Puerto Rican Style Thanksgiving Turkey (Pavochón) is a delicious twist to the classic turkey!
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, homes across the United States fill with the aromas of roasting turkey, savory side dishes, and sweet desserts. Puerto Rican households in the U.S. embraced the American tradition and crafted this unique culinary creation, which they brought back to the island. And that’s how Pavochón was born!
This Puerto Rican Turkey is a fusion of a traditional turkey recipe and Puerto Rican flavors. If you are trying Pavochon for the first time, you will be delighted by its twist to traditional recipes and as a delightful addition to the holiday season, including Christmas!
🦃What exactly is Pavochón, and why is it different from typical turkey?
The name Pavochón is a combination of the Spanish words PAVO (turkey) and CHON (from LECHON), a popular roast suckling pig dish), which captures the essence of this culinary creation. Pavochón takes inspiration from Puerto Rican roast pork shoulder. The turkey is seasoned like Lechon, incorporating a bold blend of garlic, olive oil, citrus juices, and Sazon, a signature Puerto Rican seasoning.
Pavochón is more than just a turkey; it celebrates Puerto Rico’s culture and heritage. The best of two worlds, as a dish rooted in history and traditions. The beauty of the holiday table lies in the merging of ingredients and traditions, and this Pavochon recipe is a testament to that.
Pavochon makes a fantastic meals when paired with Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice Recipe with Pigeon Peas) Tostones (Green Plantains) and indulgent Passion Fruit Flan, Coconut Flan or this Puerto Rican Style Orange Flan Recipe. Delish!
Jump to:
- 🦃What exactly is Pavochón, and why is it different from typical turkey?
- ❤️What you will love about this Recipe
- 💭Essential Tips That Will Help You Create The Best Puerto Rican Turkey Recipe
- 🦃Turkey Size
- 📅My Timeline I used for a 14-pound Turkey
- ⏲️Turkey Roasting Chart
- 🍽 Equipment needed
- 🥘Ingredients
- 🔪How-to Instructions for the Perfect Puerto Rican Turkey
- 💭Top TIP
- 🍴 Dishes to Serve with Pavochon
- 📖Recipe Variations
- 🍲Storing Leftover Turkey
- 🍴Pairing Puerto Rican Recipes for Thanksgiving
- 🍽️Other Latin Recipes you may like
- 📖 GET THE RECIPE! 🍽️
❤️What you will love about this Recipe
This recipe offers a unique twist on the traditional Thanksgiving turkey, introducing delicious flavors of Puerto Rican cuisine with a blend of familiar and exotic flavors. The marinade is packed with aromatic garlic and citrus juices. The Sazon, a combination of annatto, cumin, garlic powder, and coriander, imparts a vibrant color and a depth of flavor that sets Pavochón apart from its traditional counterpart.
This mash-up of flavors results in a Pavochón that is incredibly flavorful, remarkably moist, and juicy.
💭Essential Tips That Will Help You Create The Best Puerto Rican Turkey Recipe
Before embarking on your Pavochón culinary quest, here are some essential tips for success:
- Plan ahead: Allow ample time for thawing, marinating, and roasting. Gather the ingredients and plan your cooking schedule to ensure a stress-free experience.
- Size of the turkey based on the number of guests: Choose a size that will comfortably accommodate your guests. The size of the turkey depends on if you want leftovers and the number of side dishes. A general rule of thumb is 1 pound of turkey per person. If you have a lot of big eaters, plan for closer to 1 1/2 pounds per person.
- Thawing Guidelines: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of turkey.
🦃Turkey Size
For this recipe, I used a 14-pound frozen Turkey, which I began to thaw in the refrigerator the Friday before Thanksgiving Day (Yes! 6 days before the cooking day!). For a bigger turkey, plan on 5 to 6 days just for thawing.
Planning and Patience are critical!
📅My Timeline I used for a 14-pound Turkey
- Day 1 (Friday): Moved the Turkey from the freezer to the refrigerator. Place the turkey on the lowest shelf in the fridge. This is the coldest part of the refrigerator and will help to ensure that the turkey thaws safely and evenly. Do not thaw the turkey in a sink or on the counter to avoid bacteria growth.
- Day 2-4 (Saturday through Monday): Continued thawing time in the refrigerator.
- Day 5 (Tuesday): Clean and marinate.
- Day 6 (Wednesday): Continue marinating (2 days total)
- Day 7 (Thursday): Roasting and eating day!
⏲️Turkey Roasting Chart
The following roasting guidelines will help ensure proper cooking time based on the size of your turkey.
🍽 Equipment needed
To ensure a smooth and successful Pavochón preparation, gather the following essential equipment:
- Large roasting pan with rack: The rack allows the turkey to roast without sitting in its juices and promotes even cooking.
- Food processor or blender: This tool simplifies creating the flavorful marinade.
- Kitchen Twine: Kitchen twine is used to truss the turkey, ensuring a compact and even shape during roasting (because trussing is like giving your turkey a warm hug!).
- Plastic wrap: Plastic wrap is used for covering the turkey during marinating to help the flavors penetrate the turkey meat.
- Aluminum foil to cover the turkey during roasting, preventing excessive browning and locking in moisture. (the shield against over-browning!).
- Meat Thermometer: An instant-read thermometer is crucial for checking the turkey's internal temperature, ensuring it reaches the recommended 165°F for safe consumption. While the internal thermometer that comes packaged with the turkey may provide a rough estimate of the cooking time, it's recommended to use a reliable instant-read thermometer to ensure accurate and precise temperature readings.
- Sharp carving knife
- Saucepan for the gravy
- Cutting board for carving the turkey.
🥘Ingredients
The following ingredients will transform your Thanksgiving feast into a celebration of Puerto Rican flavors!
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities
For the turkey
- Whole Turkey (I used a 14-pound Turkey for this recipe).
Ingredients for the Marinade
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Neutral-flavored vegetable oil can serve as a substitute)
- Apple Cider Vinegar: The acidity of the vinegar helps tenderize the turkey and enhances the marinade's flavors.
- Orange Juice: Citrus juices add a vibrant sweetness and acidity that complements the garlic and Sazon.
- Lime Juice: Lime juice adds a refreshing zing and depth of flavor to the marinade. Lime juice also helps tenderize the meat.
- Fresh Garlic Cloves: Garlic is a crucial ingredient in Puerto Rican cuisine, imparting its signature intense aroma and flavor.
- Dried Oregano: Oregano adds a touch of earthy, herbaceous flavor to the marinade.
- Sazon such as Goya Sazon Con Culantro y Achiote (Sazon with Coriander and Annatto), to impart that beautiful red look and authentic Puerto Rican flavor. You can find this Sazon in the international aisle of most grocery stores. I've also found it at Wal-Mart and Target.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper.
Ingredients for the Cavity and Pan Drippings
- Orange, Apple, and Onion quartered.
- Cilantro and Bay Leaves
- Dark Beer
Ingredients For the Sauce (Gravy)
- Drippings from the roasting pan: Pan drippings are the flavorful juices that collect in the roasting pan during cooking. They form the base for the gravy, adding richness and depth of flavor.
- Corn Starch: Cornstarch is used as a thickener for the gravy, ensuring a smooth and consistent texture.
- Salt and Pepper (to taste) to adjust the Pavochon seasoning.
🔪How-to Instructions for the Perfect Puerto Rican Turkey
Here are the step-by-step instructions you need to know to create the perfect Pavochón:
- THAW: If your turkey is frozen, allow it to thaw completely in the refrigerator for 24 hours per 4-5 pounds of turkey (read the “Essential Tips That Will Help You Create The Best Puerto Rican Turkey Recipe” section above). Patience, dear chef, patience!
- CLEAN: Thoroughly rinse the defrosted turkey under cold running water to remove excess blood. Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity and ensure the entire cavity is clean. Pat the Turkey dry with paper towels and separate the skin where possible to allow the marinade in.
PREPARE THE MARINADE: In a food processor or blender, combine all the marinade ingredients – olive oil, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, cloves of garlic, dried oregano, Sazon, salt, and black pepper.
Blend until smooth and well combined.
MARINATE THE TURKEY: Transfer turkey to a large baking sheet. Pour the marinade all over the turkey, ensuring it is evenly coated. Rub the marinade under the skin, inside the cavity and under the turkey legs.
TRUSS THE TURKEY: Using kitchen twine, truss the turkey to help it maintain a compact shape during roasting.
WRAP: Tightly wrap the turkey with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days, allowing the flavors to penetrate the meat.
Prepare the Turkey for Roasting
TEMPERING: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before roasting. This will help ensure even cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Remove the plastic and transfer the turkey onto the rack inside a large roasting pan, turkey breast side up.
- Fill the cavity of the turkey with the cilantro and about half of the quartered orange, apples, and onion, then spread the other half into the bottom of the pan.
Add the bay leaves and pour the beer into the bottom of the roasting pan.
Cover the entire roasting pan with aluminum foil.
Roast Turkey
- Roast the turkey (covered) according to the chart above or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breasts and thighs reach 165°F (74°C).
- For the last 30 minutes of cooking remove the aluminum foil and roast uncovered to allow the turkey skin to brown.
- Always use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey (Make sure the thermometer is not touching a bone when reading). Do not rely on the color of the turkey or the juices to determine doneness.
- This 14-pound Turkey took approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to cook.
Rest the Turkey
Once it is cooked, remove it from the oven, transfer it to a carving board, and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 45 minutes before carving. This allows the turkey to cool down to handle and for the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
Make the Sauce from Pan Juices (Gravy)
- While the turkey rests, pour the pan juices into a bowl, straining them through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the veggies. Skim off any excess fat from the top of the pan juices.
- Reserve about 1/2 cup of the drippings for drizzling over the carved turkey later. Put the remaining drippings in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water until dissolved (The ratio for 1 cup of pan juices is 2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water).
- Gradually whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pan drippings and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve into a sauceboat and bring it to the table!
Carve and Serve the turkey
- Place turkey on a wooden board with the breast side up.
- Legs: Slice between the leg and the breast using a sharp carving knife. Pull the leg away from the body to expose the joint. Remove the portion by cutting through the joint where the leg meets the body. Then, cut through the thigh to separate it from the body. Repeat with the other leg.
- Separate the thigh from the drumstick: Using your finger, locate the joint that connects the thigh with the drumstick and cut through it. You may cut the meat off the thigh's bone as well.
- Wings: Slice between the wing and the breast. Pull the wing away from the breast to expose the joint. Cut through the joint. Repeat with the other wing.
- Turkey Breast: Make a long, deep cut along the breastbone, separating the breast meat from the carcass. Use the other hand to hold and pry the meat away from the bone as you cut. Hold the breast meat firmly onto the cutting board and slice it into thick, diagonal slices. Repeat on the other side to remove the other half of the breast meat.
💭Top TIP
Now is the time to use the reserved PAN JUICES to drizzle over the carved turkey for an extra burst of moisture and flavor.
Plating the Turkey
Arrange the carved turkey on a platter, and garnish! Use fresh herbs, citrus slices, pomegranate, sliced apples, cranberries, or anything festive!
It's a feast for the eyes, too!
Proudly showing off your turkey is quite a great feeling after all the time and effort to make it. Isn't it?
Enjoy your delicious and flavorful Pavochón and Give thanks for such a great turkey!!! And remember to say, Buen Provecho!
Happy cooking, and may your Pavochón always be the star of our Thanksgiving dinner table! 🦃
Remember to comment below! and Tag me at @alatinflair
🍴 Dishes to Serve with Pavochon
- Appetizers:
- Tostones (fried green plantains)
- Empanadas
- Sides:
- Arroz con Gandules recipe (Puerto Rican rice with pigeon peas)
- Chipotle Spiced Stacked Potatoes
- Mofongo: A staple dish in Puerto Rican cuisine, it blends mashed green plantains, crispy pork rinds (chicharrones), garlic, and herbs. A versatile side dish for various proteins.
- Potato Salad
- Pasteles (Puerto Rican tamales)
- Yuca
- Fried Sweet Plantains (Maduros)
- Desserts:
- Flan Passion Fruit, Coconut, or Orange Flan de Queso.
- Pastelitos de Guayaba y Queso (Guava and cheese Pastries)
- Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding)
- Tres Leches Cake
- Drinks:
- Puerto Rican Sangria
- Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog). This is similar to my Ponche Crema.
- Piña Colada (because why not?)
📖Recipe Variations
- Make a Turkey Breast: Have a smaller gathering? Opt for a roasted turkey breast. Use the same amount of marinade to ensure it is well-seasoned.
- Add a Mofongo Stuffing: Stuff your Pavochón with mofongo for an extra Puerto Rican flair.
- Cover with Banana Leaves for roasting: This Puerto Rican tradition imparts a unique and fantastic flavor.
- Cook at Low Heat in the Slow Cooker: A small turkey can be cooked in a crockpot. The preparation process is the same, but add half of the beer since the turkey will release its own juices. Slow cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
🍲Storing Leftover Turkey
Store leftover Pavochón in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Consume within 3-4 days or freeze.
🍴Pairing Puerto Rican Recipes for Thanksgiving
🍽️Other Latin Recipes you may like
📖 GET THE RECIPE! 🍽️
Puerto Rican Style Thanksgiving Turkey (Pavochón)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (approx)
- Total Time: 4 hours and 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Description
This Puerto Rican Style Turkey (Pavochón) Recipe offers a unique twist on the traditional Thanksgiving turkey, introducing delicious flavors of Puerto Rican cuisine with a blend of familiar and exotic flavors.
Pavochón takes inspiration from the Puerto Rican pork roast seasoned with a bold blend of garlic, olive oil, citrus juices, and Sazon, a signature Puerto Rican seasoning.
Equipment needed: Large roasting pan with rack, Food processor or blender, Kitchen Twine, Plastic wrap, Aluminum foil, Meat Thermometer, Sharp carving knife, Saucepan for the gravy, and a Cutting board for carving the turkey.
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Turkey (I used a 14-pound Turkey for this recipe)
Ingredients for the Marinade:
- 1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/3 cup of Orange Juice
- 3 Tablespoons of Lime Juice
- 20 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Tablespoons of Dried Oregano
- 2 Packets of Sazon (such as Goya Sazon Con Culantro y Achiote (Sazon with Coriander and Annatto))
- 2 Tablespoons of Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper
Ingredients for the Cavity and Pan Drippings:
- 1 Orange, quartered.
- 1/2 Bunch of Cilantro
- 2 Apples, quartered.
- 1 Large or Medium Onion, quartered.
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1 12 oz Bottle of Beer (dark preferred)
Ingredients For the Sauce (Gravy):
- Drippings from the roasting pan (pan juices)
- 4 teaspoons of Cornstarch (The ratio for 1 cup of pan juices is 2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water).
- Salt and Pepper (to taste) to adjust the seasoning.
Instructions
- THAW: If your turkey is frozen, allow it to thaw completely in the refrigerator for 24 hours per 4-5 pounds of turkey (read the “Essential Tips That Will Help You Create The Best Puerto Rican Turkey Recipe” section above).
- CLEAN: Thoroughly rinse the defrosted turkey under cold running water to remove excess blood. Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity and ensure the entire cavity is clean. Pat the Turkey dry with paper towels.
- PREPARE THE MARINADE: In a food processor or blender, combine all the marinade ingredients – olive oil, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, cloves of garlic, dried oregano, Sazon, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and well combined.
- MARINATE THE TURKEY: Transfer the turkey to a large baking sheet. Pour the marinade all over the turkey, ensuring it is evenly coated. Rub the marinade under the skin, inside the cavity, and under the turkey legs.
- TRUSS THE TURKEY: Using kitchen twine, truss the turkey to help it maintain a compact shape during roasting.
- TIGHTLY WRAP the turkey with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days, allowing the flavors to penetrate the meat.
- TEMPERING: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before roasting. This will help ensure even cooking.
- ROAST THE TURKEY:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Remove the plastic and transfer the turkey onto the rack inside a large roasting pan, turkey breast side up.
- Fill the turkey cavity with the cilantro and about half of the quartered orange, apples, and onion, then spread the other half into the bottom of the pan. Add the bay leaves and pour the beer into the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover the entire roasting pan with aluminum foil.
- Roast the turkey (covered) according to the roasting chart or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breasts and thighs reaches 165°F (74°C).
- For the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove the aluminum foil and roast uncovered to allow the turkey skin to brown.
- Always use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey (Make sure the thermometer is not touching a bone when reading). Do not rely on the color of the turkey or the juices to determine doneness.
- This 14-pound Turkey took approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to cook.
-
REST THE TURKEY: Once it is cooked, remove it from the oven, transfer it to a carving board, and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 45 minutes before carving. This allows the turkey to cool down to handle and for the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
-
MAKE THE SAUCE (GRAVY):
-
While the turkey rests, pour the pan juices into a bowl, straining them through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the veggies. Skim off any excess fat from the top of the pan juices. ** Reserve about 1/2 cup of the drippings for drizzling over the carved turkey later**. Put the remaining drippings in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.
-
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water until dissolved (The ratio for 1 cup of pan juices is 2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water). Gradually whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pan drippings and simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve into a sauceboat and bring it to the table!
-
-
CARVE AND SERVE THE TURKEY:
-
Place turkey on a wooden board with the breast side up.
-
Legs: Slice between the leg and the breast using a sharp carving knife. Pull the leg away from the body to expose the joint. Remove the portion by cutting through the joint where the leg meets the body. Then, cut through the thigh to separate it from the body. Repeat with the other leg.
-
Separate the thigh from the drumstick: Using your finger, locate the joint that connects the thigh with the drumstick and cut through it. You may cut the meat off the thigh's bone as well.
-
Wings: Slice between the wing and the breast. Pull the wing away from the breast to expose the joint. Cut through the joint. Repeat with the other wing.
-
Turkey Breast: Make a long, deep cut along the breastbone, separating the breast meat from the carcass. Use the other hand to hold and pry the meat away from the bone as you cut. Hold the breast meat firmly onto the cutting board and slice it into thick, diagonal slices. Repeat on the other side to remove the other half of the breast meat.
-
-
PRO TIP: Use the reserved Pan Juices to drizzle over the carved turkey for an extra burst of moisture and flavor.
-
PLATING THE TURKEY: Arrange the carved turkey on a platter, and garnish! Use fresh herbs, citrus slices, pomegranate, sliced apples, cranberries, or anything festive! It's a feast for the eyes, too!
Notes
Size of the turkey based on the number of guests: A general rule of thumb is 1 pound of turkey per person. If you have a lot of big eaters, plan for closer to 1 1/2 pounds per person.
The following roasting guidelines will help ensure proper cooking time based on the size of your turkey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 931
- Sugar: 13.6 g
- Sodium: 1091 mg
- Fat: 30.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.4 g
- Fiber: 3.4 g
- Protein: 133.9 g
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
I'm glad you enjoyed the Puerto Rican-style turkey. It's a flavorful and festive twist on a classic. Thanks for sharing your experience! 🙂
Eileen Ann Kelly says
What a delicious turkey recipe. The aromatics were perfect and this was such a juicy and tender turkey. Will be making this again
Yu says
What a flavorful blend of all the yummy seasoning! I have never had Puerto Rican cuisine before, but it looks GOOD! I saved the recipe to try it! Thank you for sharing.
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Great! Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Patty says
Made this for my Thanksgiving, and it was a hit! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Hi Patty,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! It's always great to hear that my recipes bring joy to people's tables. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Ruth Paredes says
Can't wait to dive into this Pavochón recipe—a Puerto Rican spin on the classic Thanksgiving turkey! The combo of citrusy, garlicky goodness has me seriously intrigued. Checking out more on this blog, from tips to variations, sounds like a flavor-packed journey. I’m excited to try the pairing with tostones, arroz con gandules, and maybe a sip of coquito. I've tried several dishes from A Latin Flair before, and they've all turned out fantastic, so let's get cooking and spread some culinary joy!
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Thank you, Ruth! I am thrilled you like this recipe post and have enjoyed by website! I agree, the Puerto Rican spin on traditional turkey recipes is unique and simply delish! 🙂