Jerk turkey in a roasting tin

Jerk turkey

Name: Jerk turkey
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 2 turkey legs (about 2kg total weight), cut into leg and thigh portions; 2 tbsp jerk seasoning; 2 tbsp all purpose seasoning (see tip, below); 2 scotch bonnet chillies (deseeded if you prefer less heat); 5 spring onions trimmed and roughly chopped; 1 large onion roughly chopped; 20g ginger peeled; 7 garlic cloves; 8 tbsp white wine vinegar; ½ nutmeg grated; 2 tsp ground allspice; 12 thyme sprigs leaves picked; 1 large red pepper deseeded and roughly chopped

Daniella Nzekwe

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Serves 6

Easy

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 1 hr

plus at least 24 hrs marinating and resting

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Try a Caribbean twist on a roast dinner with this jerk turkey. Serve with rice and peas, plus creamy coleslaw to balance the spiciness of the jerk marinade.

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

2 turkey

legs (about 2kg total weight), cut into leg and thigh portions
2 tbsp jerk seasoning
2 tbsp all purpose seasoning

(see tip, below)

For the jerk marinade

2 scotch bonnet chillies

(deseeded if you prefer less heat)
5 spring onions

trimmed and roughly chopped
1 large onion

roughly chopped
20g ginger

peeled
7 garlic cloves
8 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ nutmeg

grated
2 tsp ground allspice
12 thyme sprigs

leaves picked
1 large red pepper

deseeded and roughly chopped

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Nutrition: per serving

kcal258
fat10g
saturates3g
carbs7g
sugars4g
fibre2g
protein33g
salt2.3g

Method

step 1

Cut a few deep slashes into the meat of the turkey legs, without going all the way down to the bone. Sprinkle over the jerk and all purpose seasonings and set aside while you make the marinade.
step 2

For the marinade, tip the chillies, most of the spring onions, onion and ginger into a food processor. Peel the garlic and add this along with the vinegar, nutmeg, allspice, thyme leaves, red pepper and 1 tsp salt. Blitz to a paste, adding a splash of water if it’s too thick. Pour the marinade over the turkey, turning to coat thoroughly – this is best done with your hands, but wear gloves as the chilli may irritate your skin. Cover and chill for at least 24 hrs.
step 3

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Arrange the turkey pieces in a large roasting tin, with the thigh pieces skin-side down, and roast for 30 mins. Flip the pieces over, reduce the heat to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and roast for another 30 mins, basting with the roasting juices once or twice until the turkey pieces are golden brown and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thighs are pierced with a knife. If you have a meat thermometer, check the internal temperature is 75C. Cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 10 mins before scattering over the remaining spring onions to serve.

Recipe tip

This recipe is made with turkey legs as they’re more economical and often more flavourful than breast meat. But you could use the marinade on a whole turkey, or freeze half to use on a jointed chicken for another day.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2022

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