Recipe

Roasted Whole Turkey With Gravy And My Mothers Stuffing Recipe

Add Step-by-Step Photos	Luisascatering / All my dishes 1 year, 2 months ago This is the one (and only) roasted turkey recipe I have used ever since my first time roasting a turkey. The technique with the cheesecloth produces a moist, flavorful turkey with crispy, mahogany colored skin. The stuffing is adapted from my mother'... More Prep:60m Cook:240m Servings:12	Luisascater
	thanksgiving turkey stuffing

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Ingredients

For Roasted Whole Turkey:

1 twenty- to twenty-one-pound fresh whole turkey, giblets discarded and neck removed from cavity and reserved. Note: Brine turkey over night with water, kosher salt (be generous) black peppercorns, bay leaf

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), melted, plus 4 tablespoons at room temperature

1 bottle dry white wine

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Mom's Stuffing:

2 bunches sliced green onions

6 stalks of celery, finely chopped

2 sticks unsalted butter

3 small packages of white mushrooms, finely chopped in food processor (you can use any type/mix of mushrooms)

4 bags Colombo brand French Bread Croutons (homemade french bread croutons are great too of course!)

Fresh thyme, rosemary, parsley and sage, chopped fine

Spice Island Poultry Seasoning (or use the little packets of seasoning that comes with bagged croutons)

Ground pork and chicken and homemade stock (below)

Kosher salt, freshly cracked black and white pepper to taste

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Ground pork and chicken and homemade stock:

4 whole Chicken breasts, with bone & skin

4 Pork loin chops, bone in center cut

Reserved turkey neck

1 onion, quartered

2 stalks of celery

Bouquet garni: whole allspice, parsley with stems, thyme, bay leaves and black, pink and white peppercorns (put all these things together in cheesecloth, making a big baggie, twist and secure with butcher’s twine)

Kosher salt

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Gravy: please see directions below

Directions

Homemade Stock:

Cover meat with water. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered for 1 hour, skimming off the scum that rises occasionally. Take off heat and let sit for another hour, uncovered.

Take meat off bones, discarding chicken skin. In batches, add pieces of meat to food processor and process until finely ground. Season with salt & pepper if needed. Reserve for stuffing.

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For Stuffing:

Sauté the celery, mushrooms and half the green onions in large skillet with butter until mushrooms have released most of their moisture, season with kosher salt & white pepper to taste. Transfer to large aluminum tray. Add ground meat and remaining green onions, stir to combine. Add french bread croutons, stir and add seasoning & herbs. Moisten with hot stock.

Note: If placing stuffing inside turkey, be careful not to over moisten with the stock, as the turkey will release juices as it bakes that will further moisten the stuffing.

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For Whole Roasted Turkey:

Remove thawed turkey from brine and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.

Heat oven to 450° with a rack on the bottom. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut into a 17-inch, four-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.

Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; using an instant-read thermometer later will give a more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity with as much stuffing as it will hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook any remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish at 375° ). Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.

Lift cheesecloth out of liquid and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp; reserve remaining liquid. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter-and-wine mixture. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.

After the third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use the butter-and-wine mixture. The skin will get fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.

After the fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, avoiding any bones. The temperature should reach 180° (stuffing should be between

140° and 160° ) and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.

When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter and let rest for about 30 minutes.

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For Gravy:

Pour all of the pan juices from turkey into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until fat rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off and reserve 1/4 cup. Add turkey fat to saucepan with 2 tablespoons of butter and 4 tablespoons of flour, making a roux. Add 1/2 cup dry white to the pan. Bring to a boil. Using a whisk, add reserved pan juices and some stock from the stuffing to pan until it is the consistency you like. Stir well and bring back to the boil. Lower heat to medium and add 1/4 cup cream. Season to taste with kosher salt and white pepper and cook for 10 minute more. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy. Pour into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey

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Comments

22566 1 year, 2 months ago said:
Thank-you for this wonderful sublime recipe of quality to celebrate our Autumnal Equinox.

This is a Holiday Dream Dinner!!

Thank-you very much.

Kind Regards

elgab89 1 year, 2 months ago said:
This IS the best stuffing recipe I have ever seen! And what a great idea to brine the turkey overnight. Brilliant! Luisa, you have done it again! 5+++++++

mango 1 year, 2 months ago said:
My new thanksgiving tradition!! LOL Sounds and looks wonderful. I will be trying this out, thanks

trigger 1 year, 2 months ago said:
I feel that when you brine the turkey overnight it improves the overall moisture and flavor.
High Five
Michael

shepherdrescue 1 year, 2 months ago said:
Wonderful recipes and beautiful picture! Thanks for sharing your family tradition with us!

jimrug1 1 year, 1 month ago said:
WOW.. This is amazing. I am for sure making this stuffing for my next turkey. Thanks for sharing your family recipe... High Five . Jim

PS I need another napkin. Your photos are still making my mouth water.... LOL

lunasea 1 year, 1 month ago said:
This is a wonderful recipe. I love the stuffing and can't wait to make a turkey this way. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe...you get a big 5 from me. :) Vickie

elgab89 1 year ago said:
******************************************************
THIS IS A BLUE RIBBON RECIPE
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THIS RECIPE HAS WON The October Main Dish - Turkey Contest:
BEST RECIPE

****** CONGRATULATIONS TO LUISASCATERING ******

conner909 1 year ago said:
Luisa, Thanks for taking so much time with this whole recipe, which will be invaluable to cooks! I've made my Homemade Turkey Stock and have it in the freezer (check it out...got some ideas for it from Julia Child). I too, still stuff the bird! i

conner909 1 year ago said:
Sorry, I hit the wrong button...what I was going to say is, I didn't know if stuffing a brined bird would make the stuffing come out too salty. Turkey day can be so daunting to novice cooks, and you certainly have done a great job with your directions! I usually add a compound butter between the skin and the turkey meat but like your cheesecloth idea better!

silverqueen 11 months, 1 week ago said:
Oh wish I had of found this recipe because I would have had it for Thanksgiving but there is always next year this is the best that I have ever heard going to save it for next year. Got my 5'er on this for sure thanks for a good post.

Queen

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