Twizzlers Made From Turkey, Pork Belly or Potatoes

If you live in Great Britain, then you are probably already aware of the hot debate over turkey twizzlers. While many parents, like myself, fondly remember them from their own schooldays, the food was eventually banned in the country’s schools for being unhealthy. Yet, many are urging the schools to lift the ban and bring them back. 

Turkey Twizzlers Recipe

While the debate will to rage, I love to make them at my house for a special treat. I will share how I make them. I must admit, however, that my version is much healthier than the ones served by most schools.

Instructions:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2/16 teaspoon salt
• 2/16 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 cups peanut oil
• 5 grains rice
• ⅔ cup tomato puree
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon oregano

Instructions:

Put turkey, dry mustard, garlic powder, sugar, 1/16 teaspoon salt and 1/16 teaspoon pepper in mixer and mix until a playdough-like consistency is formed.

1. Roll the mixture into several long snakes
2. Wrap the snakes around handles of spoons
3. Place in freezer for 30 minutes
4. Put the breadcrumbs and flour in a bowl. Stir until well combined
5. Break the egg into a bowl and stir
6. Pour oil into a 10-inch skillet. It should be at least one inch deep. Add more oil if necessary
7. Heat the oil to about 350 degrees. If you do not have a thermometer, then drop a grain of rice into the oil. If the rice rises back to the top, then you are ready to proceed
8. Remove the turkey mixture from the freezer and carefully remove spoons
9. Place the twizzlers into the hot oil. Fry for two minutes
10. Flip twizzlers over and cook for another two minutes
11. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels
12. Combine the tomato puree, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, oregano and remaining salt and pepper in a bowl
13. Stir the tomato puree mixture to make the dipping sauce
14. Serve and enjoy

Simplified Turkey Twizzlers

The other night I was at my sister’s, and I learned that she made her twizzlers in a different way. I got her to write the recipe down for me as her method seemed somewhat easier.

Ingredients:

• 8 turkey sausage links
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 cups peanut oil
• Cooking spray
• 8 skewers

Instructions:

1. Spray a skillet with cooking spray
2. Heat skillet for 30 seconds over medium heat
3. Cook sausage for six minutes. Flip over and cook for another six minutes
4. Remove sausage links from skillet
5. Let sausage cool slightly
6. Run a skewer through the middle of sausage
7. Using a sharp knife, cut the sausage in a spiral shape from one end until the other
8. Repeat until all sausages are cut
9. Place egg in a bowl
10. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl
11. Place flour in a bowl
12. Carefully pull the sausages out from both ends to expand their length
13. Heat oil in skillet
14. Dip each sausage on the skewer in egg, breadcrumbs and flour
15. Place sausages on skewers in hot oil
16. Fry for about two minutes, flip and fry until golden brown
17. Remove sausages from skillet and let drain on paper towels
18. Serve with ketchup

Healthy Twizzlers

Now, my mother has become a health nut. A couple of nights after being at my sister’s house, we went to visit her. She always tries to make a favorite food in a healthy way when her grandchildren come to visit, and this time was no exception. I asked her what we were eating and she said twizzlers.

I was amazed, but I actually liked them done this way too. 

Ingredients:

• 8 turkey sausage links
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons liquid coconut oil.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Bring a pan of water to a boil
3. Add sausage links and cook until no longer pink. This will take about 10 minutes
4. Let cool slightly and place on skewers
5. Cut a spiral down the length of the sausages
6. Grasp the top of the skewer and pull the bottom of the sausage down slightly
7. Put flour in small bowl
8. Break egg whites into a small bowl. Save yolks for a different purpose
9. Place breadcrumbs in a separate bowl
10. Dip skewered sausages into flour, egg whites and breadcrumbs in that order
11. Lay skewered sausages on a baking sheet
12. Drizzle oil over skewered sausages
13. Bake in oven for 12 minutes until golden brown

We found it hilarious that we all still love twizzlers as adults. We also laughed imagining that someday our children would have a good argument about how to make twizzlers when they were adults feeding their own children.

Pork Twizzlers

When we got home, I was looking at a magazine and they were discussing pork twizzlers. Right then, I knew that we would have to try these for supper. While the recipe takes three days to prepare, my family and I love Southeast Asian food, so this recipe looked like something we would love and we did.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds pork belly
• 2 shallots
• 1 medium purple onion
• 7 garlic bulbs
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 gallon water
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 fresh red chilis
• 1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 ounce whole bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons cilantro
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray

Instructions:

1. Slice shallots
2. In a non-metallic large pan, combine coriander seeds, fennel seeds, water, kosher salt, granulated sugar, black peppercorns, half the shallots and bay leaves
3. Smash and add three garlic cloves
4. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes
5. Cool mixture until room temperature. Then, refrigerate for at least three hours and up to three days
6. Remove skin from pork belly, and submerge in brine
7. Chill meat for 24 hours
8. Remove meat and rinse under cold running water. Then, pat it dry
9. Discard the brine
10. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees
11. Place oil in a skillet. Add remaining cloves and shallots
12. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil
13. Scrape bottom of the skillet to remove any stuck mixture
14. Place meat in a large roasting pan
15. Pour mixture over meat
16. Cover roasting pan and braise for 3.5 to four hours until pork belly is very tender
17. Remove pork belly and wrap in plastic wrap after cooling
18. Lay wrapped pork belly on a baking sheet
19. Place a second baking sheet on top of pork belly and add a weight such as two large cans
20. Let meat rest in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 96 hours. Meat can be refrigerated for up to three days, but weights should be removed after 24 hours
21. Place remaining ingredients in a blender. Blend to make a smooth chili sauce
22. Return pork belly to room temperature
23. Cut strips of pork belly 1-inch wide
24. Cut each strip into bite-size pieces
25. Place meat on 30 wooden skewers
26. Brush meat with chili sauce
27. Spray skillet
28. Place skewers in skillet and cook until meat is golden brown on all sides. This will take about 3 to 4 minutes

Potato Twizzlers

My family loves when I make potato twizzlers to go with the meat ones. I have to confess that I often make them with other dishes too. Jamie Oliver would probably hate me because if it tastes good, then I am very apt to let my family eat it.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium Yukon potatoes
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons sat
• 4 wooden skewers

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Microwave potatoes for 1 minute 30 seconds. Let cool slightly
3. Place a wooden skewer through the middle of the potato
4. Use a sharp knife to cut the potato in a spiral at a 30-degree angle. Turn the skewer one way and the potato the other to achieve the spiral cut
5. Being very careful, pull the potato up and down the skewer slightly
6. Melt the butter in the microwave
7. Use a pastry brush to coat the potato with the butter
8. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl
9. Sprinkle the mixture on the potato being careful to get it into the middle
10. Place the potatoes on a baking pan. Hang the end of each skewer off the sides of the pan to suspend the potatoes slightly
11. Bake for 27 minutes or until golden brown
12. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese

While Jamie Oliver may protest all of these delicious choices, my family delights in their delicious taste, especially that of turkey twizzlers. Try them today and your family will too.