With two turkeys to prepare for Thanksgiving, I knew one of them would be my standby Salt Rub and Butter Turkey so that meant I could be a little more adventurous with the second turkey.
I found a South African spice blend from Trader Joe's that I liked and decided to pick out the seasonings to add to the usual salt rub. I mean, I could have just used a few spoonfuls of the packaged seasoning, but this way I could control the amount of each spice. Besides, what if you wanted to make this recipe and there's no Trader Joe's near you?
The South African spiced turkey was quite a hit! Actually, my turkeys always are since I discovered the salt rub, but the spiced turkey was particularly so. Mainly I think because the garlic powder and smoked paprika were the standout flavors.
South African Turkey Rub with Basil, Garlic, and Smoked Paprika
For one turkey, you'll need:
1 tblsp salt per 5 lbs of turkey
1/2 tsp garlic powder per 5 lbs of turkey
1/2 tsp dried basil per 5 lbs of turkey
1/2 tsp Spanish smoked paprika per 5 lbs of turkey
A little bit of spice goes a long way in the turkey rub. I didn't want to overwhelm the flavors of the turkey with too much.
So for a 20 pound turkey, I used 4 tblsps salt, 2 tsps garlic powder, 2 tsps dried basil, and 2 tsps smoked Spanish paprika.
Mix the spice blend together and rub all over the outside of the turkey. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge to brine overnight or for several days.
Although, these turkeys were dry brined at 8 a.m. the day of Thanksgiving and they turned out just fine. Obviously, more brining time is better, but don't worry too much if you don't get to it until the day of.
Bake at 425 degrees, breast side down for 45 minutes to an hour or until the turkey looks slightly golden. Flip breast side up, and bake at 350 degrees for another 2 1/2 to 3 hours until done. Took a little finessing to fit two turkeys in my oven at once. I leave the turkeys unstuffed so they cook faster. Remember to let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before you carve it or the meat will by dry.
The salt rub turkey all golden.
But you want to see the South African spiced rub turkey. Oh yeah!
Thanksgiving table. Gather round!
Gotta slice the turkeys before we can eat! The salt rub turkey.
And the South African spiced turkey.
Enjoy!
New recipes served this Thanksgiving:
Brussels Sprouts Sauteed with Bacon
Candied Okinawan Purple Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow Topping
Corn Sauteed with Bacon and Green Onions
Gan Xay Ga Tay (Vietnamese Turkey Liver Pate)
Italian Baked Ziti with Ground Turkey, Sausage, and Zucchini
South African Turkey Rub with Basil, Garlic, and Smoked Paprika
*****
1 year ago today, Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer.
2 years ago today, longans.
3 years ago today, Apple Juice and Red Wine Turkey Brine.
4 years ago today, Broccoli Bacon Pasta.
5 years ago today, Chicken Pot Pie.
6 years ago today, Angel Face roses, lettuce, and strawberry blossoms.
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