It’s Thanksgiving! Try These 4 Step-By-Step Latin-Inspired Turkey Recipes

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Today is Thanksgiving Day! It’s celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year and has a rich history. This tradition dates back to the 17th century, but in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln officially made it a national holiday, initially setting it on the last Thursday of November.

Later on, in 1941, President Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiving should be observed on the fourth Thursday of the month. Regardless of its historical changes, one thing remains constant: the tradition of eating turkey on this day. While there’s a classic American recipe, Latin families have added their own unique flavors to the mix, creating some delicious variations. Below, we’ll share a few recipes that might become your new favorites or add a twist to your Thanksgiving menu. 

Cuban-Style Turkey 

As the name suggests, this style incorporates a Cuban touch by marinating the turkey with Cuban flavors. Here are the ingredients you’ll need, as indicated by the Periódico Cubano: 

Ingredients

• Peeled garlic cloves 
• 2 tablespoons of salt (or to taste) 
• 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper 
• 1 tablespoon of ground cumin 
• 2 cups of mojo criollo 
• 2 cups of bitter orange juice 
• A 12 to 15-pound turkey 
• Serves 10-15 people 

Preparation Method 

Preparation: Marinate overnight (minimum 8 hours). 

Baking time: 5 hours 

• Crush the peeled garlic cloves with salt in a mortar. 
• In a bowl, mix together the crushed garlic, black pepper, cumin, mojo criollo, and bitter orange juice (you can find mojo criollo and bitter orange juice in Hispanic stores). Taste the marinade before applying it to ensure it’s properly seasoned. 
• Using a syringe, inject the marinade into the meat by making small incisions with a knife and injecting the marinade (try to avoid piercing the skin, if possible, inject it beneath the skin), paying extra attention to the breast. Pour any extra marinade over the entire turkey and let it marinate in the refrigerator in a covered dish overnight. 
• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Roast the turkey until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180°F. Let the turkey rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before carving. 
• You can make a delicious sauce with the pan juices by heating them in another pan over low heat and adding a little flour to thicken.

Tequila-Marinated Turkey

This turkey recipe takes inspiration from Mexican cuisine, which has various delicious ways to prepare turkey, such as ‘pavo (turkey) al pibil,’ ‘pavo enchilado,» or «pavo a la mexicana.» This time, we’re exploring a recipe from México Desconocido with a Tequila twist.

Ingredients:

• 1 turkey, weighing 5kg
• ½ liter of tequila
• ½ liter of milk
• ¼ onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 8 bay leaves
• 6 sprigs of thyme (or one tablespoon if dried)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil

Preparation

• The day before you plan to cook the turkey, get it ready for marinating. Give it a good wash and pat it dry. Place it in a deep tray and infuse it with the tequila.
• In a separate bowl, mix the milk with finely chopped onion and minced garlic using a blender. Pour this creamy mixture over the turkey. Season it with salt and pepper according to your taste, then sprinkle the bay leaves and thyme.
• Let it soak up all those flavors in the refrigerator for a full 12 hours.
• After the initial 12 hours, flip it over and let it continue marinating for another 12 hours.
• Once a total of 24 hours has passed, take the turkey out of the refrigerator and transfer it to a baking tray. Secure the legs and wings with twine.
• Give the turkey a good brushing of oil.
• Roast it at 220ºC for about 3 hours and 45 minutes (approximately 45 minutes per kilogram of turkey). When it’s perfectly cooked, remove it from the oven, carefully remove the twine from the wings and legs, and it’s ready to be served.

Peruvian-Inspired Stuffed Turkey

This recipe brings the rich flavors of Peru to your table. Just a note: it uses ‘Pisco,’ a grape brandy commonly found in Peru and Chile. This recipe is from Queens Latino.

Ingredients for Marinating a 6-Kilogram Turkey (Serving 8 People)

• 2 cups of orange juice
• 4 tablespoons of ají panca (a Peruvian chili paste)
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• ½ cup of Pisco
• 1 teaspoon of rosemary
• ¼ cup of brown sugar
• Juice of 2 lemons
• ¼ cup of soy sauce (known as «sillao» in Peruvian cuisine)

Marinade

1. Mix all these ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Then, generously rub this flavorful mixture all over the turkey, both inside and out, for marinating.

Ingredients for the Stuffing

• ¼ kilogram of butter
• ¼ kilogram of ground pork
• 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
• ¼ kilogram of ground beef
• 1 small can of peas
• 100 grams of breadcrumbs
• 3 eggs
• 1 sprig of cilantro
• 1 sprig of spearmint (hierbabuena)
• Nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 glass of Pisco

Stuffing

• In a pot or large pan, create a flavorful base by sautéing the finely chopped onion, minced garlic, and butter.
• Season the ground meats with salt, pepper, and add the chopped cilantro. Then, add them to the pot with the sautéed base.
• Once the meats are partially cooked, pour in the Pisco and a pinch of nutmeg. Allow the meats to cook thoroughly.
• Add the breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, and peas to the mixture, ensuring everything is well combined and forms a consistent mixture.
• Place a sprig of spearmint inside the turkey’s cavity, then proceed to stuff the turkey with the prepared mixture. Seal the openings by sewing them shut. Don’t forget to stuff the turkey’s neck and sew it as well.
• Put the turkey into a preheated oven set to 160 degrees Celsius and roast for approximately 3 hours.
• To prevent the turkey from drying out, baste it every 30 minutes with the juices from the roasting pan.
• Once the turkey is beautifully golden brown and you’re sure it’s thoroughly cooked, remove it from the oven. It’s now ready to be expertly carved and served.

Dominican-Style Turkey 

This turkey recipe is a special treat with Dominican flavors. It’s stuffed with ‘moro de guandules’ (rice and pigeon peas) and seasoned just the way they do it in the Dominican Republic. Here are the ingredients and step-by-step instructions, based on a recipe from the Cocina Dominicana page:

Ingredients 

Seasoning the Turkey: 

• 1 small onion, finely chopped 
• 6 cloves of garlic 
• ¼ cup capers 
• 3 tablespoons of salt 
• A small bunch of fresh parsley 
• Juice of 1 lemon 
• 1 cubanelle pepper or bell pepper, finely chopped 
• ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 turkey, about 9 lbs (4 kg), thawed 

Moro de Guandules Stuffing: 

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon of chopped cilantro 
• ½ teaspoon of crushed garlic 
• 1 cubanelle pepper, finely chopped 
• ¼ teaspoon of oregano 
• 1 teaspoon of salt 
• 1½ cups of pigeon peas, boiled or from a can (discard the liquid) 
• 2 cups of long-grain rice (Carolina) 

Baking: 

• 1 tablespoon of browning liquid 
• ⅓ cup of butter, at room temperature (divided) 
• Step-by-Step Preparation 
• Seasoning the Turkey (One Day Before): 
• Blending the Seasoning: 
• Blend all the ingredients until they form a paste

Preparation Method 

• Loosening the Skin: Carefully and gently separate the turkey’s skin from the meat, being careful not to tear it. Create as much space as you can, especially around the thigh area. We’re not removing the skin; we’re just making room to season under it. 
• Seasoning the Turkey: Using a sharp knife, make 4 holes on each side of the breast (avoid cutting through the skin) and fill these holes with the seasoning paste. Spread the remaining seasoning under the skin and into the cavity. Place the turkey in a covered container and let it rest in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours. 
• Take it out of the refrigerator a couple of hours before baking to bring it to room temperature. While it’s coming to room temp, you can prepare the stuffing. 

Making the Stuffing (Before Baking the Turkey): 

• Sautéing: Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add cilantro, crushed garlic, cubanelle pepper, oregano, and salt. Stir well. Add the pigeon peas and cook while stirring. Once they’re heated, add 1¼ cups of water. 
• Cooking the Rice: When the water comes to a boil, add the rice and stir. Keep stirring regularly to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Once the liquid has evaporated, remove half of the rice and set it aside for stuffing the turkey. 
• Finishing the Rice: Cover the pot with the remaining rice using an airtight lid. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook for 20 minutes, then uncover, stir (scraping any rice stuck to the bottom), and fluff the rice. Cover and cook for an additional five minutes. If needed, cover and cook for another five minutes. Transfer the rice to a serving platter and keep it covered until it’s time to serve. 

Baking the Turkey

• Preparing for Baking: Preheat the oven to 325°F [160°C]. Spread butter under the turkey’s skin, placing some in the holes you made in the breast, and reserve the remaining butter. Fill the turkey’s cavity with the partially cooked rice that you set aside earlier. 
• Stuffing the Turkey: Place the turkey in a baking pan with a wire rack. Stretch the turkey’s skin to cover it completely. Tie the thighs with kitchen twine and tuck the wings to the sides, securing them with more twine. Brush the skin with butter, reserving the remaining butter. Coat the entire skin with browning liquid. 
• Baking: Bake the turkey in the preheated oven for 2 ½ hours, brushing the skin with butter every half hour. If any part starts to brown faster than others, cover it with aluminum foil. 
• Checking the Temperature: After 2 ½ hours, check the turkey’s temperature using a meat thermometer. It should read 165°F [74°C] when inserted into the breast bone and between the thigh and breast. If it hasn’t reached this temperature, return it to the oven for another 20 minutes, then recheck the temperature. 
• If you don’t have a meat thermometer, after 2 ½ hours, insert a knife between the thigh and the body. The juices should run clear without traces of blood, and the meat should not be pink. If necessary, bake for another 20 minutes and check with the other thigh after this time. 
• Serving: Once cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rest for 20 minutes before serving. When serving, mix the stuffing with the remaining «moro» you had reserved, heat them together until steam rises, and then refill the turkey, leaving some rice visible.

Enjoy the fantastic flavors of Latin-inspired turkeys!