Sweet And Savory Mole Dulce Turkey Will Impress Your Thanksgiving Guests

Thanksgiving is the time to enjoy some traditional season favorites. There’s the turkey, cranberries, mashed potatoes, gravy… and of course, a heaping basket full of abuela’s tamales.

While Thanksgiving may not be a Mexican holiday, it has integrated itself into Chicano culture, and this turkey is the epitomization of that fusion.

Made with Doña Maria Mole Original, this turkey comes with a depth of aromas and flavors your standard Thanksgiving bird is missing. It’s perfect to bridge together the sides of tamales and mashed potatoes that are sure to come with the annual tradition.

Everyone will be fighting for the two legs with the flavors going on in this bird. And even when the big holiday is all said and done, the leftover meat is going to make for some incredible recalentados.

This twist on a Thanksgiving turkey will be featured in Northgate Market’s upcoming holiday cookbook. But if you’re wanting to do a practice run or two before then, you can view the recipe, whose ingredients can also all be found at Northgate Market, below.

Ingredients

For the turkey
1 (13-pound) turkey, thawed, neck and giblets removed
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
10 cloves garlic, peeled
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 white onion, quartered
1 navel orange, quartered
Salt & pepper

For the Mole sauce
1 (16.75 oz) jar Doña Maria Mole Original
32 ounces turkey stock
6 ounces Mexican-style chocolate
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
5 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 cinnamon stick
1 (15-oz) can whole roasted Roma tomatoes, strained
3 tablespoons raw shelled peanuts
3 tablespoons raisins
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
4 tablespoons sesame seeds, divided
2 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

For garnish
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
Fresh oregano
Small navel oranges
Lemons

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place turkey in a large roasting pan, and season inside the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with 4 tablespoons butter, garlic, celery, carrots, onion, and orange. Rub the remaining butter on the skin of the turkey on the outside, then season the skin with salt and pepper. Roast for about an hour until skin is golden brown.

Step 2

While the turkey is cooking, add the mole paste into a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey stock, chocolate, onion, garlic, and cinnamon. Bring everything to a boil and stir frequently to melt the mole paste and chocolate. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the mole paste and chocolate has dissolved. Remove from the heat, then fish out the cinnamon stick.

Step 3

Pour your mole sauce into the blender, and add the remaining ingredients for the sauce. This includes tomatoes, peanuts, raisins, pumpkin seeds, 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, cloves, anise, coriander, peppercorns, allspice, thyme, and oregano. Blend on low, as the liquid will be hot. Once all the ingredients are mixed, turn the speed to medium/high and continue to blend to a puree.

Step 4
Push the liquid mole sauce through a sieve into a large bowl. The sauce consistency should be velvety and yet thick enough to slowly run off a back of a spoon. Reserve 2-3 cups of mole sauce to serve with the turkey on the side, but use some to baste the turkey.

Step 5

Pour mole sauce over the turkey. Reduce oven temperature to 350° degrees and continue to cook, basting every 30 minutes for an additional two hours or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached.

Step 6
Transfer turkey to a cutting board and allow to rest. Carve the turkey, and serve with spoonfuls of heated mole sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Created in partnership with Northgate Gonzalez Markets.