Pavo Enchilado (Mexican Roast Turkey)
This Pavo Enchilado is a Mexican-inspired Thanksgiving turkey infused with homemade red chile sauce and coated with a sweet and savory apricot-butter mixture. Red chile sauce is injected into the breasts and thighs for flavor from the inside out, while apricot preserves, butter, and fresh aromatics give this roasted turkey a delicious balance of savory and sweet. A festive holiday centerpiece straight from my Muy Bueno Fiestas cookbook!
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Equipment
- large roasting pan with rack
- meat injector
- small mixing bowl
- aluminum foil
- instant-read meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey 12 to 14 pounds, thawed
- 1 orange halved
- 1 white onion coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- ⅔ ounce fresh poultry herb blend
- ½ cup apricot preserves
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 cups Red Chile Sauce
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Prepare the turkey. Remove the turkey from its packaging. Locate and remove the neck and giblets from the body cavity and reserve for another use, if desired.
- Add the aromatics. Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Tuck the wing tips beneath the turkey. Fill the cavity with the orange halves, onion, garlic, and fresh herbs.
- Prepare the apricot butter. In a small bowl, combine the apricot preserves and softened butter. Carefully loosen the skin over the breast meat with your fingers. Spread a thin layer of the mixture beneath the skin, then smooth the skin back into place. Rub the remaining apricot butter evenly over the outside of the turkey.
- Inject the red chile sauce. Using a meat injector, inject 1 cup of red chile sauce into the breasts and thighs, spacing the injections evenly and using approximately 4 tablespoons per location.
- Season the turkey. Drizzle the remaining 2 cups of red chile sauce evenly over the turkey. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate immediately for up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven. Preheat to 450°F. If the turkey was refrigerated overnight, remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before roasting.
- Roast. Pour the chicken broth into the roasting pan. Cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil. Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350°F. Roast for approximately 2¾ to 3 hours, rotating the pan from back to front every hour.
- Check for doneness. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Also check the thickest part of the breast and innermost part of the wing. All three locations should reach 165°F.
- Rest and serve. Transfer the turkey to a large platter and let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Red chile sauce: Prepare my homemade Red Chile Sauce in advance. You'll need 3 cups for this recipe. Make sure the sauce is smooth enough to pass through your meat injector.
- No roasting rack? Arrange celery ribs in a rack-like pattern on the bottom of the roasting pan and place the turkey on top.
- Save the giblets: The neck, giblets, and turkey drippings can be used to make homemade giblet gravy.
- Roasting time: Plan on approximately 13 minutes per pound at 350°F for an unstuffed turkey, but always use a meat thermometer to determine doneness. The cavity contains aromatics rather than bread stuffing.
- Make ahead: Prepare the turkey up to the night before, cover, and refrigerate immediately. Roast the following day.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate cooked turkey within 2 hours and enjoy within 3 to 4 days, or freeze for 3 to 4 months for best quality.
Nutrition
Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 72g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 245mg | Sodium: 1247mg | Potassium: 874mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 715IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 4mg