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Carved and plated sooked whole turkey with deep dark Peruvian marinade and lemon slices and herbs as decoration.
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Peruvian-Style Whole Turkey Recipe

This Peruvian-style whole turkey recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. The marinade and stuffing are a true flavor explosion and the turkey ends up nice and juicy.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Peruvian
Keyword christmas turkey, roast turkey, thanksgiving turkey, turkey recipe, whole turkey
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours 45 minutes
brining time 12 hours
Total Time 16 hours 45 minutes
Servings 16 people
Calories 609kcal

Ingredients

  • 14-16 lbs whole turkey
  • 1/2 cup sea salt
  • 1 cup aji panca
  • 1/2 cup aji amarillo
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • 1 Tbsp oregano
  • pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup pisco
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 1 cup jasmin white rice
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 cup red onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp aji amarillo
  • 1 lbs lean ground beef
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
  • apple sauce for serving
  • lemon for decoration
  • fresh herbs for decoration

Instructions

  • Brine the turkey: Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity of the turkey. Add 1/2 cup of salt into a giant pot or bucket filled with water and stir. Then place the turkey into the pot or bucket breast side down. You want the whole or at least most of the turkey submerged in water. Cover it with cling film and place it in the fridge overnight. You want to brine the turkey for at least 12 hours.
  • Dry the turkey: Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it under cold running water to remove excess salt. This is a messy job so wear an apron and make sure you disinfect your sink and faucet and handles and counter around the sink after. Then dry the turkey with paper towels until it's super super super dry and place it in a large roasting pan and set it aside.
  • Make the marinade: Add aji panca, aji amarillo, crushed garlic, Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup sea salt, 1 Tablespoon cumin and 1 Tablespoon oregano, pepper, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, and pisco to a large bowl and whisk until well combined.
  • Marinate: Add the marinade all over the turkey and use your hands to work it into every nook and cranny, then set the turkey aside for one hour on the counter. Do not return to the fridge.
  • Prepare the yellow rice: Add 1 cup Jasmin rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric, and 1 cup water to the Instant Pot and mix it. Then set the Instant Pot to 3 minutes on high pressure and let pressure release naturally. If you need stovetop instructions leave a comment and I'll explain.
  • Prepare stuffing: In the meantime, prepare the stuffing by preheating a large pan over medium heat and once hot add a drizzle of oil and stir fry the chopped onions and garlic in it until translucent. Then add a teaspoon of aji amarillo as well as the ground beef and break the beef up a little before seasoning with sea salt, pepper, and cumin. Fry the meat until it's nice and brown. Then add peanuts, raisins, and chopped parsley, as well as the yellow rice which should be ready by now, and mix well. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven and stuff the turkey: About 10-15 minutes before the one-hour marinating time of the turkey preheat the oven to 450°F. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the ground beef rice stuffing we just prepared. Then add slices of cold butter all over the turkey and also add 1 cup water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Roast and baste the turkey: Add the turkey to the oven and IMMEDIATELY REDUCE THE HEAT TO 325°F!! Set a timer every 30 minutes to baste it. Use a baster to suck up the juices collecting in the bottom of the pan and drizzle them all over the turkey.
  • Measure the internal temperature: The turkey needs to roast for approximately 15 minutes per pound. About 30 minutes before your calculated time start measuring the internal temperature at the thickest part of the breast by sticking the meat thermometer in horizontally from the neck/shoulder towards the thickest part. Once it reaches 155°F take the turkey out of the oven.
  • Rest the turkey then carve and plate it: Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving it. For carving and plating instructions please watch the video.
  • Serve: Serve the turkey with the stuffing on the side and some apple sauce on top.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 609kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 70g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 228mg | Sodium: 5834mg | Potassium: 948mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg