Luffy's Favorite Meat
Turkey lollipops with a pirate spice rub and a golden honey-lemon basting glaze, inspired by the giant meat-on-the-bone that Luffy loves in One Piece.
Ingredients
| 4 | Turkey legs | |
| 1 1/2 tablespoons | 23 ml | Salt |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | Garlic powder |
| 1/2 tablespoon | 7.5 ml | Sweet paprika |
| 1/2 tablespoon | 7.5 ml | Onion powder |
| 3 teaspoons | 15 ml | Brown sugar |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | Cayenne pepper |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | Ground cumin |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | Ground cinnamon |
| 1/8 teaspoon | 0.6 ml | Grated nutmeg |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | Black pepper |
| 55 g | Unsalted butter | |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | Honey |
| 3 sprigs | Thyme | |
| 1/2 | Zest and juice of large lemon | |
| 1 pinch | Salt | |
| 2 | Garlic cloves, minced | |
| — | Cooked rice (optional) | |
| — | Hot sauce (optional) |
Instructions
- To make the turkey lollipops: Place a cutting board on your work surface and hold a turkey leg by the tip of the bone. Carefully carve around the bone where the meat ends on the leg with a sharp knife. Remove visible tendons and bones using pliers, then push the meat upward to create a meat lollipop. Repeat with the remaining turkey legs.
- To make the pirate spice rub, in a small bowl, combine all the rub ingredients.
- Wrap a baking tray with aluminum foil and place an oven-safe wire rack on top. Lay the turkey lollipops on the wire rack and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the pirate spice rub on and under the turkey skin, then pat to adhere. Refrigerate on the wire rack in the tray, uncovered, for 12 hours.
- Take the turkey lollipops out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature, 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, before baking.
- Meanwhile, make the golden basting liquid: In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, honey, thyme, lemon zest and juice, and pinch of salt over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Let simmer until thick and the color turns yellow to golden, 9 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic in the last minute of cooking. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C; gas mark 8) and move an oven rack to the middle.
- Add 1 cup (240 ml) of water to the bottom of the baking tray, then wrap the exposed turkey leg bones of the lollipops on the wire rack with aluminum foil. Place the tray on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 300°F (150°C; gas mark 2) and continue to cook for another 30 minutes. Ten minutes into the 30-minute cooking time, start glazing the turkey lollipops with the golden basting liquid every 10 minutes. When an instant-read thermometer inserted into one of the legs reaches 155°F (69°C), remove the turkey legs from the oven.
- Let the turkey rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 to 30 minutes to let it continue cooking with its residual heat until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (73°C). Remove the aluminum foil and serve alone or with cooked rice. You may want to keep some hot sauce handy in case anyone gets greedy!