Spice Up Your Thanksgiving: Jamaican Jerk Turkey

Does your Thanksgiving feast need a spicy makeover? Our friends at Grace Foods are serving up this fiery bird this holiday season to add a bit of Caribbean flavor to your menu.

Jamaican Jerk Turkey

1 12 pound turkey, thawed
� cup Grace Jamaican Dried Jerk Seasoning
� cup Grace Caribbean Traditions: Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Grace Caribbean Traditions: Garlic Powder
� cup Grace Coconut Oil
� cup packed dark brown sugar
1 small bunch scallion, chopped
� cup lime juice
6 sprigs thyme
� teaspoon clove
� teaspoon nutmeg
� cup soy sauce
7 cloves smashed garlic
3 to 4 Scotch Bonnet peppers, chopped (keep the seeds if you want extra heat)
� cup ginger, peeled and minced
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place � cup coconut oil, scallions, sugar, pepper, thyme, clove, nutmeg, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, scotch bonnet peppers and ginger in a food processor. Puree everything until it becomes a smooth sauce.

Rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Lift the skin of the turkey and drizzle the remaining coconut oil under the skin and on top of the turkey meat. Sprinkle the Grace Dried Jerk Seasoning, Black Pepper and Garlic Powder over the top of the turkey and rub into the skin and into the inside of the turkey. Let the turkey sit and marinate with the seasoning until it comes to room temperature.

Place a rack into a roasting pan and place the turkey into the pan. Tie the wings behind the turkey with twine. Brush the turkey with the melted butter all over. Reserve some of the butter for basting. Also pour 2 cups of water into the roasting pan for basting liquid and let cook for an hour. Remove after an hour and brush again with butter. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue to roast until the internal temperature hits 150 degrees, this should take about 2 hours. To determine this place a thermometer into the thigh without touching the bone. Let cook for another hour until the internal temperature now hits 165 degrees. Do not remove from roasting until it hits this temperature.

When finished cooking, remove turkey and place onto a cutting board and let sit for 30 minutes prior to carving. Arrange turkey onto a serving platter and drizzle with the jerk sauce made in the food processor. You can also put some into a ramekin for dipping and serving.