Marcela Valladolid, author of “Fresh Mexico,” uses a version of this glaze to combine her Mexican roots with the classic Thanksgiving staple. The turkey also can be stuffed, but will take longer to cook. Recipe adapted from “Fresh Mexico,” (Clarkson Potter, 2009). Makes a 12- to 14-pound turkey with gravy.
Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup tequila
2 Anaheim chiles, stemmed, seeded and cut into large chunks
3/4 cup apricot jam, divided
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
12- to 14-pound turkey
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium saucepan over medium, combine the broth, butter, tequila, chiles and 1/2 cup of the apricot jam. Bring to a boil and cook until the chiles are soft and tender.
Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the solids.
Return 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to the saucepan, reserving the rest for the gravy. Simmer over medium for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of the apricot jam to make the glaze. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the turkey on a rack set in a large roasting pan.
Carefully separate the turkey’s skin from the flesh, trying to avoid breaking the skin. Pour half of the glaze under the skin and rub it into the turkey.
Replace the skin, then rub the remaining mixture over the outside. Wrap the wing tips in foil and roast for 1 hour. Cover the turkey with foil, then roast for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the breast registers 160 F and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170 F.
Allow the turkey to rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a serving platter and let it rest another 10 minutes.
While the turkey rests on the platter, place the roasting pan with the drippings on the stovetop. Bring to a simmer over low, then stir in the reserved chile sauce. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to loosen any brown bits.
Simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened, then season with salt and pepper. Strain out the chunks or leave them in to add texture.
