A wave of Portuguese came to Hawaii in the late 1800s to work the sugarcane fields, and over time their cooking traditions fused with those of other cultures in the islands, including Chinese and Japanese. Greg Boyer picked up this recipe from a Hawaiian-Portuguese acquaintance some 30 years ago. Prep and Cook Time: 4 to 5 hours, plus 2 days to marinate. Notes: Boyer starts with a frozen turkey and marinates it for 3 days; our version starts with a thawed or fresh bird. If your arms aren't strong, it's helpful to have a friend or relative help you ease the turkey on and off the grill.
Photo by: Lisa Romerein
1. On day 1 (2 days before Thanksgiving), remove giblets from turkey and rinse turkey inside and out. Set turkey, breast side down, in a large disposable roasting pan set on a rimless baking sheet. Add giblets to pan (discard neck). Into cavity of turkey, sprinkle coarsely chopped ginger and garlic. In a bowl, whisk together minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar; pour over turkey. Cover turkey with plastic wrap and marinate 2 days, basting 3 to 5 times a day.
2. On day 3 (Thanksgiving Day), remove giblets and 1 cup marinade from pan and set aside for Portuguese Sausage Dressing. About 4 hours before serving, remove turkey from refrigerator. Let stand for 30 minutes in pan; meanwhile, soak hickory chips in water 30 minutes.
3. Remove turkey from pan and pour marinade into a bowl; add chicken broth and set aside. Return turkey to pan, breast side up, and add onions (put 2 or 3 quarters inside turkey). Truss turkey, tying drumsticks together tightly with kitchen twine; truss wingtips together the same way. Cover wingtips and drumsticks with heavy-duty foil "caps," molding them snugly to prevent scorching. Cover entire pan loosely with a double layer of foil, extending foil beyond turkey like an umbrella.
4. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill, large enough to hold turkey, for indirect cooking: On charcoal grill, ignite about 60 charcoal briquets. When coals are spotted with ash (about 20 minutes), mound equally on opposite sides of firegrate. To each mound, add 5 unlit briquets and 1/2 cup drained soaked wood chips now and every 30 minutes during smoking. If using gas grill (with at least 11 in. between indirect-heat burners), put 1/2 cup drained soaked wood chips in a drip pan directly on heat in a front corner and add 1/2 cup chips through grate every 30 minutes during smoking. Turn heat to high and adjust gas for indirect cooking. Close lid and preheat grill 10 minutes.
5. Carefully slide pan with turkey from baking sheet onto center of grill. Pour in marinade and broth. Close grill lid. (If your grill has a lip on it, rest pan at an angle on grill, then carefully slide pan onto grill.) Smoke turkey, basting every 1/2 hour, until an instant-read thermometer inserted straight down through thickest part of breast to bone registers 150°, about 2 1/2 hours (begin checking after 2 hours). Ladle marinade from pan into a heatproof bowl and reserve for Hawaiian-Portuguese Turkey Gravy and Portuguese Sausage Dressing.
6. Slide baking sheet under turkey pan, ease baking pan onto sheet, and lift pan with turkey off grill. Let turkey rest, covered with foil, at least 20 minutes (internal temperature will rise to 160°) before carving.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Sunset NOVEMBER 2006
The soy sauce in the turkey marinade turns this gravy an appetizing deep brown color. Prep and Cook Time: about 20 minutes.
Heat fat or butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and whisk in flour. Cook, whisking, until roux is nut brown, 10 minutes. Whisk in 4 cups chicken broth and marinade (if thick, add 1/2 cup broth). Serve hot.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Sunset NOVEMBER 2006
In a spin on the familiar Thanksgiving sausage and bread dressing, this version uses linguiça (Portuguese sausage), a common ingredient in Hawaii. Prep and Cook Time: about 1 hour, plus 30 to 40 minutes baking time. Notes: You can assemble the dressing up to 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
Photo by: Lisa Romerein
1. In a small saucepan, bring giblets and marinade to a simmer over medium heat, cover. Cook giblets 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Let cool; finely chop. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
2. Preheat oven to 375°. Melt butter in a 10- to 12-in. skillet over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion, and chopped giblets and sauté, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add 3/4 cup chicken broth, poultry seasoning, sage, and garlic. Lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until celery and onion are tender, 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut linguiça in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/4-in.-thick half-moons.
3. Put bread cubes in a large bowl and stir in celery mixture, linguiça, and parsley. Stir in 1/2 cup giblet cooking liquid and remaining 1 cup chicken broth.
4. Spoon dressing into a 4- to 5-qt. baking dish and cover loosely with foil. Bake 25 minutes, uncover, and cook until browned on top, 10 to 20 minutes more. Serve hot.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Sunset NOVEMBER 2006
Sweet potatoes are a very old food in Hawaii, thought to have been transported to the islands by the earliest Polynesian settlers. Okinawa sweet potatoes, so named because they're native to the Japanese island of Okinawa, turn a stunning deep purple when cooked and have a dense, starchy texture.
Photo by: Lisa Romerein
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork and boil until tender when pierced, 30 to 35 minutes. Drain.
2. While potatoes are boiling, grate zest from limes and set aside; then squeeze juice from limes and set aside.
3. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and slice into 1/2-in.-thick slices. Arrange on a platter, cover with foil, and put in a 200° oven to keep warm.
4. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Stir in zest and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Drizzle lime butter over potatoes and sprinkle with salt.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Sunset NOVEMBER 2006
Notes: A soft, mildly sweet bread such as challah could be used. You can assemble this dish through step 3 up to 1 day ahead; chill.
1. Tear the bread into 1/2-inch chunks. In a food processor, whirl the chunks into coarse crumbs (or finely chop with a knife); you should have about 1 quart. Pour into a buttered 3-quart shallow casserole; spread level.
2. In food processor, whirl cheese and 1/4 cup syrup until blended; or in a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat until blended. Spoon evenly over bread (it doesn't need to cover bread completely).
3. In a bowl, whisk eggs to blend with 1/2 cup syrup, coconut milk, orange peel, orange juice, and nutmeg. Pour evenly over cheese mixture and bread. Cover casserole; chill at least 2 hours.
4. Bake, uncovered, in a 350° regular or 325° convection oven until center barely jiggles when casserole is gently shaken, 40 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle top evenly with coconut and nuts; continue baking until coconut is lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes.
5. Heat remaining 1 cup syrup in a microwave-safe pitcher in a microwave oven at full power (100%) until warm, about 40 seconds. Serve pudding at once. Add syrup to taste.
Sunset DECEMBER 2001
Hawaiian Thanksgiving Menu
Hawaiian-Portuguese Smoked Turkey
Hawaiian-Portuguese Turkey Gravy
Portuguese Sausage Dressing
Okinawa Sweet Potatoes
Coconut-Orange Bread Pudding
Sunset
Add some Hawaiian flair to your Thanksgiving table with these island-inspired Turkey Day recipes.
Hawaiian-Portuguese Smoked Turkey
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Hawaiian Thanksgiving Menu