Raúl: Cuban Americans celebrate Thanksgiving just like all Americans do!
Jorge: We eat turkey and have a big feast.
Raúl: And a lot of Cubans watch the football games on television after dinner!
Jorge: In Miami, a "Cubanized" version of the traditional bird is very popular.
Raúl: Just like many of the favorites, everybody has their own special recipe for this dish!
Jorge: This is the one we use at home.
Glenn: The secret to a great turkey? Start with a good, premium brand turkey.
Raúl: If you can get a fresh turkey from your butcher, great!
Glenn: We have also had good luck with the "Butterball" brand.
Jorge: Obviously, a frozen turkey needs to be completely thawed (following package directions) before you begin this recipe.
Glenn: You can increase the amount of marinade and stuffing to handle just about any size bird.
One medium (8-12 lb.) turkey, neck and giblet packets removed.
Marinade:
- 8 garlic cloves mashed with 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/3 cup sour orange juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
Moros:
- 1 1/2 cups dried black beans
- 1/4 cup olive oil for sautéing
- 6 strips of bacon, chopped
- 2 1/2 cups white onion, diced
- 2 1/2 cups green peppers, seeded and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups long-grain white rice
To Cover Turkey Right Before Cooking:
- 1/2 pound of bacon, sliced thick
- 1/2 cup white wine
Mix together all of the marinade ingredients. Rub the turkey inside and out with the marinade. Place the turkey in a roasting pan, cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Cover the dry beans with about four cups water in a two-quart saucepan. DON'T add any salt yet! Bring to a boil, and boil for three minutes. Remove from the heat and let it stand, covered for one hour.
Drain and rinse the beans. Add enough water to cover once again and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and cook until tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Drain.
Rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear.
Use a large, eight-quart covered stockpot. Sauté the bacon, onion and green pepper in the olive oil until tender. Add the garlic, and sauté another minute or two. Add the tomato paste, black beans, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, and vinegar. Cook for about five minutes, stirring gently.
Add the chicken stock and the rinsed rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and for about 20-30 minutes, or until rice is fully cooked.
Finally, adjust the seasonings by adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf.
Stuff the turkey with the moros. Cover the turkey with bacon slices and pour white wine over the top of the turkey. For best results, follow the cooking instructions that come with the turkey. In general, roast the turkey at 325° F until fully cooked. (Check with a meat thermometer -- poultry setting). DO NOT OVERCOOK!
Remove the bacon during the last 20 minutes to allow the skin to brown!
