Jamaican Jerk Roast Turkey
A simple roast turkey is transformed into the thing of legend when slathered with a spicy, fragrant jerk sauce. Basting towards the end of roasting ensures a crisp, brown skin without over caramelizing the sugars.
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Credit: Todd Coleman
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup olive oil½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup chopped scallions
¼ cup freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2½ tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tbsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp. ground cloves
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus wedges for serving
1½ tbsp. soy sauce
6 cloves garlic
2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, stemmed and chopped
2" piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 (12-lb.) turkey
1. Heat oven to 500˚. Combine ¼ cup oil, sugar, scallions, ¼ cup pepper, 2½ tbsp. salt, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg cloves, juice, sauce, garlic, chiles, and ginger in the bowl of a food processor; puree until smooth and set aside. Melt butter and mix with remaining oil; set aside. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Season turkey inside and out with salt and pepper and let come to room temperature.
2. Transfer turkey to a rack set inside a roasting pan, tuck wings behind turkey and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Brush turkey all over with butter, reserving some for basting. Pour 2 cups water into roasting pan and roast turkey, brushing once with more of the butter, for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350˚ and continue roasting, brushing occasionally with butter, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh, without touching the bone, reads 150˚, about 2 hours. Remove turkey from oven and baste completely with reserved sauce. Place back in oven and continue to cook until internal temperature reaches 165°, about 20 to 25 minutes more. Transfer turkey to a cutting board, and let sit for 30 minutes before carving; serve with lime wedges if you like.
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