Looking for an alternative to red meat? These breaded fried turkey 'chops' are the great contender. Crispy and flavorful, enjoy turkey meat in a new way.
Why we ❤️ it
At home, I am always searching for "the next great dish", that one that we like so much it becomes part of our family tradition. These breaded fried turkey "chops" may very well become one.
What turkey offers is a flavor and texture similar to red meat, and the nutritional properties of white meat. The best of two worlds. Now it was just a matter of finding an easy way to cook it.
Turkey in the Dominican diet
This may surprise many people, including some Dominicans, but turkey has long been a traditional Dominican meat. It has fallen into the category of exotic, expensive, imported food nowadays. But it was not always so.
There is a mention of turkey as part of the Dominican diet (specifically our Christmas meal) in a book dating back to 1927. [1]
My grandfather used to keep turkeys on his farm (along with chicken, guinea hens, and pigeons). Those turkeys were clearly for food because nobody keeps turkeys for their beauty, disposition, or sweet voice.
Perhaps consumption of turkey locally went down with the decrease in the rural population that used to keep animals for food.
About this recipe
I want to clarify that these are not technically "chops", they're actually sliced turkey legs, which once in a while turn up discounted in our neighborhood supermarket, making it an interesting option to add variety to our menus.
A piece of advice I should give you is that, as I repeat further down, you should make sure to get rid of small bones and cartilage before starting to cook. Finding one of those when you're eating is sure to break the mood.
Recipe
[Recipe] Breaded Fried Turkey Chops
Ingredients
- 4 slices day-old white bread
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ¼ tablespoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 8 slices of turkey legs, clean of small bones (see notes)
- 4 egg (medium), whisked
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, for frying
- Lime wedges to garnish, for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Making breadcrumbs: Place bread, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in the food processor vase. Pulse until it turns into the bread turns into a fine breadcrumb.
Breading: Drench each turkey chop in the whisked egg wash. Cover with the breadcrumbs.- Frying: Cover the bottom of a large non-stick skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil and heat over medium heat. Place 4 chops and cook until they turn golden brown on the cooking side, flip and cook the other side (4 minutes on each side).Remove the turkey from the pan. Repeat the process with the remaining oil and chops until they are all cooked.
- Serving: Serve on mashed potatoes, yuca mash, or oven-fried potatoes, and garnish with guava BBQ sauce (optional).
Tips and Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.
References
Jimenez, Ramón Emilio (1927) Al Amor del Bohío: Tradiciones y Costumbres Dominicanas. (Tomo 1. Pag. 266) Santo Domingo: V. Montalvo, Ed.
