This delicious Pavochon recipe is marinated in lots of garlic and spices producing the most flavorful turkey you will ever have. It is then roasted to crispy golden perfection and served in its own juices. You will never season your turkey any other way again!
This Puerto Rican Style Turkey is the beloved centerpiece of many Puerto Rican households during Thanksgiving. Served alongside several other traditional dishes like arroz con gandules and coditos, it is not only absolutely delicious but so incredibly moist and tender.
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What is Pavochon?
Pavochon represents the traditional method of seasoning and cooking turkey in many Puerto Rican households.
The term “pavochon” carries a dual significance. “Pavo” translates to turkey in Spanish, and “chon” is derived from “lechon,” signifying a roasted whole pig cooked on an open fire. This name reflects the shared seasoning approach, as the turkey is infused with many of the same aromatic spices used for lechon.
Stuffed or Unstuffed Pavochon?
Pavochon is frequently filled with a garlicky mofongo stuffing, although in certain households, the preference is to serve it as a side dish.
Ingredients
- Turkey – This recipe is good for a 12-22 pound turkey.
- Garlic – Garlic is the most important ingredient in this recipe and as so you will need lots and lots of it! YUM!
- Oregano – Oregano adds such incredible flavor to the mojo blend and is another key condiment to the pavochon seasoning. Without it, it would be just a bird seasoned with lots of garlic.
- Adobo – Adds delicious flavor and is an important ingredient in Puerto Rican Cuisine.
- Sazon – Sazon, is another quintessential condiment in Puerto Rican cooking.
- Crushed Red Pepper – Although crushed red pepper is not traditionally added to the mojo blend, I love the favor it adds to this blend.
- Vinegar – Vinegar helps not only to flavor the turkey but also tenderize it.
- Oil – Oil brings all the ingredients together to help form a paste.
*See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and instructions.*
Instructions
If your turkey is frozen, make sure to allow time for thawing. It may take a few days to thaw out completely so keep this in mind when making this recipe because you will also need at least one extra day for marinating.
Step 1: Add the garlic, oregano, crushed pepper, sazon, vinegar and oil to a mini food chopper or blender.
Step 2: Blend until a garlic paste forms.
Step 3: Remove the giblets from the cavity and reserve them to make the gravy. Rinse the inside and the outside of turkey under cool water. Using a knife, make a few slits (cuts) about 1-inch deep to the back of the turkey, breast area, drumsticks and thighs.
Step 4: Using your hands, spread a few tablespoons of the garlic paste to the inside of the cavity. Generously spread more of the garlic paste all over the turkey making sure to add paste inside all the cuts. Sprinkle adobo all over the turkey including the cavity. (Make sure to also season the giblets with the garlic paste and adobo.) Place the turkey in a roaster pan, cover with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator for 12-48 hours.
Note: Make sure to not only check the cavity for the giblets but also check the neck pouch for additional giblets.
Step 5: When you’re ready to roast your turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to rest on the counter for 20 minutes before cooking. Add two cups of water or chicken broth to the tray. Preheat your oven to 350° F.
Step 6: Cover the turkey and place in the oven. Cook for 2 hours and then uncover the turkey. Cook for an additional hour or until until a meat thermometer reads 165° F internal temperature. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Handy Cooking Chart
Turkey Size
12 to 14 lbs.
14 to 18 lbs.
18 to 20 lbs.
20 to 24 lbs.
Unstuffed
3 to 3 ¾ hours
3 ¾ to 4 ¼ hours
4 ¼ to 4 ½ hours
4 ½ to 5 hours
Stuffed
3 ½ to 4 hours
4 to 4 ¼ hours
4 ¼ to 4 ¾ hours
4 ¾ to 5 ¼ hours
Carving and Serving Pavochon (Puerto Rican Style Turkey)
If making gravy, first reserve one to two cups of the broth and drippings that has collected in the pan. Set aside for gravy.
- Carefully lift the turkey onto a carving board. Keep the rest of the turkey juices and drippings in the roasting pan.
- Cut and remove all the dark meat by cutting at the joints of wings, thighs and drumsticks.
- Cut dark meat into thin slices or keep drumsticks and thighs whole. Add pieces back to pan to soak in the broth and drippings.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the turkey breast into thin slices. Add the slices to the pan.
- Serve turkey right out of pan or place in a serving dish and top with pan juices or continue to make the gravy.
Typical Side Dishes
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📖 Recipe
Pavochon (Puerto Rican Style Turkey)
Equipment
- roasting pan for turkey
Ingredients
- 12-22 pound turkey thawed
- adobo generously sprinkled
- 2 cups water, chicken broth or beer could also use two chicken bouillon for chicken broth
Mojo Marinade
- 1½-2 heads garlic peeled
- 2½ tablespoon oregano
- 1 packet Sazon optional
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
- 8 tablespoon vegetable or corn oil
Gravy (Optional)
- giblets from turkey
- 2 cups broth and drippings from turkey
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1+ tablespoon cornstarch to thicken
Instructions
- If the turkey is frozen, thaw it out in the refrigerator 2-3 days in advance.
Mojo Marinade
- Add the garlic, oregano, crushed pepper, sazon, vinegar and oil to a mini food chopper or blender. Blend until a garlic paste forms.
Turkey
- Remove the giblets from the cavity and reserve them to make the gravy. Note: Make sure to not only check the cavity for the giblets but also check the neck pouch for additional giblets.
- Rinse the whole turkey under cool water including the cavity. Using a knife, make a few slits (cuts) about 1 inch deep to the back of the turkey, breast area, drumsticks and thighs.
- Using your hands, spread a few tablespoons of the garlic paste to the inside of the cavity. Generously spread more of the garlic paste all over the turkey making sure to add paste inside all the cuts.
- Sprinkle adobo all over the turkey including the cavity. Note: Make sure to also season the giblets with the garlic paste and adobo.
- Place the turkey in a roaster pan, cover with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator for 12-48 hours.
- When you're ready to roast your turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to rest on the counter for 20 minutes before cooking.
- Add two cups of water or chicken broth to the tray. Preheat your oven to 350° degrees.
- Cover the turkey and place in the oven. Cook for 2 hours and then uncover the turkey. Cook for an additional hour or until a meat thermometer reads 165F internal temperature.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Carving Turkey
- If making gravy, first reserve one to two cups of the broth and drippings that has collected in the pan. Set aside for gravy.
- Carefully lift the turkey onto a carving board. Keep the rest of the turkey juices and drippings in the roasting pan.
- Cut and remove all the dark meat by cutting at the joints of wings, thighs and drumsticks.
- Cut dark meat into thin slices or keep drumsticks and thighs whole. Add pieces back to pan to soak in the broth and drippings.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the turkey breast into thin slices. Add the slices to the pan.
Serving Turkey
- At this point, you can serve turkey right away or continue to make the gravy.
Simple Gravy (Optional)
- Add the reserved broth and giblets to a sauce pan and heat over medium heat for a few minutes. *If you do not have enough broth, add a cup of water to pot.
- After broth has heated through, remove giblets and strain broth if you like. Return broth back to saucepan and season with salt and pepper if needed. *The broth is already so tasteful, you really don’t need much.
- Add a tablespoon of cornstarch and whisk into broth until all lumps are gone. Add more cornstarch until your desired consistency is reached.Gravy is ready.
James Wilson says
I haven’t made yet, but the ingredients should make it turn out wonderful. I’d like to brine it /“Coke” it, what seasoning in the brine would compliment the adobe and garlic. “Coking” a bird is putting it in a Coca-cola bath overnight. Sweetens and moisturizes the meat while tenderizing.
I could utilize the Mojo ingredients in the brine…
Catherine Arena says
I’ve never coked a turkey before but have a whole chicken. I see no reason why it wouldn’t be just as yummy adding the mojo ingredients to the brine. After brining this way, I would proceed with seasoning the full turkey again with the mojo just as described in the recipe and marinating for at least 24 hours or a full 48 hours. It will be amazing! Think, I will coke my turkey this year too! 🙂
Ruth L Thompson-Herfurth says
I loved this recipe my 16lb turkey was very moist and the flavor was delicious, my family loved it, the only thing I would change would be to get a bigger bird so I can have a little leftover turkey.
Catherine Arena says
Aww that’s wonderful Ruth! So happy to hear everyone enjoyed it! Thank you for trying it and taking the time to comment and rate! Appreciate you! 🙂