Mexican-style stuffed Christmas turkey

What is it?

The Mexican Christmas turkey is one of the centrepieces of the Christmas Eve supper on 24 December, especially in households that keep the tradition of the formal Western banquet adapted to the national palate. It consists of a whole turkey (guajolote, native to Mexico) marinated for 24 hours in a mixture of orange juice, spices, ground ancho or guajillo chillies, garlic and herbs, and stuffed with a picadillo of minced meat (pork, beef or mixed) with dried fruit (raisins, prunes), walnuts, almonds, apple, plantain, and sometimes soaked bread. It is baked for several hours at a moderate temperature until golden, basted frequently with the marinade. Its flavour combines the juiciness of the marinated meat, the complexity of the sweet-savoury picadillo and the spiced notes of Mexican cooking.

Origin and history

The turkey, also called guajolote (from the Nahuatl huexolotl), is a bird native to Mexico, domesticated by Mesoamerican peoples since at least 800 BC. Bernardino de Sahagún documented in the Florentine Codex its ritual and food importance among the Mexica. The Spanish called it "hen of the Indies" and took it to Europe, where it became popular as a Christmas banquet bird. The Mexican Christmas turkey is thus a re-import: the tradition of eating it on Christmas Eve came from the European banquet (especially Anglo-Saxon) but the bird is originally Mexican. Larousse Cocina notes that Mexican-style stuffed turkey is a synthesis of traditions: the pre-Hispanic guajolote, the European technique of stuffing and the mestizo seasoning with chillies, spices and fruits. Mexico Desconocido records that the Christmas turkey became widely popular in Mexico during the twentieth century, especially with the spread of "Mexican-style turkey" recipes in family cookery magazines of the 1950s and 60s. Today it competes with bacalao for the role of star dish of Christmas Eve.

Characteristic ingredients

Preparation of the Mexican Christmas turkey begins 1-2 days in advance with the marinade or 'maceration': sour orange juice or orange with lime, ground garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, marjoram, thyme, bay leaves, ground ancho and guajillo chillies with a touch of chipotle for smoky depth, and sometimes white wine or tequila. The turkey (4-7 kg) is bathed in the marinade inside and out and refrigerated. The traditional stuffing combines minced meat sweated with tomato, onion, garlic, diced apple, raisins, chopped prunes, whole almonds, diced plantain, green olives, capers, bread soaked in milk or broth, bay leaves and spices. The turkey is stuffed just before baking and closed with cocktail sticks or sewn. It is baked in a large tray at 160-180 C for 4-6 hours according to weight, covered with foil for the first 3 hours, basting it with its juices. Variants include turkey with mole in place of the stuffing, or with a dark-beer marinade.

Cultural significance

The Christmas turkey is one of the strongest symbols of the Christmas Eve supper on 24 December in urban and upper-middle-class Mexican homes, an alternative to the traditional bacalao a la vizcaina. Its preparation is a long, festive process: the family buys the turkey days ahead (sometimes alive in traditional markets, as in the past), cleans it, marinates it, stuffs it and bakes it through the afternoon of the 24th, filling the house with unmistakable aromas that evoke Christmas. The turkey is presented whole at the table with side dishes (mashed potato, baked apple, ensalada de Nochebuena), carved in front of the diners as a ritual act. The Mexican turkey economy reaches its annual peak in December. Traditional Mexican cuisine was recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, and the guajolote (national native bird) is part of that heritage. The Christmas turkey represents the crossroads of traditions: a Mesoamerican bird, a European banquet, a mestizo national seasoning.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Mexican and American Christmas turkey?

The American turkey is marinated with salt, butter and fresh herbs and stuffed with seasoned bread stuffing, served with cranberry sauce and gravy. The Mexican turkey is marinated with ground dried chillies, orange, cumin and spices, and stuffed with a picadillo of meat with dried fruit and nuts. The American is more herbaceous and buttery; the Mexican more spiced, with a complex sweet-savoury flavour.

What does Mexican Christmas turkey taste like?

It tastes of deeply marinated turkey meat with citrus notes of orange, moderate heat from dried chillies (ancho, guajillo, chipotle), cumin, oregano and spices. The stuffing brings fruity sweetness (raisins, apple, plantain) and the crunch of almonds, with saline notes from olives and capers. The skin turns crisp and golden; the meat stays juicy. It is a deep, complex, festive dish.

How is Christmas turkey served?

It is served whole on a large platter in the centre of the Christmas Eve table, carved in front of the diners by the head of the family or the cook. Each portion includes meat (breast, leg or thigh), a generous spoonful of stuffing, and is accompanied by mashed potato, ensalada de Nochebuena, baked apple, gravy from its juices, warm bolillos and red wine or cider. The leftovers are used in sandwiches and tacos.

Where does the Christmas turkey come from?

The turkey (guajolote) is native to Mexico, domesticated by Mesoamericans before the conquest and documented by Sahagún in the sixteenth century. The Spanish took it to Europe, where it became a Christmas banquet bird. The Mexican Christmas turkey returned as a European-American tradition during the twentieth century, fusing with local techniques of marinating and stuffing with dried fruit and chillies, creating its own version.