A Twist on Thanksgiving: Smokey Tea-Rubbed Turkey

This past weekend at one of our markets we had more than a few customers asking for “that really smoky tea”. That being Lapsang Souchong. I often see a slight uptick in this classic tea from China as the weather chills, but it was more than a few people asking about it on Sunday. That lead me to talk to them about other ways to use this interesting tea that will undoubtedly conjure up memories of campfires which is directly related to the way this tea is processed: over a wood fire. There’s a nice long, romantic history around this tea, and you can read about it here, but for this post I’m just going to focus on how you can fold this into Thanksgiving and really knock everyones cozy socks off at dinner.

There are two recipes I like, but the one from Christopher Kimballs Milk Street with the added dimension and flavor from a maple glaze is a standout! You’ll be upping your bird game with something deeply aromatic, well-seasoned and seriously unique. Cooking with tea is so fun. Give it a try!

Tea-Rubbed Maple Turkey Recipe from Christopher Kimball Milk Street
Servings: 12 Servings 3 to 3½ hours   Plus 24 hours to season

INGREDIENTS

For the Turkey and Gravy:

• 9 grams of lapsang souchong tea
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 12- to 14-pound turkey, neck and giblets discarded
• 4 cups plus 3 tablespoons water, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the Glaze:

• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• ½ cup strong brewed lapsang souchong tea (see note above)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper

For the Gravy:

• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

THE STEPS:

Prepare the Turkey:

1. To prepare the turkey, set a roasting rack inside a large roasting pan. Using paper towels, pat the turkey dry inside and out. Tuck the wings underneath.
2. Gently push your hand under the skin over the breasts, thighs and drumsticks to loosen. In a small bowl, combine the tea, salt and white pepper. Using your hands, spread half the mixture evenly under the skin. Sprinkle the remaining mixture over the skin, rubbing to coat evenly.
3. Set the turkey breast side up on the roasting rack and refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 hours.

Heat and rest:

1. Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the lowest position. Pour 4 cups of the water into the roasting pan. Pull the turkey legs up and forward and insert a long skewer through one thigh to the other thigh.
2. Roast for 2 hours; the thickest part of the thigh should register 155°F to 160°F.

Prepare the glaze:

1. While the turkey roasts, prepare the glaze. In a large saucepan over medium, combine the maple syrup, brewed tea and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until large bubbles form, adjusting the heat to prevent boiling over, 8 to 10 minutes; you should have about ¾ cup glaze.
2. Reserve ¼ cup; transfer the remaining ½ cup glaze to a small bowl, stir in the vinegar and white pepper and reserve to serve with the turkey.

Continue to cook, then transfer:

1. Remove the turkey from the oven and brush with half of the reserved ¼ cup of glaze. Return the turkey to the oven and roast until the thickest part of the breast registers 160°F and the thigh registers 175°F, brushing with the remaining glaze every 30 minutes, 1 to 1½ hours longer.
2. Tilt the turkey to let the liquid run out of the cavity into the pan, then transfer to a carving board. Let rest for 45 minutes.

Make the gravy, carve and serve:

1. To make the gravy, pour the liquid from the roasting pan into a fat separator and let settle for about 5 minutes. Pour 2 cups of defatted liquid into a large saucepan over medium-high and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 3 tablespoons water and cornstarch.
2. Whisk the mixture into the simmering liquid and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy and the reserved glaze.

**TIP: Don’t cover the turkey before it goes into the refrigerator; leaving it uncovered helps dry the skin overnight, which produces crispier skin. 

2 Teas to pair with Thanksgiving Lunch or Dinner:

Cape Cod Cranberry Orange Black Tea:
Fantastic iced and an alternative to sodas at dinner

Happy Belly Herbal Blend
For after dinner to help digestion from a day of eating

You can order this tea from us online, or come see us next weekend at farmers markets around the DC Metro area! Let us know if you decide to try this recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!

– The Chief Leaf