Montreal-style Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

By Frédéric Morin, chef from the Joe Beef restaurant
Serves 6

Ingredients

Turkey

• 1 Fresh Turkey (about 14lbs, halved, bone-in)
• 1 can of cola
• 1/4 cup Montreal steak spice

Stuffing

• 700g pork sausage, removed from casings
• 2 eggs
• 1 bagel, medium dice and soaked for 5 minutes in one cup of milk
• 3 small dill pickles, finely chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 225g smoked meat, chopped (”smoked meat” is a Montreal specialty that is half way between pastrami and corned beef–either one works as a substitution)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• salt and pepper

Glaze

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 325° F
2. In a roasting pan, place the halved turkey in the centre, and pour over with enough cola to moisten the entire bird. Generously season on all sides with the Montreal steak spice. Place the turkey in the oven, uncovered, and roast for one hour.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. In a large bowl, combine all stuffing ingredients by hand. Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions and loosely shape into loaves. Place the loaves on a baking tray and set aside in the fridge.
4. After turkey has cooked for an hour, arrange the loaves around the turkey and continue to cook until the thermometer indicates 180° F in the thickest part of the leg (approx. 1 hr). Add water to the bottom of the roasting pan as needed to keep from drying out and burning.