Relleno de Pavo de Carne Molida
Thanksgiving and Christmas mean turkey. And, turkey needs stuffing. This recipe for Mexican Style turkey stuffing comes from my wife’s family which is originally from Tamaulipas a state in Northeast Mexico.
Mexican turkey stuffing is usually made with ground beef and pork and without any breadcrumbs. This is a stovetop stuffing. You don’t cook it in the oven with the bird. You can make it a day ahead of time and it will taste even better. Just reheat and serve. Provecho!
How to Make
This recipe is labor-intensive but easy to make. Make sure that you have all of the ingredients on hand before starting.
You will need:
- ½ lb. ground beef
- ½ lb. ground pork
- 7 ounces bacon
- 3 hotdogs
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup pitted prunes
- 1 large white onion
- 4 celery stalks
- 2 red apples
- 1 cup sliced green olives
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp. thyme
- 1 ½ tsp. salt + to taste
- 1 ½ cups white wine
Chop Everything First
First, you need to chop all of the ingredients as shown: Roughly chop the pecans, almonds, and prunes. Chop the onion, apple, and celery into ¼″ pieces. Chop the hotdogs and bacon into ¼″ pieces. Finely chop the garlic. Leave the raisins whole.
Cooking
Over medium heat, fry the bacon until it starts to brown. (About 5 minutes)
Add the chopped onions. Cook until they just start to brown. (About 5 minutes)
Add the ground meats to the pan.
Break up the meat with a spatula.
Cook the meat until it is no longer pink then add the chopped hotdogs. In Northern Mexico, it is common to add chopped hotdogs. In other parts of the country, chorizo is preferred.
Mix and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped celery and garlic.
Mix and cook for 5 minutes.
Add all of the remaining ingredients to the pan. Mix well.
Cover your pan with aluminum foil or a lid. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Remove the foil but don’t discard. Mix the stuffing well. Add ¼ white wine or water if the stuffing is getting dry. Cover again with the lid or aluminum foil and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and check the salt. Add more salt if needed.
Looks good, doesn’t it?
Try this stuffing at your next holiday meal.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Mexican Turkey Stuffing (Dressing)
Ingredients
- ½ lb. ground beef
- ½ lb. ground pork
- 7 ozs. bacon
- 3 hotdogs
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 cup whole almonds
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup pitted prunes
- 1 large white onion
- 4 large celery stalks
- 2 large red apples
- 1 cup sliced green olives
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp. thyme
- 1 ½ cups white wine
- 1 ½ tsp. salt + to taste
Instructions
Prepping the Ingredients
- Roughly chop the pecans, almonds, and prunes.
- Chop the onion, apple, and celery into ¼" pieces.
- Chop the hotdogs and bacon into ¼" pieces.
- Finely chop the garlic. Leave the raisins whole.
Cooking
- Over medium heat, fry the bacon until it starts to brown. (About 5 minutes)
- Add the chopped onions. Cook until the onions until they just start to brown. (About 5 minutes)
- Add the ground meats to the pan. Break up the meat with a spatula.
- Cook the meat until it is no longer pink then add the chopped hotdogs. Mix and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped celery and garlic. Mix and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients to the pan. Mix well.
- Cover your pan with aluminum foil or a lid. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.
- Remove the foil but don't discard. Mix the stuffing well. Add ¼ white wine or water if the stuffing is getting dry.
- Cover again with the lid or aluminum foil and cook for another 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and check the salt. Add more salt if needed.
Notes
- Large frying pan or Dutch oven.
- You can substitute 6 ounces of chorizo for the hotdogs.
Nutrition
Other Holiday Recipes
- Beef Tenderloin with a 3 Chile Sauce
- Vegan Strawberry Tamales
- Hot Chocolate
- Kahlua Hot Chocolate
- Chiles en Nogada
- Homemade Tortilla Chips
jennifer rose` says
What is it with Mexicans and their infatuation with hot dogs? Not one of the Mexican cookbook stars ever mentions hot dogs, but they’re found in just about everything short of gelatina in Mexican home cooking.
Veronica says
We can say the same thing about whites and their infatuation with kale. Hot dogs are rarely used in everyday Mexican recipes (a holiday dish like this being the exception).
Angelica Maralason says
Can I stuffed the turkey with the fully cooked Mexican stuffing? I just think it’ll add taste but not sure whether or not i should
Douglas Cullen says
We have always cooked it separately and served it separately. You could add the fully cooked stuffing to the fully cooked turkey just as you are ready to serve at the table. That would make a really nice presentation. Cheers!
Jennifer Chesnut says
We’ve always added the stuffing in the turkey and then add any extra into the same roasting pan as the turkey while it cooks. Ours was a little different, no hot dogs, and the only nuts added were peanuts. You can definitely tweak it to what your family likes.
Beck & Bulow says
like to a pot luck event? Pop em back in the regular oven or micro for a bit just to reheat? They look really yummy can’t wait to try them! I only gave it three stars because I have not actually tried them yet. like to a pot luck event? Pop em back in the regular oven or micro for a bit just to reheat? They look really yummy can’t wait to try them! I only gave it three stars because I have not actually tried them yet.