The Most Popular Turkey Recipes Beyond The Traditional Roast

Traditional turkeys are most commonly used as part of traditional festive roasts, particularly at Christmas in the UK and during Thanksgiving in the United States.

However, the appeal of turkey goes far beyond these two countries, and turkey meat’s higher protein and lower fat compared to chicken have made it increasingly popular in healthy eating and meal-prepping circles.

Because of this, there have been many incredibly popular traditional turkey recipes beyond the roast we know and love, and to celebrate this, here are some of the most popular of these recipes.

Purica S Mlincima

A variation on the roast turkey that is exceptionally popular in the Zagorje region of Croatia, it consists of a roast turkey on a bed of mlinci, which can best be described as a combination between lasagne pasta and flatbread.

It pre-dates the turkey roast in the UK and because of how popular purica s mlincima is in Croatia, there is a specific turkey breed native to Zagorje that has become praised for its high quality of meat.

Much like a roast dinner, it is most commonly served as a communal meal at Christmas.

Kotlet Z Indyka

A Polish staple, kotlet z indyka is a thin slice of breaded turkey cutlet, sometimes stuffed with ham, cheese and peppers before it is fried in a manner similar to a schnitzel, before being served either in a sandwich or with mashed potatoes, boiled carrots, groats or dill.

Kak’ik

The signature dish of the Cobán region of Guatemala, kak'ik is a spicy tomato stew made with turkey leg as its main ingredient, which is cooked with tomatillos, onions, peppers, coriander, achiote and Cobanero peppers.

Typically served with rice and tamales that have been steamed in large banana leaves as well as a topping of mint, the dish is so famous for its heat that the second part of its name is the Q’uechi word for spicy.

Tacchino Alla Canzanese

A traditional Italian turkey stew originating from the Canzano region in eastern Italy, taccino alla canzanese is made with halved, boneless or spatchcocked turkeys which are placed in a terracotta pot with white wine, rosemary, salt, pepper and garlic.

This mixture is then coated in boiling water and slow-cooked in a wood-fired oven for four hours, before the turkey is turned, cooked for another four hours and allowed to rest for up to twelve hours before serving.

This creates an intensely flavourful and tender turkey enhanced with the white wine, garlic and rosemary.

Escaldums

A traditional stew similar to tacchino alla canzanese, escaldums originated on the Balearic Islands on the east coast of Spain and is prepared in a somewhat similar way.

Turkey breast and leg pieces are prepared with onions, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, brandy, thyme and bay leaf in a cazuela pot, first by browning the meat then mixing the sauce before cooking until the turkey is tender.

At the end of cooking, finely ground almonds and pine nuts are added to the stew, and for larger gatherings, it is traditional to add mushrooms and meatballs to the stew at the last minute to accommodate everyone.