When most think of Thanksgiving. They do not typically imagine Puerto Rico. In Fact, Many visitors post questions asking if Thanksgiving is even celebrated. We are proud to inform you that not only is it celebrated. Puerto Rico has claimed many aspects of it as its own. Several dishes and recipes are very specific to Puerto Rico. Pavochon for example is turkey seasoned like a roasted pig or “Lechon”. The word is a portmanteau of pavo, meaning turkey, and lechón, meaning pig.
Every year growing up having Puertorican parents, although I was born and raised in California during the holidays my dad made the Thanksgiving turkey. I always would look at my friends and newcomers when they would taste my dad’s turkey and say wow that is a delicious and juicy turkey. We were a large bunch and he would always order 2- 50 lbs. Turkeys the largest the poultry house could find was sometimes 43 lbs. Never frozen, always fresh! He would make a special blend marinade and completely cover the Turkeys inside and out as well as under the skin. He would put them in the ovens on the lowest setting overnight. In the morning the house smelled like heaven! Now looking back I realized living in Puerto Rico it is the same marinade. Not only that he used that same marinade during Christmas on his Lechon. These past five years living in Puerto Rico, I kept hearing about Pavochon…It’s the same recipe dad used.
Puertorican Pavochon Turkey Breast
Ingredients
Puertorican Pavochon Breast
- 9 Lbs Turkey breast
- 2 Onions Cut in Half (to place the turkey on top of)
- 1 Cup Chicken Stock
Marinade
- 1 bunch of Cilantro
- 1 white onion (quartered)
- 1 Tbsp. Garlic Salt
- 1 Tbsp. McCormick Pepper
- 15 garlic cloves (Peeled)
- 1 Tbsp. Sazon
- 1 Cup Olive Oil
- ½ Cup White vinegar
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Prepare your roasting pan by getting enough aluminum foil to cover it.
- Place into the pan your 4 halves of onion, These will be used to place your turkey breast on. Then put it to the side.
- Wash and dry your Turkey Breast using paper towels.
- Prepare your turkey breast by gently pushing your fingers in between the skin and the breast.(This forms a pocket so that you can get your marinade into every nook and cranny.)
- Let’s prepare your marinade by retrieving your blender.
- Place all of the marinade ingredients into your blender. The Cilantro, white onion, garlic salt, pepper, garlic cloves, Sazon, Olive oil and Vinegar.
- Pulse until completely smooth like a paste.
- Place your marinade into a bowl. The bowl makes it easier to scoop the marinade with your hands.
- Place your turkey breast into your roasting pan.
- Using your hands completely enrobe your entire turkey breast with the marinade. Making sure you get inside and out of your Turkey cavity and under the skin as well.
- Gently lift the Turkey breast and Readjust your onions underneath. (For a visual, think of it as if your car was on cinder blocks missing the tires as our Turkey is missing its legs and wings.)
- Pour about 1 cup of Chicken stock on the side of the pan so as to not get any on the marinated Turkey Breast. This ensures moisture as well, and will be both absorbed by the Turkey and give us a nice gravy base.
- Cover your Turkey breast with your aluminum foil. Be sure to spray a non stick spray on the side that will be towards the turkey.
- Place in the oven and bake for 13 minutes each lb. in our case 2 ½ hours or until your thermometer reads 165 degrees and the liquid runs clear and not bloody.
- Remove the foil and roast for a few more minutes to get a golden color.
- Set your Turkey breast on a cutting board.
- Remove the gravy drippings and place in a pan or storage container to be used to make turkey gravy.
- Now you will just need to carve this bird and enjoy
