Roast Turkey And Bread Stuffing Recipes

Steps:

• For stuffing, in a medium saucepan cook celery, mushrooms, and onion in butter until tender but not brown, remove from heat.
• Stir in sage, pepper, and salt.
• Place dry bread cubes in a large mixing bowl, add onion mixture.
• Drizzle with enough broth or water to moisten, tossing lightly.
• Season body cavity of turkey with salt.
• Spoon some stuffing LOOSELY into the neck cavity.
• Pull the neck skin to the back, fasten with a skewer.
• LIGHTLY spoon more stuffing into the body cavity (place any remaining stuffing into a casserole, cover and chill. Dot with butter and bake alongside turkey for 35-45 minutes or until heated through).
• Tuck the ends of the drumsticks under the band of skin across the tail.
• If the band of skin is not present, tie the drumsticks securely to the tail.
• Twist wing tips under the back.
• Place turkey, breast side DOWN, on a rack in a shallow roastng pan.
• Brush with oil.
• Cover turkey loosely with foil.
• Roast turkey in a 325 degree oven for 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a meat thermometer placed into the center of a thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 180 degrees. Make sure center of stuffing reads 165 degrees.
• After about 1 1/2 hours, turn the turkey over so that it is breast side up.
• Brush breast side with oil.
• After 2 1/2 hours, cut loose drumsticks so that thighs will cook evenly.
• When done, drumsticks should move very easliy in their sockets and their thickest parts should feel soft when pressed.
• Uncover the last 30 minutes of roasting.
• To make dry bread cubes: cut bread into 1/2 inch squares.
• (12-14 slices of bread for 8 cups cubes) Place in a brown paper bag and close loosely.
• Let stand 3-4 days, mixing up by hand each day until thoroughly dry.
• OR, spread bread cubes onto a large cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 300 degrees 10-15 minutes or until dry, stirring twice.
• Cool.
• I highly recommend using homemade white bread (by hand or bread machine) for the bread cubes.
• You will be AMAZED at the difference in texture!

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 500 degrees.
• Make the stuffing: chop together (by hand or in a small food processor) the butter, liver and parsley; stir in the shallots and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread half the mixture on 4 of the bread slices; top each with another slice of bread, then spread the remaining mixture on the outsides of the sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into 6 pieces.
• Rinse the turkey and remove the giblets. Sprinkle the bird with salt and pepper to taste. Loosely pack the turkey cavity with the stuffing, and then tie the legs together to enclose the vent.
• Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the pan, along with the turkey neck, gizzard and any other trimmings. Place in the oven, legs first.
• Roast 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top begins to brown, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees. If the bottom dries out, add water to coat the bottom of the pan. Continue to roast, checking every 30 minutes or so; if the top browns too quickly, lay a piece of aluminum foil on it. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees. If, when the turkey is nearly done, the top is not browned enough, turn the heat back up to 425 degrees for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.
• Remove the turkey from the oven. Take it off the rack, and make sherry reduction gravy (see recipe) while the bird rests for about 20 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• In a non-stick skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Allow bacon to cool and crumble. Add onions and celery to bacon fat and cook until tender. Stir in mushrooms and cook until golden. Stir in seasonings. Remove skillet from heat and let cool.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Soak 3 cups stuffing croutons in water. Squeeze out water from croutons so that they are moist but not soggy. In a large bowl, combine dry and moist croutons with onion mushroom mixture. Mix in eggs and moisten with water if necessary. Fill cavity of turkey with stuffing. Cover opening of cavity with foil. Tuck wings under turkey. Make a small slit in neck skin and tuck legs through slit to secure. Transfer leftover stuffing to a baking dish, cover with foil and bake alongside turkey. (This may need to be moistened.) Place stuffed turkey in roasting pan. Rub turkey with butter and season. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue roasting for approximately 3 hours or 15 to 20 minutes per pound. Baste the turkey with its drippings occasionally as it cooks. Turkey is done when pricked with a knife on the thigh the juices run clear. When turkey is done, transfer to a cutting board and cover with foil. Allow turkey to rest so that juices can be reabsorbed. Place roasting pan over medium high heat. Skim off excess fat with a spoon and reserve in a bowl. Add 3 cups hot chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. In a small dish, combine into a paste 3 tablespoons flour with 3 tablespoons of reserved fat. Whisk flour mixture into simmering gravy. Season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a small bowl combine all the dried herbs together. Rub the turkey parts with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then rub with all of the dried herbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the turkey in 1 layer in a large roasting pan.
• Put the turkey in the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the thigh reads 160 to 165 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered with aluminum foil. It's ready to serve in 10 to 15 minutes, but can stand, covered, for up to 1 hour so that the stuffing or other side dishes can be completed. Transfer to a serving platter.
• Meanwhile heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, apples, and celery and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley, sage, and thyme and stir to coat the apples and vegetables with the herbs. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the cubed bread and the warm chicken broth. Toss to combine and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Transfer the stuffing mixture to a 5 by 8-inch baking dish and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F until golden brown on top, about 45 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• Fill a large bowl with water and add the leeks, swish around with your hands to get the sand out from in between the layers. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. Add the leeks, sprinkle with the thyme, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, turning every now and then, until the leeks are softened but not colored. Remove the leeks from heat to cool.
• In a large bowl combine the leeks, cornbread, and chicken stock and season with salt and pepper.
• Use a sharp, thin knife to cut down the length of the turkey cutting the breast parallel to the board, almost in half just stopping short of the outside edge. Open out the 2 halves as if you were opening a book. Now you've got a large piece of meat that will cook evenly and is thin enough to roll. Place 2 cups of the stuffing inside each of the breasts and then fold the turkey back over.
• Place the remaining stuffing in a small baking dish and cook alongside the turkey.
• Tie in 4 places with kitchen twine and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a roasting pan over medium-high heat. Put the turkey in the roasting pan and sear all over. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for about 25 minutes (internal temperature should reach 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). Take the turkey out of the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut crosswise into slices.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a pie pan.
• In a bowl, mix cornmeal and water and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the egg and vegetable oil into the wet cornmeal; stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until just combined and pour into the prepared pie pan.
• Bake the cornbread in the preheated oven until lightly browned and a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
• Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes per side; drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon when cool. Stir the onion, garlic, celery, red bell pepper, poultry seasoning, sage, and oregano into the bacon drippings left in the skillet; cook and stir until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
• Remove cooled cornbread from the pie pan and cut into small cubes; place into a large bowl and mix in the rye bread cubes. Stir the bacon and cooked vegetables into the stuffing until well combined; drizzle the chicken broth into the dressing, stirring to evenly moisten the bread cubes.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey into a large roasting pan with a lid. Fill the body and neck cavities loosely with stuffing, folding the neck skin over the stuffing and securing in place with toothpicks. Place any leftover stuffing onto a large square of aluminum foil and fold and seal the edges to enclose the stuffing. Refrigerate stuffing packet until about 45 minutes before serving time.
• Place the turkey in the oven, and roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 180 degrees F (80 degrees C), 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Remove lid after about 2 1/2 hours to brown skin. Baste occasionally with pan drippings. About 45 minutes before serving, bake the extra stuffing if desired.

Steps:

• Prepare Turkey:
• Rub salt all over turkey, inside and out. Cover turkey with cold water and let sit for one hour in the sink (this will get rid of blood and gamey taste).
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix spices with apples.
• Put 1/2 of apple mixture inside turkey under white meat (front). Using the other half of apple mixture and quartered orange, stuff under the dark meat (back) inside turkey.
• Prepare basting sauce #1 by heating butter and adding juices and spices.
• Put turkey in roasting pan and add basting sauce.
• Roast, covered with foil, for 2 hours.
• Prepare Stuffing:
• Put hazelnuts in food processor and chop to medium coarseness.
• In a large skillet, brown pork sausage and drain. Add 3 teaspoons of butter to pan and fry chicken until done. Sauté onions, celery, and sage until translucent. Add ham and rest of vegetables in large bowl, adding the pork, chicken and bread, mixing well. Add eggs and Amaretto. Finally, add turkey stock to moisten.
• Put in baking pan and bake 1 hour at 350 °F.
• Finish Roasting Turkey:
• Remove foil and roast until internal temperature is 175°F, basting every 15 minutes.
• Prepare #2 basting sauce by heating butter and maple syrup.
• Remove bird from oven when it reaches 175°F. Let rest - turkey will continue to cook, reaching 180°F in the next 15 minutes.
• Baste with #2 sauce until all sauce is gone.
• Remove fruit from inside.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in middle and lower thirds. On two rimmed baking sheets, arrange bread in a single layer. Toast until dry and pale golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion and celery are softened, about 7 minutes. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Add parsley, eggs, and bread; stir to combine. Add broth in 2 additions, stirring until absorbed after each addition. Season generously with salt and pepper and transfer stuffing to dish. Bake on middle rack until deep golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse turkey, remove giblets and place in a shallow roasting pan.
• Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Mix in water.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and slowly cook and stir the celery and onion until tender.
• Mix celery, onion, and toasted bread pieces into the stuffing, and season with salt and pepper. Loosely scoop stuffing into the turkey body cavity and neck cavity. Rub the exterior of the turkey with vegetable oil.
• Loosely cover turkey with aluminum foil, and roast 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) and the interior of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove foil during the last half hour of cooking to brown the bird.

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two, then mash.
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook the celery and onion in the butter until the onion has turned translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Fold into the mashed potatoes along with the savory, and allow to cool until just warm.
• Place the cooled mashed potatoes into a large bowl, and stir in the beaten egg. Gently fold in cubed bread, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Use as a stuffing for turkey, or bake in buttered loaf pans at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Melt butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook celery and onion in butter, stirring frequently, until onion is tender. Stir in parsley, sage, marjoram, tarragon and salt. Mix bread cubes, carrots, zucchini and mushrooms in large bowl. Add celery mixture; toss.
• Fill wishbone area of turkey with stuffing first. Fasten neck skin to back with skewer. Fold wings across back with tips touching. Fill body cavity lightly with stuffing. (Place any remaining stuffing in small ungreased baking dish; cover and refrigerate. Place in oven with turkey the last 30 minutes of roasting.) Tuck drumsticks under band of skin at tail, or tie together with heavy string, then tie to tail.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh and does not touch bone.
• Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours or until thermometer reads 165°F and drumsticks move easily when lifted or twisted. Thermometer inserted in center of stuffing should read 165°F.When two-thirds done, cut band of skin or string holding legs. Place a tent of aluminum foil loosely over turkey when it begins to turn golden brown. Let turkey stand 20 minutes before carving. Cover and refrigerate any remaining turkey and stuffing separately.

Steps:

• Make turkey giblet stock and herbed bread stuffing.
• Roast turkey:
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper inside and out. Loosely fill neck cavity with some of stuffing. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with a small skewer. Loosely fill body cavity with some stuffing and tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Transfer remaining stuffing to a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish and chill, covered. Secure wings to body with small skewers if desired for a nicer appearance.
• Put turkey on a rack set in a flameproof roasting pan. Roast turkey in middle of oven 30 minutes. Melt 1/2 stick butter. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and pour melted butter over turkey. Roast turkey, basting every 20 minutes, for 3 to 3 1/2 hours more, or until a thermometer inserted in center of stuffing in body cavity registers 165°F (thigh will be about 180°F). Transfer turkey to a heated platter and keep juices in pan. Remove skewers and discard string. Transfer stuffing from cavities to a serving dish and keep warm, covered. Let turkey stand at least 30 minutes and up to 45.
• Increase temperature to 375°F. Stir together chicken broth and water and drizzle over uncooked stuffing in baking dish. Dot stuffing with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and bake in middle of oven 40 minutes while turkey stands; for moist stuffing, bake covered entire time; for less moist stuffing with a slightly crisp top, uncover after 10 minutes.
• Make gravy:
• Skim fat from pan juices and reserve 1/4 cup fat. Add 1 cup giblet stock to roasting pan and deglaze over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits. Add to remaining 3 cups stock and bring to a simmer. Whisk together reserved fat and flour in a large heavy saucepan and cook roux over moderately low heat, whisking, 3 minutes. Add hot stock to roux in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in additional juices from turkey platter and season gravy with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Tear the bread into pieces, and place back into the bags overnight.
• Dice the onion, and leave covered on the counter.
• The next day, saute the diced onion in margarine, stir in sage and chicken broth.
• Place the bread pieces in a large mixing bowl, pour most of the onion mixture onto the bread and stir.
• The stuffing has enough moisture when you can squeeze a handful, and when opening your hand, the stuffing stays in a loose ball. If it falls apart, add a little more onion mixture.
• If it is soggy and squeezes together tightly, add a little more bread pieces.
• If the bird has skin which is binding it's legs together, cut this.
• Rinse the bird, remove and discard heart, neck etc. and pat the insides to remove some of the moisture.
• Push the stuffing into the carcass,until you cant' get anymore in, overstuffing the bird as seen in the picture. The tighter you push it in, the moister the stuffing will be.
• Stuff the neck cavity.
• If you have leftover stuffing, that is a good thing. Place it in a sprayed crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
• Wrap the legs and wings with foil, they will cook quickly.
• Put a piece of loose foil over the entire bird.
• Roast at 325°F for about 3 hours.
• Remove all of the foil, setting it aside and roast for another hour.
• If the turkey does not have a pop up timer, use a meat thermometer.
• When done, set the turkey out on the counter and cover loosely with the foil, let it stand 20 minutes for a moist bird.
• Remove the stuffing from the bird and mix it in with the crock pot stuffing.
• Carve the turkey and serve on a platter.
• Enjoy this time honored tradition with your loved ones.
• You may use more or less sage, according to your tastes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with only one rack in the lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a bowl. Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Fold wing tips under. Season inside turkey with salt and pepper. Loosely fill body and neck cavities with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under; secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey all over with the 4 tablespoons softened butter; season with salt and pepper.
• Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into bowl; reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Place turkey, legs first, into oven. Roast 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing with butter mixture every 30 minutes and rotating once, 2 1/2 hours; tent with foil if browning too quickly. Pour 1/2 cup water into pan if juices are very dark brown.
• Discard cheesecloth; rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (and the stuffing) registers 165 degrees, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more, basting turkey every 30 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Let turkey stand at room temperature 30 minutes, tented with foil, before carving. Garnish with herbs if desired.

Steps:

• Remove giblets from turkey. In a saucepan, bring water, giblets and neck to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Remove giblets with a slotted spoon; dice. Set aside 3 cups cooking liquid. In a bowl, combine egg substitute, bread crumbs, onions, celery, giblets, poultry seasoning, salt, sage and pepper. Add reserved cooking liquid; mix well. Just before baking, loosely stuff turkey with about 8 cups stuffing. Place remaining stuffing in a greased 2-qt. baking dish; refrigerate. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush with butter; sprinkle with paprika., Bake uncovered, at 325° for 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 180° for turkey and 165° for stuffing, basting every 30 minutes (cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly). Bake additional stuffing for 35-40 minutes. , For gravy, dissolve bouillon in water. In a saucepan, whisk flour and 1/4 cup pan drippings until smooth. Gradually add bouillon mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Serve with turkey and stuffing.

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Make the herb butter, mix herbs and butter together to form a paste, season well and chill.
• Prepare the turkey, to remove legs, cut through the skin and pull joint firmly away from body then cut through ball and socket joints.
• Cut away the 'oyster' on the back of the turkey so leg and thigh comes away cleanly.
• With a thin, sharp knife, bone both legs and stuff with sausage meat.
• Wrap tightly in tin foil and chill to set the shape.
• Prepare the crown, cut off wing tips and, for easier carving, take out the wishbone and cut away back bone with poultry shears.
• Lift up the breast skin with your fingers and separate it from the flesh.
• Divide the herb butter between the two breast flaps and pull the skin back over.
• Season well, place in a roasting tin and cover loosely with butter paper or foil.
• Cook the turkey, put the foil-wrapped legs in a roasting pan and cook at 180C/350F/Gas4 for 45 minutes. Reduce temperature to 160C/320F/Gas 2 and cook for a further 15 minutes then remove foil and cook for a further 30 minutes, straining off any juices for the gravy.
• Cook the crown for 1-1½ hours at 180C/350F/Gas 4 until juices run clear and let the bird rest for 30 minutes before carving.
• Make the stuffing, melt butter in a large frying pan and gently sauté onion and garlic for five minutes until soft.
• Stir in the herbs for one minute then add breadcrumbs to absorb butter.
• Mix in zest, pine nuts and seasoning and cook over medium heat for about seven minutes until crumbs start to brown and crisp.
• Take off the heat, mix in the parsley and serve warm.
• Make the gravy, sauté the onion in the olive oil for about five minutes. Pour in the wine, add the thyme and bay and boil until reduced right down.
• Add stock and boil until reduced by half then add cream and boil for further five minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
• Remove from heat, cool for ten minutes and strain.
• Add turkey pan juices, boil for two minutes, season with salt and strain. (This can be made in advance and frozen before the juices are added. When thawed, simply heat until boiling and follow point 20.).

Steps:

• In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat melt the butter, then sauté the onion and celery (and mushroom, if using) until the onion is soft, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the salt, pepper, and sage and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
• Place the bread cubes into a large, deep bowl.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the butter/celery mixture over the cubes and toss well, then repeat steps until all of the butter mixture is used.
• Toss the cubes thoroughly to coat.
• (Regarding the optional chicken broth: for dry stuffing, add little or no liquid; for moist stuffing mix in lightly with fork just enough chicken broth to moisten dry crumbs.) Let cool and use as stuffing for the turkey.
• We've made this stuffing in the crockpot, as well, adding the chicken broth for moistness.
• Adapted from Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, circa 1950.
• Note: regardling the amount of salt - yes, the amount listed above is correct and is what is listed in the original Betty Crocker recipe. When the butter mixture is first added to the bread, if you taste it at this point it might seem salty (because it is sitting right on the surface of the bread) but remember that the liquid and butter soaks into the bread and redistributes evenly. Also, this recipe, being from the 1950s, is specifically for cooking *inside* the turkey, which a lot of people no longer do, and again the salt will redistribute from the juices in the meat. If you use a crockpot for cooking your stuffing, I'd recommend reducing the amount of salt.
• Note #2: again, regarding the salt. You're going to have to decide for yourself about the salt. Having eaten this recipe for every year of my life I know it tastes wonderful as it's written. But that's just me.

Steps:

• Moisten bread cubes with milk or hot water.
• Add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and egg.
• Combine mixture.
• Melt butter in frying pan and add onions until slightly browned, then add celery.
• Stir, then add to bread cube mixture.
• Stuff turkey or chicken lightly with stuffing, being careful not to pack stuffing in tightly.
• Rub turkey or chicken well with oil, salt, and pepper.
• Put in 300 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours.
• After 1 1/2 hour turn oven down to 250 degrees.

Steps:

• Place oven rack in lowest position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 8-inch square baking dish or 2-quart casserole. Lightly brush roasting rack with vegetable oil and place in roasting pan.
• Remove plastic or paper packet of giblets from turkey (usually in small cavity). Remove from packaging and rinse; reserve gizzard and heart; discard floppy, dark purple liver. Remove neck from large cavity. Remove from packaging, rinse, and reserve. Using tweezers or needlenose pliers, remove any feathers and quills still attached to skin (kosher turkeys tend to require this more than others). Pull off and reserve any visible pale yellow knobs of fat from either side of tail (not found on all birds).
• Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Loosely fill small (neck) cavity with stuffing. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with metal skewer. Loosely fill large body cavity with stuffing. Transfer remaining stuffing to buttered dish and drizzle with 1/4 cup stock. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.
• Transfer turkey, breast-side up, to rack in roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under breast and tie drumsticks loosely together with kitchen string. Rub turkey all over with softened butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Tightly cover breast area with foil, leaving wings, thighs, and drumsticks exposed.
• Transfer gizzard, heart, neck, and reserved turkey fat to roasting pan around rack. Pour 2 cups stock into pan.
• Roast turkey 45 minutes. Baste with pan juices (lift up foil to reach breast area) and continue roasting, basting every 45 minutes, 1 1/2 hours more (2 1/4 hours total). Baste again and, if pan juices have evaporated into glaze, add 1 cup stock to pan. Roast another 45 minutes (3 hours total). Remove foil from breast area, baste, and add stock if necessary, until instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thigh (close to but not touching bone) registers 180°F, about 1 hour more (4 hours total).
• Insert instant-read thermometer into center of stuffing in body cavity. If thermometer does not read 165°F, transfer stuffing to microwave-safe baking dish and microwave on high until 165°F, about 3 minutes for 10 degrees. Cover and keep warm. Using turkey holders (or by inserting large metal serving spoon into body cavity), transfer turkey to large serving platter. Let stand 30 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, bake extra stuffing and make gravy: Raise oven temperature to 350°F. Remove giblets and neck from roasting pan and discard. Pour pan juices into measuring cup or gravy separator. Let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and reserve fat or, if using separator, carefully pour juices into measuring cup, reserving fat left in separator.
• Transfer foil-covered dish of extra stuffing to oven and bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add enough remaining stock to pan juices to total 4 cups. Measure turkey fat, adding melted butter if necessary to total 6 tablespoons. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners on moderate heat and add fat. Whisk in flour, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan, then cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Whisk in pan juice-stock mixture and bring to a boil, whisking often. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and keep warm. (Gravy can be kept warm over very low heat, covered, up to 20 minutes. If it thickens, thin with additional stock before serving. If skin forms on top, whisk well to dissolve.)
• When extra stuffing has baked 10 minutes, remove foil and bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Pour gravy through fine-mesh sieve into large bowl, then transfer to gravy boat. Carve turkey and serve gravy and stuffing alongside.
• Test-Kitchen Tips:
• •To combat dryness, most frozen turkeys and some fresh are injected with a saline solution. This is not a good thing, though: Injected birds generally lack flavor and can have a mushy texture. For this reason, we recommend buying a fresh turkey and checking the label to be sure there aren't any additives. (Look for the words "all natural.") Don't be too concerned, though, with the many other terms that can be applied to turkeys, such as free-range, organic, or heritage. All can be excellent.
• •When buying a fresh bird, be sure to purchase it no more than two days before Thanksgiving. If you must get a frozen bird, defrost it in the refrigerator in a pan to catch drips, allowing a full 24 hours for each 5 pounds.
• •Warm, moist stuffing is an optimal environment for bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli to multiply, so it's important to follow safe procedures. Be sure to make the stuffing at the last minute so it can go into the bird warm. This helps it move above the "danger zone" (the optimal temperature range for bacteria growth) more quickly during roasting. When you remove the turkey from the oven, be sure to check the temperature in the middle of the stuffing to make sure it's 165°F, the temperature at which bacteria will be killed. If it's not 165°F, scoop it out of the cavity and microwave it as directed in the recipe.
• •More stuffing tips: Be sure not to overpack the cavities, as the stuffing will expand during cooking. Loosely fill the turkey, then spread the extra in a casserole dish (no more than 2 inches deep) and bake it after the turkey comes out (be sure to refrigerate it until then to impede bacteria growth). Drizzle the portion in the casserole dish with extra stock to make up for the juices it won't get from the turkey. If you want the stuffing that's cooked inside the turkey to be extra-moist (as opposed to having a crisp crust where it's exposed), cover the exposed portion with a small piece of aluminum foil.
• •Opinions vary on whether or not to stuff the bird-some people think it can cause uneven cooking. If you prefer not to stuff your bird, fill the cavities with a chopped vegetable and herb mixture that will impart its flavor to the meat and pan juices: Chop 1 onion, 1 celery rib with leaves, 1 carrot, and 3 tablespoons fresh parsley. Mix this with 1 teaspoon each dried rosemary, sage, and thyme. Sprinkle the cavities with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place the mixture inside. An unstuffed bird will take about 15 minutes to a half hour less to cook than a stuffed bird. When the turkey is cooked, tilt it to allow any juices that have collected in the cavity to drain into the pan. Do not serve the vegetable mixture, as it may not have cooked to a safe temperature.
• •This recipe can easily be scaled up to serve more people. Estimate about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person. Cooking times (for a stuffed bird, cooked at 325°F to an internal temperature of 180°F) will be as follows: 8 to 12 pounds: 3 to 3 1/2 hours 12 to 14 pounds: 3 1/2 to 4 hours 14 to 18 pounds: 4 to 4 1/4 hours 18 to 20 pounds: 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours 20 to 24 pounds: 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours
• •Some experts prefer to cook their turkeys to an internal temperature of 170°F (rather than 180°F, as in this recipe). If you don't mind having the meat slightly pink, this is perfectly safe and makes it more moist. However, Rick Rodgers, who created this recipe, believes that the dark meat in particular does not achieve its optimum flavor and texture until it reaches 180°F. If you choose to stuff your turkey and cook it to only 170°F, its stuffing will almost definitely not reach the safe temperature of 165°F. When you remove the turkey from the oven, be sure to check the temperature in the center of the stuffing, and if necessary remove it and microwave it as directed in the recipe.
• •Letting the turkey stand for half an hour after it comes out of the oven is an essential part of the roasting process. When meat roasts, its juices move to the outer edge of the flesh. Letting it rest gives the juices time to redistribute, making for a moister turkey. An added bonus: The resting time provides an excellent window of opportunity to make the gravy and reheat the side dishes. There's no need to cover the bird-it'll stay warm enough, and covering it would only soften the crispy skin.

Steps:

• Make stuffing:
• Preheat oven to 425°F and grease 9-by 13-inch roasting pan.
• In large skillet over moderately high heat, melt butter. Add onion, celery, garlic, nutmeg, pepper, and bay leaf, and sauté until vegetables soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in sage and cook 30 seconds more. Stir in stock and simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
• Put corn bread in large bowl and pour vegetables over. Toss to mix well. Add eggs and stir to combine.
• Make turkey:
• Rinse breast halves and pat dry. Season generously with kosher or coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper, and rub all over with olive oil.
• Mound stuffing in center of roasting pan and arrange turkey on top, making sure breast halves aren't touching. Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of turkey (do not touch bone) registers 170°F and juices run clear when pierced with fork, 45 to 55 minutes.
• Make gravy while turkey is roasting:
• In small saucepan over moderately high heat, combine demi-glace, 1/2 cup water, and brandy. Bring to boil, stirring until smooth. Stir in butter, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered, stirring often, until gravy thickens, about 1 minute. Stir in cream and season with freshly ground pepper. Serve hot, over turkey and stuffing.

Steps:

• For turkey:
• Combine 4 quarts water and 1 cup coarse salt in very large bowl. Let stand until salt dissolves, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes. Place turkey in salted water, turning to coat. Let turkey stand at room temperature 2 hours, turning occasionally. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Tuck wings under turkey body.
• Position oven rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Whisk butter, orange juice, lemon juice, thyme, orange peel, lemon peel, 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in medium bowl until well blended. Rub 1/4 cup thyme butter inside turkey. Spoon stuffing loosely into main cavity and neck cavity. Generously rub remaining thyme butter over turkey. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey.
• Roast turkey until golden, basting occasionally with pan drippings, about 2 hours. Cover entire turkey loosely with heavy-duty foil and roast until meat thermometer inserted into innermost part of thigh registers 180°F or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 11/2 hours longer. Transfer turkey to platter. Tent turkey with foil and let stand while preparing gravy.
• For gravy:
• Strain pan juices from roasting pan into large glass measuring cup. Spoon fat off top of pan juices. Pour juices and Giblet Broth into heavy medium saucepan. Boil broth mixture until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes.
• Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook until golden brown, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Whisk in reduced broth mixture. Simmer until gravy thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add reserved chopped neck meat and giblets, eggs and brandy; simmer 5 minutes longer. Transfer to bowl. Serve gravy with turkey.
• For Giblet Broth:
• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add neck and giblets; sauté until brown, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer neck and giblets to plate. Add carrots, onion and celery to pot. Sauté until vegetables brown, about 10 minutes. Add water, wine, neck and giblets to vegetables; bring to boil.
• Add all remaining ingredients to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low; partially cover and simmer until giblets are very tender, about 11/2 hours. Using slotted spoon, transfer neck and giblets to plate. Cool. Carefully remove all meat from turkey neck. Chop neck meat and giblets; reserve for gravy. Strain broth into bowl, pressing on solids. (Broth and giblets can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.) Makes about 3 1/2 cups.