Recipes

Cuban-Style Turkey

The Daily Meal Staff|

Cuban-Style Turkey
4.5 (2 ratings)
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Season the normal turkey that you would serve to your family with Cuban flavors to add a new and different taste. This recipe is by Judy Hevrdejs was originally published in the Chicago Tribune. 
Prep Time
30
minutes
Cook Time
4
hours
Servings
15
Total time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 large head garlic, separated into cloves, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon each of ground black pepper, ground cumin, ground allspice, dried oregano, salt
  • 1 cup fresh bitter orange juice or equal parts orange and lime juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 12 to 15 pound turkey
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 6 half-ripe plantains, unpeeled, each cut in 3 pieces
  • 6 sweet potatoes, quartered
Directions
  1. Puree garlic, pepper, cumin, allspice, oregano, salt and juices in a blender.
  2. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil.
  3. Puree.
  4. Set aside 1/4 cup adobo mixture for basting; mix it with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
  5. Rub remaining seasoning mixture all over the turkey.
  6. Use your fingers to gently loosen skin around the breast and thighs, inserting some seasoning mixture under the skin.
  7. Place turkey in glass or plastic container; cover with plastic wrap.
  8. Refrigerate overnight.
  9. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  10. Transfer turkey to a deep roasting pan.
  11. Add broth to pan.
  12. Cover with aluminum foil; roast 2 1/2 hours.
  13. Remove foil; arrange plantains and sweet potatoes around the turkey.
  14. Replace the foil; roast, 30 minutes.
  15. Remove foil; continue roasting, basting frequently with the reserved adobo mixture and pan juices, 1 hour.
  16. Add water to the pan if needed.
  17. The turkey is ready when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees.
  18. Use remaining pan juices to make gravy.
 
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