Get fired up for Salvadoran Roast Turkey. My husband is half Mexican and half El Salvadoran. That means I get fed REALLY WELL when I’m with his family. Both countries have amazing food. Mexican food is like super-delicious, rich, flavor-bursting food. El Salvadoran food is more like serious, at-home comfort food.
Salvadoran tamales are my favorite. The masa is made with chicken stock and they’re wrapped in a banana leaf that makes this really moist, creamy masa. Plus they’re usually stuffed with potatoes, green beans, garbanzo beans, shredded chicken.
Salvadoran Roast Turkey makes its way into most every family gathering around the holidays. So delicious and very uniquely flavored. It leaves you wondering what ingredients came together to make this mouthwatering flavor.
Okay, okay, okay, disclaimer. This recipe has been passed down to me directly from my Mother-in-law and her Aunt. As most recipes go – as they’re passed down, everyone has their own little spins and differences in how they’re served. This is strictly how my family does it. Which is, to be fair, authentic.
This El Salvadoran Roast Turkey is usually served on bolillo rolls (which are super easy to make and even easier to buy from a Mexican Mercado) with romaine lettuce, onions, and tomatoes. It’s kind of like a French dip because you WANT, no, NEED the sauce that comes off the bird, so you can pour it all over the sandwich. We have also made it with rice and it’s just as muy delicioso.
Once the Turkey has been fully cooked, cut the turkey and put the slices back into the salsa/sauce and keep warm. It makes this really delicious turkey stew and those flavors start to settle into the turkey flavoring every square inch. It even get’s better after a few days in the fridge.
El Salvadoran Roast Turkey
This family recipe for El Salvadoran Roast Turkey is both delicious and comforting. The perfect treat for any gathering or holiday party.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6–12 servings 1x
- Cuisine: Salvadoran
Ingredients
1 turkey, 12-20 pounds
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup mustard
1 can capers, drained
1 can green olives, drained
64 ounces chicken stock, or more as needed
3 dried bay leaves
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoons annato seeds
2 teaspoons whole peppercorns
1 28-ounce can of stewed, whole tomatoes
3/4 cup water
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 dry chili pods
1 teaspoon ground paprika
2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Blot the defrosted turkey with a paper towel and massage the skin with the butter and mustard. Pour the chicken stock into the bottom of the roaster and add the dried bay leaves. Place turkey into roaster breast side up without the rack and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
Toast the sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, annato seeds and peppercorns in a small saucepan until just fragrant and add to a blender container. Drain the liquid from the can of tomatoes into the blender container and add water, garlic, dried peppers, paprika, and salt. Blend until ingredients form a paste. Add the rest of the canned tomatoes to the blender and pulse until a salsa appears. Add in the capers and olives (don’t blend). You may need to add more water. The salsa should be thick but pourable.
After the turkey has cooked for 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 325 degrees and pour the blended tomato sauce over the entire turkey. Place turkey back into the oven and roast until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 170 degrees, generously basting every half hour. Turkeys typically cook 15 minutes per pound. Place foil over the turkey when it starts to darken. Let rest before carving.
To serve traditionally (recommended) – place the carvings back into the salsa to marinate together. Add in more stock as needed to thin out.
Or, carve and serve with the sauce on the side like gravy.
Notes
Typically served with Mexican bolillo rolls, romaine lettuce, and tomatoes.
Keywords: el salvadoran roasted turkey, el salvadoran, roasted, turkey
Merry Christmas all this is the first time that I will make this recipe. It looks yummmy and I hope it turns out the way it should but if not I will keep trying until perfection thank you
Yay!!! Makes me so happy!!!
Hi! I plan on making this for Thanksgiving and have a couple of questions (I’ve never cooked a turkey before!)
1) What kind of baking dish did you use? Did you set the turkey on a rack?
2) Did you do anything with the giblets?
3) Did you season the turkey skin with salt and pepper?
4) If you have any other tips, I’d reallllllly appreciate it!
Hey Sam!
1. This recipe lends itself to whatever you want to make it in. My Mother in law makes it in a large electric oven similar to a slow cooker. I’ve made it on a roasting pan with a rack. Just whatever you prefer.
2. I don’t use the giblets, you can save for stuffing if you’d like.
3. I did not season with salt and pepper.
4. My tip is to keep make it with as much broth or liquid as possible. It can dry out in the oven and it’s meant to be nice and juicy 🙂
Have fun!!!
Thanks for the recipe and comments. Reminds me of Don Pavo. You can make a stock from the giblets and have it hot on the stove for use. It comes in handy and never goes to waste
Karlee, I’m Salvadorian and was looking for recipes that seem like my mom’s and yours is close so I’m considering trying it to make a turkey for the first time. I haven’t tried the recipe yet so I can’t comment on that but just thought that I’d tell you that the term is usually Salvadorian or Salvadorean but Salvadoran is also used but not El Salvadoran. Someone from El Salvador is a Salvadorian, Salvadorean, or Salvadoran. No need for the El!
Awe, i’m so glad! I just updated the recipe with photos and a few baking tips! I made those corrections as well. I appreciate it!
Karlee
English is a weird language. I know other “Salvadorans” who seem to think that in English it’s necessary to end the adjective with “ian” or “ean”, but the correct adjective for a person from El Salvador or a thing from El Salvador is “Salvadoran”. (My ex is Salvadoran)
Love your recipe! My family enjoyed it!
★★★★★
Love this dish- Had it numerous times in Salvador around the holidays. I read the recipe several times and do not see where you incorporate the dried chilies…. 🙂
Thank you!
David
What would you serve with this as sides?
Thank you. The recipe sounds yummy
I finally got to make this recipe this weekend for Friendsgiving and let me tell you: it was the star of the danged show. Gone are the days of dry, flavorless turkey, y’all. The recipe came together in a flash -Karlee’s instructions made this so easy, especially for someone like me who doesn’t have a ton of experience cooking large birds for a crowd of 20+. I easily found the spice packet with bay leaves, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, annato paste, peppercorns and dried chili pods already measured out at a Hispanic grocery store. 100/100 will make this again. Thank you, Karlee!
★★★★★
I followed this recipe and loved it. My Salvadoran mother even liked it. The only difference is we did not have Annato seeds so I used a Goya achoate flavor packet and it worked fine. thanks for a great recipe.
★★★★★
Thanks for posting this recipe. I’m finally doing this for Thanksgiving. I’ll have to figure out some complimentary sides.