10/08/2023
FORGET TURDUCKEN! IT’S…
MORTON THOMPSON’S TURKEY
If you're a fan of delicious turkey dishes, then you're in for a treat!
The story of the Morton Thompson Turkey recipe dates back to the early 1900s. Morton Thompson, a renowned chef and food enthusiast, was on a quest to create the perfect turkey dish that would leave everyone craving for more.
Thompson spent years experimenting with different flavours and techniques, constantly refining his recipe. He believed that the key to a truly exceptional turkey dish lies in the perfect blend of herbs and spices.
After countless trials and errors, Thompson finally achieved his goal. The Morton Thompson Turkey recipe became an instant hit, loved by all who had the pleasure of tasting it.
The secret to its success? Thompson's unique combination of aromatic herbs and spices, which elevated the flavours of the turkey to new heights.
Over the years, the Morton Thompson Turkey recipe has become a beloved tradition in many households. Families gather around the table, eagerly anticipating the moment when they can savor the succulent, flavorful turkey that has become a symbol of celebration and togetherness.
Today, the Morton Thompson Turkey recipe continues to be passed down from generation to generation, keeping the spirit of Thompson's culinary brilliance alive. It has become a staple dish during Thanksgiving and other special occasions, bringing joy and satisfaction to countless people around the world.
So, the next time you're planning a special meal or gathering, why not give the Morton Thompson Turkey recipe a try? You'll be joining a long line of food enthusiasts who have experienced the magic of this delicious dish.
THE MORTON THOMPSON TURKEY
Ingredients
1 large turkey (up to 25 lbs), with neck, heart, gizzard and liver
Dressing, Bowl No. 1
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1 apple, peeled, cored and sliced
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
½ lemon, peeled and sectioned
1 26-oz can water chestnuts
3 tbsp preserved ginger
1 26-oz can crushed pineapple
Dressing, Bowl No. 2
4 cloves
2 tsp dry English mustard
2 tsp caraway seeds
3 tsp celery seeds
2 tsp poppy seed
2½ tsp oregano
1 bay leaf, crushed
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp mace
4 tbsp parsley
5 cloves garlic
½ tsp turmeric
4 large onions, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
½ tsp marjoram
½ tsp savory
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
Salt to taste
Dressing, Bowl No. 3
Fat from turkey
3 11-oz packages breadcrumbs
¾ lb ground veal
¼ lb ground pork
½ cup butter
Basting fluid and gravy
1 bay leaf
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp ground coriander
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup apple cider
Paste cover
8 egg yolks
2 tbsp dry English mustard
¼ cup onion juice
2 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. lemon juice
Sifted flour
Preparation
1. Mix all Bowl No. 1 ingredients thoroughly.
2. Mince cloves after discarding the heads. Mix all Bowl No. 2 ingredients thoroughly.
3. In a small skillet, render as much fat as possible from the turkey. Mix fat in a bowl with other ingredients from Bowl No. 3.
4. Mix together all the dressing bowls. "Mix it until your forearms and wrists ache," Thompson wrote. "Then mix it some more. Now toss it enough so it isn't a doughy mass."
5. Chop up the turkey's neck, heart, gizzard and liver. Place in a saucepan with bay leaf, paprika, coriander, garlic and water. (Do not add the cider at this point.) Simmer. The longer you simmer this basting fluid, the better. Keep adding water.
6. We make our stuffing the night before and simmer our basting fluid all night. If you do that, keep the stuffing refrigerated all night.
7. Rub the bird inside and out with salt and pepper and stuff it reasonably full at both ends. Sew it up, or skewer it and tie both ends. Tie the legs and wings tightly to the body with good strong cord.
8. Place the bird on a rack, or place breast side down on a drip pan. Put in 450 F oven.
9. Mix together the ingredients for the paste cover. Sift in enough flour to make a stiff paste. As soon as the turkey is browned all over from the red-hot oven, haul it out, sizzling. Using a pastry brush, cover it completely with paste. Slip it back into the oven so that the paste will set. Then haul it out again, and in Thompson's words, "paint every nook and cranny of it once more."
10. Turn the oven down to 325 F, put some water in the drip pan, and roast the turkey. The paste will keep the heat in. Never cook it more than nine or 10 minutes to the pound.
11. Add the cider to the giblet gravy simmering on the stove. Keep it warm. This is your basting fluid. You should baste the turkey thoroughly every 15 minutes. We use an aluminum baster with a rubber bulb, and we set the timer on the stove alarm to remind us when to baste. And don't forget to keep adding water to the gravy in the pan to keep it from burning.
12. When you remove the turkey from the oven, it will be dead black. Don't let that worry you. You can remove the paste, if you want, with tweezers, but we don't bother because beneath that shell the bird will be, in Thompson's words, "succulent, giddy-making with wild aroma, crisp and crunchable and crackling."
13. The gravy in the pan can be thickened with a little flour and cooked on top of the stove.
Until next time, happy cooking!