Taiwanese XXL Cutlet-inspired Fried Turkey
ok I guess this turkey version would be counted as XXXXXXXXXXL-
this recipe might seem tedious but trust me, its worth every second! it definitely brought a refreshing change to the Christmas dinner table, and needless to say this was the highlight of the night 🤩 though it was fried, but trust me, it was so moist and tender all thanks to the overnight brining step (so make sure you dont skip this step!!) with the taiwanese-inspired seasoning, and a plum sauce on the side, you can expect an explosion of flavours in the mouth 🎇 🥳
WARNING: please practice caution when deep-frying a whole turkey (this requires a large enough pot). if cooking in a home kitchen, we suggest cutting down the turkey into smaller segments instead for this recipe.
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Taiwanese XXL Cutlet-inspired Fried Turkey
1 whole 3.5kg - 5kg turkey, thawed
turkey brine:
4 litres water
1/2 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp black peppercorns
5 star anise
3 sticks cinnamon
12 cloves
8 pieces cardamom pods
2 yellow onion, halved
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 orange, halved
500g tapioca starch
oil, for deep-frying
‘Taiwanese cutlet’ seasoning powder:
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp caster sugar
3 tbsp five-spice powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chicken seasoning powder
plum-hoisin compote:
5 -6 plums
1 medium red onion
1 stick cinnamon
2 star anise
2 tbsp butter
20g ginger, bruised
1 tbsp five-spice powder
1 tbsp light soy sauce
150g hoisin sauce
2 cups chicken stock / water
directions
combine all the brine ingredients in a stockpot and bring it to a boil. turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. remove from heat and let the brine cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
clean the surface and cavity of the turkey well. spatchcock the turkey by cutting out the spine with a pair of strong kitchen scissors. turn the turkey over with the breast side up and push down the middle to crack the bones to slightly flatten the turkey, increasing its surface area. alternatively, separate the bird into several segments for easier cooking.
submerge the turkey in the brine, cover and let it sit in the fridge for at least 12 hours. once the turkey is fully brined, remove from brine and let it drain on a rack for at least an hour or until it comes up to room temperature.
coat all the surfaces of the turkey with tapioca flour well. heat oil in a large pot to 170 - 175 degrees Celsius. deep fry the turkey, flipping midway until the inside of the turkey is fully cooked and the skin turns golden brown and crisp. a whole turkey would take about 30-35 minutes whereas cut-out turkey pieces will cook for a shorter time.
drain the turkey on a rack to remove excess oil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
whisk together the seasoning powder ingredients in a bowl. sprinkle it all over the turkey, covering all surfaces.
preparing the compote
blanch the plums in boiling water for 3-5 minutes and then immediately submerge into ice water. peel the skins and cut them into cubes.
melt butter in a saucepan on low to medium heat. let the butter simmer until the milk solids turn brown and toasty and turns into browned butter.
immediately add onion, ginger, star anise and cinnamon and sauté until onions are translucent. mix in five spice, soy sauce, cubed plums and sauté for 5 minutes. stir in in the hoisin sauce and stock. cover and simmer until plums are soft and the sauce turns into a jammy consistency. season to taste.
serve as a sauce alongside the fried turkey