Achiote-Grilled Turkey Breast with Tomatoes, Chiles, and Mint | view more Recipe

Achiote-Grilled Turkey Breast with Tomatoes, Chiles, and Mint

  • '3 tablespoons achiote paste
  • divided'
  • '3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • divided'
  • '1 tablespoon water'
  • '1 4 1/2-to 5-pound whole turkey breast'
  • '1/4 cup (scant) loosely packed stemmed dried chiles de árbol or chiles japones (about 12 to 16 chiles)'
  • '3 cups low-salt chicken broth
  • divided'
  • '3 garlic cloves
  • peeled'
  • '1 1/2 pounds tomatoes'
  • '1 medium onion
  • quartered through core end'
  • '8 mint leaves
  • coarsely chopped
  • plus sprigs for garnish'
  • '3 tablespoons masa (corn tortilla mix)'
  • 'Coarse kosher salt'

  1. Whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons achiote paste, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl
  2. Place turkey in 13x9x2-inch dish
  3. Rub achiote mixture all over turkey
  4. Cover and chill at least 4 hours
  5. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead
  6. Keep chilled
  7. Place chiles in small bowl
  8. Add enough hot water to cover by 1 inch
  9. Let soak 30 minutes
  10. Drain; discard soaking liquid
  11. Place chiles in blender with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons achiote paste and 1/4 cup chicken broth
  12. Puree
  13. Strain, discarding solids in strainer
  14. DO AHEAD: Chile broth can be made 1 day ahead
  15. Cover; chill
  16. For charcoal grill, light 30 briquettes in chimney starter; heat until ash-gray
  17. Remove top rack from grill and place 1 disposable aluminum pan on 1 side of grill
  18. Pour briquettes onto side of grill opposite pan
  19. Return rack to grill
  20. For 2-burner gas grill, remove rack; place 1 disposable aluminum pan on 1 side of grill
  21. Return rack and light grill (medium heat) on side opposite pan
  22. For 3-burner gas grill, remove rack and place 1 disposable aluminum pan in center of barbecue
  23. Return rack and light grill on both sides of pan (not under pan)
  24. For all grills, thread garlic on skewer
  25. Place garlic, tomatoes, and onion on grill and cook until brown in spots on all sides, about 2 minutes for garlic and 4 minutes for onion and tomatoes
  26. Transfer to work surface
  27. Peel and core tomatoes
  28. Coarsely chop garlic and onion
  29. Place turkey on rack above pan
  30. Close lid; insert thermometer into hole in lid
  31. Cook turkey until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160°F, about 1 hour 15 minutes, maintaining grill's internal temperature at around 350°F by opening and closing vents, adjusting gas grill's burners, or adding more hot briquettes to charcoal grill
  32. Transfer turkey to work surface; let rest 15 minutes
  33. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat
  34. Add garlic and onion; sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes
  35. Add chile broth, chopped mint, and 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  36. Add tomatoes 1 at a time, squeezing into pot to crush
  37. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low
  38. Simmer with lid slightly ajar for 30 minutes
  39. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth and masa in small bowl
  40. Whisk 2 tablespoons masa mixture into sauce; stir until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes, adding more masa mixture if sauce is too thin
  41. Season with coarse salt
  42. Cut turkey 1/4 inch thick
  43. Drizzle some of sauce over, garnish with mint sprigs, and serve, passing more sauce alongside