Moroccan Turkey flavoring suggestions?
Because I'm doing low sodium this year, I figured we'd punch up the flavor with spices, so I'm going Moroccan with the turkey. Should I use a spice blend on the turkey we are going to smoke and baste/glaze with a lemon harissa sauce or just add the harissa to the spice rub and smoke? Can't decide.
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Also, the Food and Wine article has a slide show of global turkey recipes, if you decide you want a turkey from another cuisine.
https://www.google.com/search?q=turkey+with+ras+el+hanout+or+Moroocan+spices&sxsrf=AOaemvJnAZAOM6qnGGgFhXE20psHQCJN7g%3A1637148202704&ei=KuaUYd3EKoThxgGIop6QBg&oq=turkey+with+ras+el+hanout+or+Moroocan+spices&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAw6BwgAEEcQsAM6BwgjELACECc6CAgAEAgQDRAeOgQIIRAKSgQIQRgAUN8HWNkZYLEsaAFwAXgAgAG_AYgBkA6SAQQxMC43mAEAoAEByAEIwAEB&sclient=gws-wiz&ved=0ahUKEwjdgcSopJ_0AhWEsDEKHQiRB2IQ4dUDCA4
Personally, I'm not a big fan of massive flavor bombs: you have spice, smoke and lemon harissa here. I generally prefer more subtlety or prefer one/two primary flavors to stand out but I know that I am in the minority here.
That said, turkey is an insipid meat so maybe it'll be fine with all three if you are adept at balancing all three flavor elements.
In the end, your primary objective is to please the people who will be eating it so choose wisely.
Best of luck.
I think you will get better depth of flavor and complexity by smoking the turkey with a spice blend (ras el hanout - for home made recipe see Paula Wolfert, epicurious or the spruce eats) and some fat (olive oil or chicken fat).
Then serve the lemon harissa as a sauce at table.
PS - I fear that using the lemon harissa in the smoker will either not give you enough flavor or that- if you use enough to penetrate the turkey- it will be too strong or too simple.