Turkey to the Dominican Stuff of Moro de Guandules

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Long ago turkey was an important part of our holiday traditions, and although it was never as popular as the pig, I have to say that the Turkey to the Dominican is firmly rooted in our tradition. There are even some Christmas songs that mention it

Over time the turkey became less common. Today we relate it more to American traditions, and our Roast Pork is the king of the holiday table. Even chicken is now more popular.

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My grandparents had turkeys on the farm. They certainly did not look like the turkeys we bought at the supermarket. They were thin and muscular. The meat was lean and flavorful, but tough, which is common in animals raised outside cages.

That is why the Dominican style of marinating for a long time works beautifully with this meat. It is a bit like the North American style of marinating in brine , only this brings much more flavor, and softens the meat enough.

And I'm going to surprise you with what I'm going to tell you ...

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I was never inspired by adding the Christmas turkey recipe to our collection. I do not know why. Or maybe I know; I always thought the turkey was a meat that does not inspire: dry and without much flavor

Already, I accept that I was wrong.

Let me tell you something: I am incredibly proud of how this recipe was. It worked wonderfully, and I have never changed my mind about a meal as dramatically as now, except when I grew up and stopped thinking that eggplants were the worst food in the world. I had never tasted such a rich turkey.

This turkey to the Dominican Stuffed Moro de Guandules is incredibly tasty, the flesh almost fell from the bone so tender, it is surprisingly juicy, and the Moor traps all those juices and flavors, it is like an explosion of flavor. It is not a secret that I am not a carnivore, but this dish I ate with all the gusto. I bet you will too.

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Recipe Pavo to the Dominican Stuffing of Moro de Guandules

Preparation

1 hrs

Cooking

3 hr

Total Time

4 hr

Recipe Pavo to the Dominican Stuffing of Moro de Guandules: Exquisitely seasoned, impossibly juicy, a tradition rediscovered and improved that will shine your Christmas table.

Serves : 8 servings

Author : Clara Gonzalez

Ingredients

For the Moor of Guandules

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cuban pepper , chopped
• 1 pinch of oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups boiled pigeons
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 cups rice

For the seasoning of the turkey

• 1 small onion chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup capers
• 3 tablespoons of salt
• 1 sprig of parsley
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cuban pepper , chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

For turkey

• A 9 lb [4 kg] turkey , thawed
• 1 tablespoon liquid to brown
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/3 cup butter , at room temp, divided amount

Instructions

For the Moor of pigeons

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cilantro, garlic, cubanela, oregano and salt and stir. Add the pigeons and cook stirring. When they are hot add the water.
2. When the water boils, add the rice and stir. Bake stirring regularly so the rice does not stick to the bottom. When the liquid has evaporated remove half of the rice and reserve to fill the turkey, cover the cauldron with the rest of the rice with a tight lid, lower the temperature to a minimum. Cook for 20 minutes, uncover and stir, peeling almost all the rice from the bottom and moving it up. Cover and cook for another five minutes.
3. Uncover and test, the rice should be firm but fully cooked. If necessary cover and cook for another five minutes. Put the rice in a serving dish and keep covered until it is dinner time.

For the seasoning of the turkey

1. Blend all ingredients to obtain a paste. 
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How to make Christmas turkey

1. Delicate and slowly take off the skin of the meat, taking care not to break it or make holes, take off as much as you can from the skin of the thighs (we are not removing the skin, just making room to season under the skin!).
2. With a sharp knife, make 4 holes on each side of the breasts (not on the skin) and fill the holes with seasoning. Spread the rest of the seasoning under the skin and into the cavity. Put the turkey in a container with lid and let stand in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
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3. Heat oven to 325 ° F [160 ° C].
4. Get the turkey out of the fridge. Spread under the skin with butter. Put some butter in the holes you made in the breast, reserve the rest of the butter.
5. Mix the liquid to brown with the water. Paint all turkey skin with this one.
6. Stuff the turkey with the medium-cooked rice that you removed before covering the rice. Put the turkey in a baking dish with wire tray (see notes). Stretch the skin of the turkey to cover it completely. Tie thighs with cooking thread, glue the wings to the sides, tying them with more thread. Paint the skin with butter, reserve the remaining butter.
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7. Cook the turkey in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, painting the skin with butter every half hour. When the two-and-a-half hours pass, try a meat thermometer, you should measure 165 ° F [74 ° C] when key to breast bone and between thigh and breast. If it has not reached that temperature, return to the oven for another 20 minutes and test the temperature again.
8. If you do not have a thermometer for meat, when they pass the 2 1/2 nails with a knife between the thigh and body and the juice should not have traces of blood and the meat is not pink, otherwise it is baked for 20 minutes more and try with the other thigh past this time.
9. Once cooked, remove from the oven and cover with foil. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.
10. Serve with the rice that you finished cooking in the cauldron. When you are serving mix both rices.