One in four Brits to spice up Christmas turkey by dousing it in curry powder, peri-peri sauce or wasabi
ONE in four adults will spice up their Christmas turkey this year by dousing it in curry powder, peri-peri sauce or wasabi.
A study of 2,000 people who celebrate the season revealed that a third of Brits find the festive bird dry (33 per cent), bland (30 per cent) and boring (28 per cent).
And as such, one in four won’t be serving turkey on December 25th.
However, creative cooks are ditching tradition and considering livening up their meat – with maple syrup and hot sauce (11 per cent), sriracha and honey glaze or ‘lime zest, tequila and salt’ (both eight per cent).
In fact, 15 per cent think it’s in desperate need of a makeover, leaving 29 per cent experimenting with other main dishes.
The research was commissioned by Doritos which has created a recipe to spice up your turkey featuring a chilli heatwave flavour tortilla crust that locks in moisture, called ‘the Turkerito’.
Spokesperson, Karina Stoltz said: “The nation has spoken – turkey is boring, bland, and flavourless.
“And people are looking for ways to liven up the big bird.
“We didn’t just pluck this recipe out of thin air; we spent a solid five minutes in research and development to create what few are describing as a culinary masterpiece.
“Do we think the Turkerito will be gracing dinner tables up and down the country next week? Probably not. Should it? Absolutely. Holy cluck does it taste good.”
It also emerged 57 per cent are not a fan of a traditional Yuletide meal that usually features turkey, sprouts and bread sauce.
With critics claiming turkey is too dry (33 per cent), they don’t like sprouts (14 per cent), and it’s too stressful to cook (11 per cent).
The study also revealed 64 per cent of respondents would consider serving up something other than turkey but 42 per cent feel obliged to dish it up on Christmas day because it’s what everyone expects.
But 20 per cent describe the meat as generally flavourless.
With 74 per cent of those who do still have it only doing so out of duty to tradition, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
While more than a tenth (11 per cent) of Gen Z respondents force it down because they aren’t usually cooking the meal – so they don’t have a choice in the matter.
It also found 64 per cent of all those polled have tried a main dish at Christmas that wasn’t turkey – and 31 per cent ditched the bird last year.
The ingredients and recipe for The Turkerito
Ingredients
1x 6kg turkey, giblets removed
1x bulb garlic
For the butter:
200g butter, softened
20g each oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary
1x lemon & 1x orange
For the glaze:
200ml runny honey
2 red chillies, sliced in half lengthways
2 sprigs each of oregano, rosemary & thyme
For the crust:
75g fresh breadcrumbs
100g Doritos Chilli Heatwave
Recipe
- Prep the Bird: Start with a room-temperature turkey—don’t ask why, just trust the process. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Chop half the herbs but all the basil, mix with butter, salt, pepper, and zest from a lemon and orange. Pat the turkey dry, loosen the skin, and slather the butter mixture under it like you’re giving it a massage. Stuff the cavity with halved garlic, lemon, orange, and the remainder of the herbs. Tie the legs together to replicate a yoga pose.
- Into the Oven: Place the turkey in a roasting tray, drizzle with oil, season like your life depends on it, cover with foil, and roast for 35 minutes per kg (about 3 hours). If you’re using a thermometer, aim for 65°C in the thickest part of the breast.
- While It Cooks: Make the glaze by boiling honey, chillies, and herbs, then simmer until it thickens. Toast breadcrumbs, smash the essential and delicious Doritos Chili Heatwave (aggressively, if needed), and mix for a crunchy garnish.
- Final Touches: With 45 minutes left, remove the foil, baste the turkey like it’s auditioning for a tanning contest, and return it to the oven. With 15 minutes left, brush it with your spicy glaze, then repeat for maximum sticky goodness. Sprinkle on the Dorito-breadcrumb mix and roast until it’s golden and smug-looking.
- Rest & Serve: Cover with foil, let it rest for an hour, and then carve. Revel in your ability to turn a bird into a new culinary classic—or at least something edible.