anyway (because leftovers rock), and invite the neighbor over for a Christmas/Thanksgiving combo.
The way I love to prepare it is a simple herb & butter mix. I stuff pats of butter between the skin and flesh…then I mix my herbs….usually basil, sage, oregano, salt & pepper and rub them in between the flesh with the butter and them over the skin. Then I roast it, stuffing inside. That usually makes it deliciously moist.
I want to try brining, though…and you’ve made me want to try it more…yum yum.
That looks FANTASTIC!!
THis sounds wonderful and will have to try it. We have to almost cook two turkeys or one really big one to feed our big family…..I hope I win.
Thanks so much for the giveaway.
Kindest regards,
b†
We like to smoke our turkey, but sometimes we fix it the old fashioned way, with a thick coating of butter on the outside, just like my grandma used to fix turkey.
susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com
http://twitter.com/susitravl/status/3856917776564225
Has anyone ever tried deep-fried turkey? My dh is a good ‘ol southern boy, and his mom made the best turkey. She would use thyme, oregano, peppercorns , bay leaves and garlic powder for the rub.
One day I will be brave and try to make it myself.
Wow – your turkey looks amazing! My favorite way to make turkey is to brine it overnight. This method has never failed me 🙂
My favorite Thanksgiving memory was when my whole family had the big meal outside after my Dad, who hates turkey, grilled a whole beef tenderloin over the coals – it was amazing!
Salt and Pepper and in one of those cooking bags. Comes out moist every time.
I have never brined a turkey but I’ve heard it’s totally the way to go! I’m going to check out doing it this year. I actually STINK at making turkeys! I never know which way they go in the over, I detest washing it and taking out it’s innards (I totally want to wash my hands just thinking about it!). So I’m up for any and all tips about turkeys! I do usually make a couple throughout the year as they are inexpensive and they get used for casseroles and other stuff.
Rach – not entering the contest – I’m not cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year – just had to tell you that I’m tempted to lick my computer screen after reading that – and am incredibly disappointed that scratch n sniff computers do not, in fact, exist…. xoxo
can you believe I’ve only made a turkey once? I think I roasted it? But my favorite way is the way my mom makes it. And honestly, I’m not sure how she does it. But it’s delicious.
Deep fried and rubbed down with Cajun seasoning. I don’t even pretend to be healthy when it comes to Thanksgiving.
http://twitter.com/#!/designhermomma/status/4160535855636480
yep, I tweeted!
I’m totally sold on brining, too!
Your turkey looks and sounds fantastic!! I have to admit I have never brined a turkey before but I think after seeing this I will have to try it.
I cannot WAIT to try this!! 🙂 I may have to put your phone number on speed dial for that day! 🙂 Seriously… this looks awesome! And how cool of YOU to put step by step…. your blog is my new cookbook! 🙂 Funny AND delicious! 🙂
hi guys, are u on cardsapp? thanks