Grandma's secret turkey recipe, mom's special cranberry dish, and Thanksgiving Day celebrations are a mixed bag of cherished, time-honored recipes and traditions. Although Thanksgiving is not exactly a Caribbean holiday, many people from the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and The U.S. Virgin Islands, in addition to Americans with Caribbean roots, do celebrate with their own special menus for the occasion. I created the following menu to highlight the foods commonly served at Thanksgiving, but with an island flare. I hope you enjoy the recipes enough to start a new tradition of your own.
1. Pavochòn - Roasted Turkey
Roasting a turkey for Thanksgiving as if it were lechòn (suckling pig) has been a tradition in Puerto Rico since the island became an American commonwealth and adopted the holiday. Normally, the meat of choice for the holidays is roasted suckling pork. So it only makes sense to combine the tradition of the islands with an American tradition and serve turkey that tastes like roasted pork for Thanksgiving. This flavor intensive recipe will go over well with the most discriminating of tastes.2. Pernil - Pork Roast
If you prefer to cook the traditional meat of choice for the holidays, here is a smaller version of a roasted pig. The recipe calls for roasting a shoulder picnic cut or butt roast. Leftovers make awesome cuban sandwiches.
