This Puerto Rican-style stuffed turkey breast is a perfect roast to add to your holiday table! It’s a recipe inspired by Pavochon, a turkey (pavo) prepared like a traditional pork roast (lechon) and usually stuffed with mashed plantains (mofongo). This recipe is for half a turkey breast. It’s made fragrant with a citrusy Puerto Rican marinade and earthy spices. It’s then stuffed with a mushroom picadillo. Feel free to use a whole turkey breast, just scale up the ingredients for every three pounds of bird.
Ingredients
Turkey Breast
1 3 lb skin-on turkey breast roast
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground annatto (achiote), divided
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3/4 tablespoon salt, plus an additional ¼ tablespoon
1/3 cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup of fresh-squeezed lime juice
⅓ cup of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
Mushroom Picadillo
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 cups yellow onion, fine dice
3 teaspoons salt, divided
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup sofrito
2 red bell pepper, fine dice
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sazon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 lbs finely chopped mushrooms (1 lb portabella, 1 lb white, 1 lb oyster)
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1 cup Spanish olives (the kind with pimento in them) chopped
1 cup prunes, chopped
2 tablespoons sherry
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 and 1/2 cups tomato sauce
Directions
STEP 1
Wash and dry the turkey breast. Place on a cutting board so the inside of the breast is facing up. Butterfly the turkey breast and pound it out to a 1 ½ inch thickness.
STEP 2
In a mortar and pestle crush the garlic into a paste. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of ground annatto, coriander, cumin, oregano, pepper, and salt. Mix until pasty. Rub this mixture into the incisions and all over the turkey breast, over and under the skin.
STEP 3
Place the breast in a resealable plastic bag. Add the citrus juices. Place the bag in your fridge and let the breast marinate overnight.
STEP 4
Figure out how long your turkey breast needs to cook. For a boneless breast, you’ll need to roast it for 12 minutes for every pound. You’ll need an additional 20 minutes for resting. Take the turkey breast out of the fridge an hour before you have to start cooking it, and let it come up to room temperature. Place your oven racks on the lowest setting and pre-heat to 400 degrees. Use an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is running at temp.
STEP 5
While the turkey breast is coming up to temp, make the mushroom picadillo. Sweat onions in olive oil with 1 teaspoon salt, then add garlic. When aromatic add peppers and sofrito, stirring occasionally until softened.
Add oregano, sazon, the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, pepper, and mushrooms. Add capers, olives, prunes, sherry, vinegar, and tomato sauce. Salt to taste. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms have cooked through.
STEP 6
Once the turkey breast is at room temperature, remove it from the bag and set it skin-side down on a cutting board. Discard the marinade. Pat the breast dry with paper towels.
STEP 7
Turn the breast over so it is skin side up. Pat it dry with paper towels. Mix the remaining teaspoon of annatto and the ¼ tablespoon of salt into the softened butter until a bright orange paste forms. Rub the softened butter under and over the skin of the breast.
Turn the breast skin side down again. Spread mushroom picadillo along the inside of the turkey breast in an even layer. Roll up the breast and tie it together with kitchen twine.
Set the breast on a roasting pan with a rack in it. Cover with foil and place in your oven.
STEP 8
Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Remove foil in the last half hour so the breast can get that deep golden brown. The breast is done when a meat thermometer (preferably digital) reads 160 degrees. The turkey breast will continue cooking as it rests and will reach the desired 165 degrees.
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