Pavochón Recipe: How to Make a Puerto Rican Thanksgiving Turkey

In Puerto Rico, Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, just like in the States—but with island flavor. The turkey doesn't arrive at the table like in the movies: it arrives seasoned like a pernil, with garlic, oregano and crackling skin. That's pavochón, half pavo (turkey), half lechón (roast pork), and it's the dish that turns Thanksgiving into a Puerto Rican celebration.

Here's a step-by-step pavochón recipe, how to size your turkey, what to serve with it and how to send leftovers home without the hassle.

What is pavochón?

Pavochón is turkey prepared with the marinade and technique of Puerto Rican roast pork: crushed garlic goes under the skin, it marinates for a day or two, and it roasts until the skin is golden and crisp. Some families stuff it with mofongo or a ground-meat stuffing; others roast it unstuffed and serve mofongo on the side.

The result is a juicy turkey with all the flavor of Christmas pernil—so good that in many homes on the island and in the diaspora it has replaced the traditional turkey entirely.

Pavochón ingredients and marinade

For a 12- to 14-pound turkey:

• 1 turkey, 12 to 14 pounds, fully thawed
• 1 whole head of garlic (about 12 to 15 cloves), peeled
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons salt (adjust if your adobo already contains salt)
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar or the juice of one sour orange
• Optional: 2 tablespoons sofrito and a packet of sazón

Crush the garlic with the salt in a pilón into a paste, then stir in the oregano, pepper, oil and vinegar. If your pilón is small, work in batches: adobo tastes better crushed than blended.

How to make pavochón, step by step

1. Thaw ahead. In the fridge, a turkey needs about one day for every 4 to 5 pounds. A 14-pound bird can take three days.
2. Dry and pierce. Remove the giblets, pat the turkey dry and make small, deep cuts in the breasts and thighs.
3. Season inside and out. Loosen the skin with your fingers and rub the marinade underneath, into the cuts and inside the cavity. Rub the rest on the outside.
4. Marinate. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours. This is the step that gives it that lechón flavor.
5. Set up the pan. Move the turkey to an aluminum turkey pan. It's disposable, so it saves you scrubbing; set it on a sturdy sheet pan so it doesn't bend when you lift it.
6. Roast covered. Cover with foil and roast at 325°F, basting with its juices every hour.
7. Uncover for crackling. For the last hour, remove the foil and raise the oven to 375°F so the skin turns golden and crisp.
8. Rest before carving. Let it rest 20 to 30 minutes, loosely covered, so the juices settle.

Cooking time and temperature

As a general guide, at 325°F an unstuffed turkey takes about 13 to 15 minutes per pound; stuffed, a little longer. But the clock is only a reference—internal temperature rules. The turkey is done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone, reads 165°F. If it's stuffed, the center of the stuffing must also reach 165°F.

The Puerto Rican Thanksgiving table

Pavochón rarely arrives alone. On a Puerto Rican Thanksgiving table you'll usually find:

• Arroz con gandules, the same rice that stars at Christmas.
• Mofongo, as stuffing or as a side. See our mofongo recipe.
• Potato salad and, in many homes, guineítos en escabeche.
• For dessert, tembleque, flan or arroz con dulce—and to close, the season's first coquito.

To dress the table without spending much, Puerto Rico placemats give every setting an island touch. And to plan ahead for the holidays, see our guide to Puerto Rican Christmas food.

Leftovers: how to store and share them

In a Puerto Rican home, nobody leaves empty-handed. To share leftovers well and keep them safe:

• Refrigerate within two hours. Anything left on the table should be in the fridge within two hours.
• Portion it. Small portions cool faster and reheat better. Bandeja Boricua 25 oz containers hold a plate of pavochón and rice, and they're inexpensive enough to send every guest home with one.
• Eat within a few days. Refrigerated turkey leftovers are best eaten within three to four days. Otherwise, freeze them.
• Label it. Write what it is and the date on the lid. You'll thank yourself in December.

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Pavochón FAQ

What is pavochón?

Turkey seasoned and roasted like Puerto Rican lechón: garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, oil and vinegar, marinated for a day or two and roasted until the skin is crisp.

How long should pavochón marinate?

Ideally 24 to 48 hours in the fridge. Less time still works, but the flavor won't go as deep.

What do you stuff pavochón with?

Most often mofongo or a ground-meat stuffing. You can also roast it unstuffed and serve mofongo on the side.

When is Thanksgiving in Puerto Rico?

The fourth Thursday of November, same as in the U.S. In 2026 it falls on November 26.

What size turkey do I need?

As a rule of thumb, plan on about a pound and a half per person if you want leftovers to share.