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Mexican Christmas Turkey

Name: Mexican Christmas Turkey
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 300 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 80 g Achiote; 1 tbsp Thyme; 500 g Minced beef; 60 g Butter; 2 White onion; 2 tbsp Salt; 8 cloves Garlic; 2 Apple; 1 tsp Black pepper; 2 Chipotle chilli; 1 pieza (4-5 kg) Turkey; 4 Orange; 1 tbsp Marjoram; 80 g Raisins; 100 g Almonds

300 min (60 prep + 240 cook) Hard 8 servings Nacional (México)

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 30 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Stuffed turkey with achiote and Mexican spices, the king of Christmas Eve.

Servings

Custom:

💰 Estimated cost: £12.80

£1.60 per person

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Ingredients

80 g Achiote~£0.20find
1 tbsp Thyme(Tomillo in Mexico)~£0.20find
500 g Minced beef(Carne molida de res in Mexico)~£4.00find
60 g Butter(Mantequilla in Mexico)~£0.80find
2 White onion(Cebolla blanca in Mexico)~£0.25find
2 tbsp Salt(Sal in Mexico)~£0.05find
8 cloves Garlic(Ajo in Mexico)~£0.25find
2 Apple(Manzana in Mexico)~£0.40find
1 tsp Black pepper(Pimienta negra in Mexico)~£0.20find
2 Chipotle chilli(Chile chipotle in Mexico)~£0.35find
1 pieza (4-5 kg) Turkey(Guajolote in Mexico)~£3.00find
4 Orange(Naranja in Mexico)~£0.40find
1 tbsp Marjoram(Mejorana in Mexico)~£0.20find
80 g Raisins(Pasas in Mexico)~£1.00find
100 g Almonds(Almendra in Mexico)~£1.50find

About this recipe

Roasted stuffed turkey marinated in achiote, tropical fruits and Mexican spices. The most celebrated main course of Christmas Eve, with a stuffing of minced beef, almonds and raisins that combines pre-Hispanic and colonial flavours.

History & Origin

The Christmas turkey is the most iconic dish of Mexican Christmas Eve (Nochebuena), a tradition dating back to colonial times when the Spaniards introduced the guajolote — the Nahuatl name for turkey — as a festive ingredient in religious celebrations. Paradoxically, this bird is native to Mexico and was taken to Europe by the conquistadors in the 16th century, where it became a symbol of festivity before returning to its homeland as the star of the Christmas dinner. In Mexico, the Nochebuena turkey is not a simple dish: it is an expression of culinary identity that fuses pre-Hispanic ingredients with techniques and flavours brought from the Mediterranean. Achiote, a seed of Mayan origin with its characteristic deep red colour and earthy flavour, becomes the heart of the marinade, contributing not only colour but a unique depth of flavour. Sour oranges from the Yucatan and aromatic spices such as thyme and marjoram complete this mixture that permeates the meat for hours. The stuffing is another story worth telling: a picadillo of minced beef enriched with almonds, raisins and apple reflects the Arab-Spanish influence that arrived in Mexico during the viceregal period. This combination of sweet and savoury is a hallmark of Mexican cuisine for grand occasions, also present in black mole and chile en nogada. Every Mexican family has its own version of the Christmas turkey. In the north of the country they prepare it with dried chillies and more intense spices; in the Yucatan, achiote pibil dominates; in the centre, as in this recipe, the capital's cuisine imposes its elegance with a balanced marinade and an abundant stuffing. Preparing this turkey is a family ritual that begins days before Christmas Eve, and its aroma when roasting fills the house with the promise of celebration.

Estimated cost

£30.00

Total cost

£3.75

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

480

Calories

52g

Protein

18g

Carbohydrates

22g

Fat

2.5g

Fibre

680mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Prepare the achiote marinade: dissolve the achiote paste in the juice of all 4 oranges. Add 4 crushed garlic cloves, half the finely chopped onion, the thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Finely chop the chipotle chillies and incorporate them into the mixture.
💡 The marinade should be well combined. You can blend everything for a uniform consistency.
2
Rub the turkey inside and out with the achiote marinade. Massage well so it penetrates every corner. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, ideally 24 hours.
💡 The longer it marinates, the more intense the flavour will be.
3
Prepare the stuffing: in a large frying pan, heat a little oil and sauté the remaining chopped onion with the garlic until translucent. Add the minced beef and cook until it changes colour.
4
Add the almonds, raisins and diced apple to the mince stuffing. Season with salt, pepper, thyme and marjoram. Cook for a further 5 minutes and leave to cool completely before stuffing the turkey.
💡 The stuffing must be cold to avoid cooking the inside of the turkey prematurely.
5
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. Fill the cavity without packing too tightly, as the stuffing expands during cooking. Close the cavity with cocktail sticks or kitchen twine.
6
Place the turkey on a roasting tin with a rack. Melt the butter and baste the entire turkey generously. Cover with foil and roast, calculating 45 minutes per kilogram of weight.
💡 A 4 kg turkey needs approximately 3 hours of cooking time.
7
At two-thirds of the cooking time, remove the foil to allow the turkey to brown. Baste with the pan juices every 30 minutes.
💡 If it browns too quickly, cover again with foil.
8
The turkey is ready when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching the bone) reads 75°C, or when the juices run clear when pierced.
9
Remove the turkey from the oven and leave it to rest covered with foil for 20-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute and the meat to remain more succulent.
💡 Resting is as important as cooking. Do not skip it.
10
Serve the carved turkey alongside the stuffing and the reduced pan juices as a gravy. Garnish with orange slices and fresh herbs.
💡 Accompany with mashed sweet potato, red rice and Nochebuena salad for a complete dinner.