I like changing up flavors when it comes to cooking up my Thanksgiving Turkey every year – this year I decided to go Indo Chinese or Hakka with this Schezwan Turkey. I paired it with Fried Rice & an Asian inspired Turkey gravy!

I was almost NOT going to film a Thanksgiving Turkey this year – work and life and changed, & I have slowed down, but I was at Walmart picking up touch up dye (don’t judge), & a Butterball was staring me in the face almost challenging me … and I LOVE a good challenge, so I decided to go all Hakka Chinese this year with my Schezwan Turkey. I would make a leftover video but there are none 🙂

Schezwan Turkey

3.14 from 145 votes
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Ingredients
  

Brine

  • 2 litres hot Water
  • 1/2 cup Salt
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 2 inches Cinnamon
  • 6 red Chillies
  • 3 Star Anise
  • 3 Black Cardamons
  • 1 tsp mixed Black & white peppercorns
  • 2 litres Cold water
  • Couple slices of Ginger

Turkey & Veg

  • 12 lbs frozen & thawed
  • 2 cups Carrots Green Peppers, Shallots and Mushrooms

Schezwan sauce/marinade

  • 10 Kashmiri Chillies 7 oz – 200 gms
  • 20 Regular Chinese Chillies 7 oz – 200 gms
  • 1 tsp Sichuan Peppercorns
  • 1/2 cup Oil
  • 1/4 minced Ginger
  • 1/4 minced Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Spring Onions
  • 2 tbsps light Soya sauce
  • 2 tbsps Vinegar
  • 2 tbsps Ketchup
  • Salt to taste
  • Pinch of Sugar
  • Fresh cracked Pepper

Instructions
 

  • If using a frozen Turkey, defrost according to package instructions
  • Rinse and clear the Turkey cavity
  • Prepare the brine by first dissolving everything in hot water, add cold water and add the brine to the turkey when cool
  • Refrigerate for 18 hours
  • After drain all of the brine and pat dry
  • Prepare the schezwan sauce by boiling the chillies and Sichuan peppercorns and grinding to a paste
  • Heat oil and saute the minced ginger, garlic and spring onions
  • Add the ground chilli paste
  • Add the soya, vinegar and ketchup
  • Add salt, sugar and pepper
  • Cool and keep aside
  • Add a layer to the turkey and place over a rack
  • Add the veg
  • Cover and cook for an hour
  • The turkey will cook for about 4 hours
  • After an hour, add the turkey neck, liver and another layer of the marinade and cook for another hour covered
  • After this, uncover and continue cooking, adding layers of the marinade and basting the turkey in the juices
  • The turkey is cooked when it registers at 165 – 170 degrees in the thigh