I know that in the U.S. cooking turkey is both a ritual and a tradition. As a non-American, turkey elicits no feelings for me except as food. I wasn’t even a turkey eater, having a preference for duck over the years, until I discovered that turkey can be just as great if prepared properly. By that I mean making sure that the bird is seasoned through to the bone before it goes into the oven. I really don’t like my meat bland. Relying on sauces and gravies for flavor does not agree with my palate. I like my meat tasty and any sauce or gravy served on the side should only enhance the flavors rather than be the primary source of flavors.
In the Philippines, whole turkey is available in the freezer section of bigger supermarkets. That’s a 10+ pound turkey in the photo. So how did I cook it?
First, I prepared a brine. I mixed rock salt with about 5 liters of water. I kept adding salt until the particles could no longer be dissolved. I peeled off the wrapping of the unthawed turkey and lowered it into the brine. I let the turkey thaw in the brine inside the fridge for several hours. Depending on how cold your fridge is, thawing can take anywhere from several hours to a day or two.
When the turkey was partially thawed, I removed the neck, giblet and liver that were stuffed inside the bird’s cavity and set them aside for the gravy. Once removed, I filled the cavity with brine and left the turkey until completely thawed.
I prepared the stuffing by mixing together about 3 cups of cold cooked rice, 2 tbsps. of chopped pimientoes, 2 tbsps. of chopped carrots, 2 tbsps. of toasted onion bits, about half a cup of roughly chopped wansuy (cilantro) and 5-6 tbsps. of sesame seed oil (yes, very oriental 
). I seasoned the stuffing very lightly with salt and quite liberally with pepper.
I removed the turkey from the brine, allowed the brine to drip out from the cavity and patted the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. I stuffed the rice mixture into the turkey’s cavity. I tucked the ends of the drumsticks back into the tail skin and placed the turkey on a roasting pan (with a rack to allow the fat to drip) and roasted it uncovered in a 160oC oven. The general rule is 30 minutes for every pound of meat but if you’re using a convection oven, the turkey will look faster.
Now, the gravy… I did not use the turkey drippings because I did not want to add the fat to the gravy. I know it sounds sacrilegous but butter in the gravy is enough fat for me.
While the turkey was roasting, I boiled the neck, giblet and liver in about 4 c. of water with some salt, peppercorns, a bay leaf, a whole onion and a whole garlic. I simmered everything for about 30-45 minutes then cooled and strained the broth and pureed the giblet and the liver in a food processor.
Next, I melted half a cup of butter in a sauce pan and added about 6 tbsps. of flour, stirring to remove lumps. I cooked the mixture over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture gave off a toasted aroma. I poured in the strained broth little by little, stirring continuously (tip: if the mixture is still too thick at this stage, add water little by little until you reach the consistency you prefer). I seasoned the gravy with salt, pepper and 3-4 tbsps. of steak sauce and stirred in the pureed giblet and liver and simmered the gravy for about 5 minutes. I turned off the heat and kept the gravy warm (you can reheat the gravy gently just before serving).
When the turkey was done, I transferred it to a serving platter and served with the gravy on the side.
Some notes: I used a Butterball turkey which came with its own “lifters”–strings with loops where the turkey is “cradled” during roasting. When done, the string is used to lift the whole turkey from the roasting pan to a platter without danger of ruining its shape or tearing off the skin. A huge convenience, really. The turkey is served nicely browned and perfectly formed.
hi connie, I bought a whole chicken last sunday, i was planning to roast it, with only herbs as filling, but i think the rice stuffing is a better idea. by the way, would you know what that japanese salad dressing (the one which you used in your salad) is called?thanks a lot connie. belated happy birthday to your hubby…
i’ll relay your greeting, thanks, lemon.
the only English words in the bottle of the salad dressing were “Japanese salad dressing”. Everything else was Japanese characters–even the brand.
Hi SASSY: IS YOUR REAL NAME CONNIE? I HAVE NOT COMMENTED TO YOU FOR A LONG TIME, SO I LOST TRACK.
WOW, THIS IS A WINNER! I WILL TRY.
BY THE WAY, CAN I SUBSTITUTE OLIVE OIL FOR BUTTER? I DO NOT EAT BUTTER BEC. OF THE HIGH FAT CONTENT. THANKS.
Will the brine not dry out the meat’s juices?
Les, yes, that’s my name. Re olive oil. I’m not so sure about that. I don’t know how well it can integrate the flour to make a roux.
Jenny, it didn’t. I think it’s largely because the turkey is soak in brine while still frozen.
Hi Connie,
Belated happy birthday to your hubby.
Actually I used to roast chicken without ay stuffing. but after reading your idea I think it will lot more beneficial and might taste better!
thnx alot…
Hi Connie,
I just discovered your website recently and excitedly told my wife about it. I do most of the cooking at home especially when we’re throwing a party. My wife (we’ve been married for 29 yrs) can only cook simple Filipino dishes and I thought your website could help her venture into more sophisticated looking but simple to make dishes (the only cooking ingredients I think she knows are water, salt, and pepper).
I also noticed that some (a lot) of your recipes call for ingredients that are common here in the US (Ex. cheeses, bread [focaccia], choices cuts of meat, turkey) but obviously available only at high end grocery stores and bakeshops in the Philippines.
I wonder (we stay in our barrio in Laguna when we visit PI) if the common ‘mass’ can follow your recipes not mentioning how expensive they might be for them.
Please print pictures of restaurants/carinderias, wet markets, street vendors, and the likes on your site also. They bring back memories. I watch a lot of Travel Channel (I like Asian travels a lot because they show scenes of above request), and the Food Network.
Thanks very much and keep on blogging!
Joe
joe, the common folk won’t even be able to read my blog. the average household in the Philippines does not own a PC, much less have internet connection.
If you think my recipes are only for sophisticated – and expensive – dishes, you haven’t dug deep enough into the archives.
You can visit my other food blog, Pinoy Food Talk, for restaurants, eateries, street food and Filipino delicacies.
Hi Connie,
I just recently signed up bangonfilipino.com thru my client friend Ms. Myrna Y. Padilla. I came across your website and i am amazed by your recipes presented, i might browse all the archives if i have time tonight.
I have a request, can you feature some of your receipes that it has to do with lose weight naturally…lol, My weight problems began after giving birth to my 2nd child. I’d never had to diet before in my life, but wait, i tried it for almost 1 month now with less rice, no softdrinks and amazing i lost 20 lbs..i had no idea what i was in for, was it crushed dieting? I need your help..i lose weight now and back to normal weight i desired ,but i am worried of my health. I really wanted good health and i could get it with good food.
Thank you for your time.
Sherly E. Oñate
Sherly, LOL, if I knew some tricks, I would have lost 20 pounds too. but then i neither gain nor lose weight anymore.
re softdrinks. i don’t drink them at all. but i hear they’re a diet killer with all the sugar. you might also want to try taking tea with your meals. they help digestion tremendously. no teabags, if possible. try the ones sold in chinatown. the kind that you brew.
Hi Ms Connie, thanks for the quick reply, okay i will do what you suggested by taking tea before and after meals. God bless you always in your daily endeavors:smile:
You’re welcome.
My husband does all the cooking every Thanksgiving. Di marunong ako magluto ng turkey eh! But what he does is cook the turkey covered with aluminum foil and then he removes the cover like an hour before its done. He said that covering it makes the turkey moist and at the same time brown after removing the cover. His turkey is really moist and really good!
ARE U ANGEL SHERLY?
hi connie! i just stumled upon your website and it’s amazing! all recipes are great…the ingredients can be easily found and the procedures are pretty easy.
btw, where can i buy turkey here in metro manila? thanks!
Hi Ellen. Shopwise and S&R sell Butterball turkeys all year round.
Hi Connie! I want to try this one too….I hope makaputa na ako sa shopwise
Hi Connie do you boil your brine first? Im cooking turkey for thanksgiving and Im so clueless…
Kris, no I don’t.
hey sassy, mabenta talaga sa hubby ko ‘to… ni-recommend sa sister dito sa Dubai na magluto ako ng turkey dahil “the best” daw.
We just got the ingredients… And now I’m re-reading the recipe coz it’s been 12 months since I last made this hehe
Dapat pala nilagay ko ito sa “tradition” namin sa email ko sa iyo.
Wish me luck for the media noche
Happy New Year!