Pavochon (Puerto Rican Style Turkey)

Pavochon, is Puerto Rican style turkey that has been marinated in delicious spices, lots of garlic and then roasted to crispy golden perfection. All the while serving the most succulent, moist and tender meat when sliced. If you have never made turkey this way, this year is the year to try it! You will never season your turkey any other way again!

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it’s time to share my delicious Puerto Rican style turkey recipe with you. It will change your Thanksgiving turkey seasoning forever!

Turkey is a bird that tends to be bland all on its own, where salt and pepper alone just won’t due! Yes you can add a little bit of butter, sage, thyme, rosemary and of course that combo makes for a delicious turkey too, but pavochon is so incredibly delicious, it would be incredibly hard for me to make Thanksgiving turkey any other way!

So What is Pavochon?

Pavochon is the way turkey is seasoned and cooked in most Puerto Rican homes. It is the way I grew up having Thanksgiving turkey as a kid and the way I season and make my own Thanksgiving turkey today as an adult!

The word pavochon is twofold. Pavo, means turkey in Spanish and chon comes from the word lechon meaning roasted whole pig (which is seasoned and cooked on an open fire) because the turkey is seasoned with many of the same spices.

Sweet memories of childhood…

When Thanksgiving was a few days away, my precious mother would season and marinade the turkey in advance with the delicious mojo blend. Even while the turkey sat marinating in the refrigerator my mouth watered with anticipation!

Stuffed or Unstuffed Pavochon?

Every Puerto Rican household is different, some like to stuff the turkey others don’t.

While others simply prefer to have the stuffing on the side.

But the most traditional way to stuff this delicious turkey is with a blend of garlicky mofongo. This is just ridiculously delicious!

Ingredients and Spices

It always amazes me how with just a few common household spices you can make something so incredibly delicious! This is how I feel about Pavochon!

• Garlic: Garlic is the most important ingredient in this recipe and as so you will need lots and lots of it! YUM! Depending on the size of your turkey, you will need 1½ heads of garlic to 2 full heads of garlic.
• 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: Adobo, in Puerto Rican cooking is used on pretty much everything! It has delicious flavor and enhances any meat, rice, or beans dish. As such, adobo is a condiment that will always be found in a Puerto Rican kitchen! Thankfully because of its wonderful flavor, you can skip the salt and pepper if you like!
• 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.
• 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.

Yep that’s it, just a few ingredients added to a blender will produce the most flavorful moist and tender turkey you’ve ever had!

Key Notes to Keep in Mind

It is important to note that if you have a hard time finding certain ingredients in your market such as Sazon (found either in the Latin or International aisle of your market) it doesn’t mean you cannot make this recipe. I have made pavochon with just garlic, oregano and adobo and it is absolutely delicious!

How to Prepare Pavochon (Puerto Rican Style Turkey)

If your turkey is frozen, make sure to allot 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.

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Peel all the garlic and add to a blender with the oil, vinegar, oregano, crushed red pepper and sazon if using. Blend until smooth and forms a paste. Set aside.

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• Remove giblets from turkey cavity (sometimes giblets are also found in the neck pouch). Reserve giblets for gravy.
• Rinse both the inside and outside of turkey.
• Place turkey in a large enough aluminum tray or roaster pan.
• Using a knife, carefully make a few slits (cuts) about 1 inch deep to the back of the turkey, breast area, drumsticks and thighs.
• Using your hands, massage about a tablespoon of the mojo marinade inside the cavity and then sprinkle adobo to the inside as well. (Note: You may have to lift up turkey with one hand to be able to sprinkle adobo further inside of cavity)
• Using your hands again, add the mojo marinade all over the turkey, including in between skin and breast and making sure to add some mojo inside the slits you have made.
• Generously sprinkle adobo all over turkey.
• Make sure to also season giblets.
• Add giblets to pan and cover turkey with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for 24-48 hours.

Cooking Turkey

1. When you’re ready to cook the turkey, take out of refrigerator and let it sit on counter for 20 minutes while preheating oven.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Add a cup of water, chicken broth or beer to roaster.
4. Cover turkey with lid or aluminum foil.
5. Add turkey to oven and roast with giblets covered for 2 hours.
6. Remove lid or aluminum foil and continue roasting turkey until a meat thermometer reads 165F internal temperature. Note: If you notice the breast starts to color to fast or burn, use a piece of foil to cover the breasts but leave everything else exposed. Remove foil the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow the turkey to get fully golden brown.
7. Once turkey is done, remove from oven and let sit on kitchen counter for 20 minutes before carving.

Carving and Serving Pavochon (Puerto Rican Style Turkey)

If making gravy, first reserve one to two cups of broth and drippings that has collected in pan. Set aside until ready to make gravy. Next…

• Carefully lift turkey unto a carving board. Keep the rest of the turkey juices and drippings in pan.

• Cut and remove all the dark meat by cutting at the joints of wings, thighs and drumsticks. Cut thin slices off of the drumsticks and thighs or keep whole. Add pieces back to pan.

• With a good sharp knife, slice turkey breast into thin pieces. Add turkey breast slices back to pan.

• With a large spoon, pour juices from pan over all turkey pieces and breast for extra flavor.

• Serve turkey right out of pan or place in a serving dish and top with pan juices.

Turkey is ready to serve!

To Make Gravy

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 pan 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 to pot and whisk into broth until all lumps are gone. Add more cornstarch until desired consistency is reached.

Gravy is ready.

Typical Dishes Served with Pavochon (Puerto Rican Style Turkey)

Arroz con Gandules (Pigeon Peas and Rice)

Ensalada de Papa (Potato Salad)

Ensalada de Coditos (Macaroni Salad)

Sweet Potato Casserole (Cazuela de Batatas)

Pasteles

Here’s a Handy Cooking Chart

Depending on the size of your turkey, cooking time may take 3 to 5 hours.

📖 Recipe