Kush Infused Turkey Puts Dank Flavor in Thanksgiving

Many recipes make up the cast of the culinary production on Thanksgiving Day, but in most homes, tasty turkey plays the star role.

One wonderful thing about this bird is how many different flavors of meat it offers. From the succulent breast to the rich, dark meat of the thighs and legs, to the oily wings and gamey gizzards, it really can please almost anyone’s taste buds.

This recipe offers a simple yet luxurious incorporation of cannabis into your meal that will enhance the flavor of all sections of the bird and provide light medication, allowing you and yours to partake in a good portion of meat and other infused dishes.

Using Hindu Kush offers earthy pine notes with refreshing hints of lemon — a robust flavor profile that pairs with fabulously with turkey meat and blends harmoniously with the other herbs and spices.

The heavy Indica effects of this strain may also amplify the legendary (perhaps apocryphal) sedative qualities of the tryptophan in your turkey. So enjoy it with your loved ones and be sure to snuggle up next to the fire after this meal!

Strain substitution:

Other strains with a similar earthy pine and lemon-heavy terpene profile include Lemon OG Kush, Himalaya Gold, Super Silver Haze, and Satori, which are all great choices. But don’t be afraid to get creative with your selection and explore other complimentary or contrasting flavors — have fun with it!

Mise en place:

• 1 organic free range turkey

• 1 1/2 cups apple cider

• 1 cup room temperature duck fat previously infused with 3 grams of Hindu Kush

• 2 tablespoons clover honey

• 4 tablespoons chopped marjoram

• 4 tablespoons chopped garlic

• 4 tablespoons chopped basil

• 4 tablespoons chopped thyme

• 4 tablespoons chopped sage

• Fresh cracked sea salt

• Fresh cracked pepper

Duck fat infusion:

You can get duck fat at Whole Foods or any specialty store.

Step 1: Decarb your cannabis. Preheat your oven to 220 degrees F. Take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper that will not burn in the oven. Very carefully sprinkle the cannabis onto the sheet making sure that it is evenly disbursed. Place the baking sheet into the oven uncovered and heat for 25 minutes. Pull the baking sheet from the oven, and let it cool completely. Be very careful when removing it from the pan. You now have decarboxylated or “activated” medical kief that is ready for consumption.

Step 2: Add to a double boiler and simmer for 1 hour.

Step 3: Strain through cheese cloth into a glass jar until ready for use.

Turkey preparation:

Step1: You’ll need to create a marinating liquid, which you’ll be injecting into the turkey. In a saucepan, on medium-low heat combine:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons clover honey
• 2 tablespoons marjoram
• 2 tablespoons garlic
• 2 tablespoons basil
• 2 tablespoons thyme
• 2 tablespoons sage
• a dash of sea salt and pepper

Step 2: Let the marinade cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pull from the stove, strain, then fill up a turkey injector with the filtered liquid.

Step 3: Place your turkey on a pan and gently pull the skin away from the meat, starting at the neck and working your way towards the back. The goal here is not to detach the skin, rather to loosen it so you can spread duck fat and inject marinade underneath. Once the skin is loose, inject your marinade under the skin into the breast, thighs, and wings.

Step 4: Spread the kush-infused duck fat under the skin and all over the breast, reserving just a little for the thighs and wings. Pat the skin down so that it adheres to the duck fat. Rub the remaining fat on the outside of the thighs and wings.

Step 5: Now season the superficial layer of the turkey with the remaining ingredients. Massage a 1/2 cup of apple cider all over the entire turkey, then rub it with all the dry herbs. Liberally sprinkle crushed sea salt and pepper on the skin to finish.

The rule of thumb for cooking a turkey is 20 minutes per pound in a preheated 350 degree oven, but if your turkey came in packaging, refer to the instructions for ideal temperature and cooking times. Your turkey is done when the internal temperature of the thigh meat (and your stuffing if you use any) reaches 165 degrees.

To ensure a moist turkey, tent the turkey in tinfoil for the majority of the cooking process with 1 to 1 1/2 cup water for the turkey to sit in. For crispy skin, cook the turkey uncovered until it takes on a light, golden color, then tent it.  Alternately, tent from the start and remove the tent during the last 15 minutes of cook time — the effect is roughly the same.

Dosage:

One gram of Hindu Kush tests at 20 percent THC, meaning twenty percent of 1,000 mg would be 200 mg. Substitute the number of your strain’s THC percentage and do the math to figure out your desired dosage. If you want a smaller dose in this recipe, cut the cannabis down to a smaller portion. If you want a larger dose, add the amount you desire.

Above all, have fun and enjoy this recipe with family and friends!

TELL US, have you ever cooked your Thanksgiving dinner with cannabis?