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Why It Works
- Rubbing turkey pores and skin with cinnamon-spiced butter helps with browning whereas additionally including taste to the drippings, that are used for the jujube relish.
- Roasted winter squash provides complementary sweetness and physique to spicy ssamjang, making the proper accompaniment for roast turkey breast.
We’re placing a Korean spin on the traditional Thanksgiving roasted turkey with gravy and cranberry sauce by serving it ssam-style. Ssam interprets as “to wrap,” and describes a Korean manner of eating that entails wrapping varied leafy greens round meat, condiments, banchan, and kimchi. It’s a particularly interactive option to eat—excellent for the vacations, while you’re right down to bump elbows and double-dip round your loved ones and pals.
Whereas ssam is historically made with steamed pork (bossam) or grilled meats, it really works completely with our Korean Thanksgiving dinner. For the turkey breast, we dry-brine it for at the very least 12 hours, then slather it in a cinnamon compound butter that bathes and seasons the pores and skin because it roasts to a wealthy golden brown.
The condiments for this ssam—honeynut squash ssamjang and candy jujube relish—fill in for the traditional Thanskgiving gravy and cranberry sauce. Ssamjang is the condiment served with ssam and Korean barbecue, a thick unfold that is candy, salty, spicy, garlicky, savory, and shiny. Classically composed of doenjang, gochujang, garlic, sesame, and rice syrup, my model additionally incorporates roasted honeynut squash, which provides a candy earthiness and incorporates a traditional fall taste. This sauce will preserve for as much as per week within the fridge, and it is an ideal condiment to have available so as to add depth to a pot of bean soup or as a ramification on a ham and cheese sandwich.
The relish options jujubes, that are quite a lot of date frequent to many Asian cuisines. They’re drier and fewer candy than extra frequent date varieties. As soon as rehydrated in scorching water and softened, they tackle the feel and taste of baked inexperienced apples, with a slight butterscotch undertone. The jujubes are cooked with the turkey till these candy, fruity flavors tackle a deeper caramelized observe, after which they’re blended with the entire buttery, cinnamon-spiced roasting juices to create a relish that offsets the leanness of the turkey breast.
This recipe was initially printed in November 2020.
As soon as You’ve got Made This Turkey Ssam, You Would possibly By no means Go Again to a Common Previous Roast
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For the Squash Ssamjang:
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1 pound (450g) honeynut or related winter squash corresponding to butternut, acorn, or kabocha (1 small squash)
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1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil
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4 medium garlic cloves (about 20g), finely chopped
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3 tablespoons (30g) toasted sesame seeds
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2 tablespoons doenjang (30ml; 30g)
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2 tablespoons gochujang (30ml; 30g)
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2 tablespoons honey (30ml; 40g)
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2 tablespoons (30ml) toasted sesame oil
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1 tablespoon (8g) gochugaru
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One 1-inch piece recent ginger (about 20g), peeled and finely chopped
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1 teaspoon (4g) freshly floor black pepper
For the Turkey and Jujube Relish:
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12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks; 170g) unsalted butter, softened
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1 tablespoon (9g) floor cinnamon
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2 teaspoons (8g) garlic powder
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1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt use half by quantity or the identical weigh
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1 teaspoon (4g) freshly floor black pepper
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2 tablespoons doenjang (30ml; 30g)
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1 (6- to 7–pound; 2.7 to three.2kg) bone-in turkey breast (aka crown), dry-brined for at the very least 12 hours following these directions (see observe)
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5 1/4 ounces (150g) dried jujube dates (about 40 small dates), soaked in scorching water for 1 hour, then pitted
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1 tablespoon (15ml) cider vinegar
For Serving:
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Assorted lettuces and chicories, separated into particular person leaves, and perilla leaves (see observe)
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For the Squash Ssamjang: Modify oven rack to center place and preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Minimize squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds; discard seeds or put aside for roasting.
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In a 10-inch forged iron skillet, warmth oil over medium-high warmth till shimmering. Place squash halves in skillet, lower aspect down, and cook dinner till squash flesh simply begins to frivolously brown, about 2 minutes.
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Switch skillet to oven and roast squash till utterly tender and flesh affords no resistance when pierced with a paring knife, 25 to half-hour. If cooking turkey crown the identical day, do not flip off the oven after eradicating squash, and wipe out skillet. Let squash cool to room temperature, then scoop out flesh right into a medium bowl; you need to have about 1 cup (8 ounces; 225g) flesh. Discard squash skins. Utilizing a spoon or fork, mash squash flesh till clean, about 30 seconds.
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Stir in garlic, sesame seeds, doenjang, gochujang, honey, sesame oil, gochugaru, ginger, and black pepper. Combine till components are completely integrated right into a thick sauce. If serving the ssamjang the identical day, switch to a serving bowl, cowl, and put aside at room temperature till able to serve. If making ssamjang prematurely, switch to an hermetic container and refrigerate for as much as 1 week. Deliver to room temperature earlier than serving.
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For the Turkey and Jujube Relish: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). In a small bowl, stir collectively butter with cinnamon, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper till completely mixed. Utilizing clear arms, unfold doenjang throughout inside cavity of the turkey. Unfold cinnamon butter combination evenly throughout turkey pores and skin.
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Switch turkey to 10-inch forged iron skillet, with pores and skin aspect up and again immediately involved with the pan. Add jujubes to skillet, spreading in an excellent layer across the turkey.
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Roast turkey till jujubes start to darken across the edges and sugar begins to caramelize within the pan, about 20 minutes. Utilizing a spoon, fastidiously switch jujubes to a small heatproof bowl, and return turkey to oven. Proceed to cook dinner till pores and skin on the decrease a part of the breast turns golden brown, about 20 minutes.
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Utilizing tongs, fastidiously reposition turkey crown so decrease a part of breast and the cavity are involved with the skillet. Baste pores and skin with drippings, and return turkey to oven. Proceed to cook dinner till the thickest a part of the breast registers 150°F (65°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about half-hour longer. If pores and skin begins to get too darkish earlier than turkey has reached the right inside temperature, scale back oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). As soon as turkey is cooked, switch crown to a chopping board and permit to relaxation for 20 minutes earlier than carving. Pressure drippings from skillet by way of a fine-mesh strainer right into a small saucepan.
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Roughly chop reserved jujubes and add to saucepan with drippings, together with cider vinegar and a couple of tablespoons (30ml) water. Prepare dinner over low warmth, stirring sometimes, till jujubes are softened and combination kinds a thick relish, 2 to three minutes. Switch to a small serving bowl.
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For Serving: Carve turkey breast into skinny slices and switch to a serving platter. Serve, passing jujube relish, ssamjang, and lettuces on the desk.
Particular gear
10-inch forged iron skillet, fine-mesh strainer, small saucepan
Notes
Entire, bone-in turkey breast is also called a crown, and could be bought individually at supermarkets and butcher retailers, or you should buy an entire hen and do the butchering your self.
Sturdy leafy lettuces corresponding to purple and inexperienced leaf lettuces work greatest for ssam. Perilla leaves (typically offered as “sesame leaves”) could be discovered at Korean markets corresponding to HMart, or at farmers markets in summer season months.
Make-Forward and Storage
Roast turkey is greatest loved immediately, however leftovers could be refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 5 days. Ssamjang could be made prematurely and refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 1 week; convey to room temperature earlier than serving. Leftover jujube relish could be refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 1 week.
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