Tandoori-Style Thanksgiving Turkey with Cranberry Chutney

While Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without turkey, and it makes an undeniably striking centerpiece for the holiday table, let’s be honest here: Turkey isn’t exactly the most flavorful bird.  Sure, it’s tasty once smothered in gravy and cranberry sauce, or layered into the perfect bite along with stuffing and mashed potatoes, but on its own, turkey is can be dry and bland.

Well, not this bird.  Given the Indian treatment with aromatic, sweet and savory spices, marinated overnight in a flavorful, moistening blend of yogurt and mustard oil, this Tandoori-style turkey will be the talk of your Thanksgiving feast!

Tandoori-Style Turkey with Cranberry Chutney

Ingredients

For the Turkey:
1 medium turkey, approx. 13-15 lbs.
18 ounces of plain yogurt
7 fluid ounces of mustard oil
2 ounces of fresh ginger, ground into a paste
1 ½ ounces of garlic, ground into a paste
2 ounces of chili powder
2 ounces of ground turmeric
2 ¼ ounces of ground cumin
1 ½ ounces of ground coriander
2 ounces of chopped green chiles
4 ounces of chopped coriander leaves
1 ½ ounces of fenugreek leaves
1 tablespoon of salt

For the Cranberry Chutney:
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup of packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom
1 cup of candied orange peel, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup of finely diced celery (2 to 3 ribs)
1 1/2 cup of finely diced red onion, (1 medium red onion)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
5 cups of whole, fresh cranberries

Directions

To Make the Turkey:
Mix all of the ingredients together, and coat the turkey with the marinade, gently rubbing into the skin and crevices. Place in a roasting dish in the refrigerator, lightly covered in tin foil, and chill for 24 hours.

Preheat your oven to 425, and cook the turkey (still covered in foil), for 40 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325, and cook for 3 1/2 hours more. Remove the foil, raise the temperature back up to 400, and roast until the skin is brown, about 35 minutes more. Remove from the oven, and let rest, loosely tented in foil, for at least half an hour before carving.

To Make the Chutney:
Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, cardamom, orange peel, celery, onion, apples, and 2 cups water in a low-sided, 6-quart saucepan. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until apples are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Stir in cranberries, and cook until they begin to pop, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and transfer chutney to a large bowl. Place in refrigerator and chill until you’re ready to use.