Mexican Thanksgiving – Stuffed Suckling Pig or Pavo Borracho (Drunken Turkey)

Every Thanksgiving the big moment to decide comes: Do we want my sister Aida’s marvelous pavo borracho which is short on looks but big on taste or a traditional turkey that may or may not come out perfectly but the stuffing will be moist and delicious? Or do we want one turkey and a stuffed suckling pig? I’ll leave it for you to decide.

You might be wondering how the suckling pig option ever came up anyway.I always asked my Dominican employees what they were cooking for Thanksgiving and the always answered “un lechoncito”, a suckling pig;  So one day New York magazine calls to ask what we were cooking for Thanksgiving and I knew I could not say pavo borracho (they published the recipe first around 1987) or turkey and stuffing so I said a stuffed suckling pig. They did a whole article that Aaron and I collaborated on it. It’s still online and they feature the recipes that we actually prepare besides the turkey or pig.

Every year we divide the labor among the kids and myself but they will all be away this Thanksgiving so my friend Pedro and me will make the meal. I must confess that our menu is more traditional American than Mexican and I know you’ll love my friend Johnny’s sweet potato casserole that I’ve Mexicanized by making the topping with piloncillo (brown sugar cone) but you can use dark brown sugar.

I am not a dessert person so I’ve got to invite someone who is.