Francis Butler grew up on the family ranch and continues to preside over the dry, windy land. The lonesomeness of ranch life, she says, was offset by "group cooks" such as the annual Thanksgiving tamale making: "Wild turkey hunting has been a West Texas sport for as long as anybody remembers, and tamale-stuffed turkey may have been an early tip of the hat to the Mexican ranch hands who've been around for at least as long as the turkey. This recipe dates back to the early 1900s. I got it from a family whose grandmother was German but had been raised in Mexico. I make it most often in the cold months, but I've been known to put a tamale-stuffed turkey in the roasting pit in my time, as well. You can use commercial tamales, of course, but I like the two-day ritual of making tamales and then making the turkey. I always double or triple the tamales and freeze the extra. These days people use more barnyard turkey than they do wild. Before you go thinking that's a sorry thing, let me tell you this. You feed your chickens or turkey some chile peppers before you decide. That spicy sweet flavor gets into the meat and you know what they mean when they say it doesn't get any better."
This stuffing is also delicious in chicken and squab. Serve with high-quality corn chips, salsa, and sour cream.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
1. Place an oven rack in the lower-center position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a large V-shaped roasting rack inside a shallow roasting pan.
Step 2
2. Pulse the shallots, garlic, chiles, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. With the food processor running, add the butter, one piece at time, and process until a paste forms.
Step 3
3. In a large bowl, crumble the tamales and using a fork, stir in the corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
4. Pat the turkey dry. Using metal skewers or toothpicks, secure the neck skin to the back of the turkey, then tuck the turkey's wings behind its back.
Step 5
5. Stuff the tamale mixture into the turkey's cavity and tie the legs together with butcher's twine. Place the turkey in the prepared rack, breast up, and rub with the butter mixture. Cover the turkey loosely with foil and roast for 1 hour, basting with pan drippings every 20 minutes.
Step 6
6. Uncover and roast for 30 to 45 minutes, until the skin is well browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 175°F in the thighs and drumsticks and 165°F in the breast and stuffing.
Step 7
7. Transfer the turkey to a serving platter or carving board and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.
Step 8
8. Carve the turkey and serve with the tamale stuffing.
