Roast Turkey with Nutty Stuffing
Ingredients
- Source: Canadian Living Magazine: December 2013
- Prep time 1¼ hours
- Total time 5½ hours
- Portion size Makes 8 to 10 servings
- Ingredients
- 6.75 kg turkey
- ¼ cup (60 mL) butter, softened
- ½ tsp (2 mL) crumbled sage
- ½ tsp (2 mL) crumbled rosemary
- salt and pepper
- Nutty Stuffing:
- ¾ cup (175 mL) butter
- 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) chopped celery ribs
- 2 cups (500 mL) chopped onions
- 2 cloves chopped garlic, minced
- 1 apple, diced
- 4 tsp (18 mL) dried sage
- 1-1/4 tsp (6 mL) pepper
- 1 tsp (5 mL) dried rosemary
- 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
- 125 g prosciutto, diced
- 14 cups (3.3 L) whole wheat bread, diced
- 1 cup (250 mL) chopped fresh parsley
- ¾ cup (175 mL) pecans, toasted and chopped
- Stock:
- 4-1/2 cup (1.125 L) chicken broth
- 1 onion, chopped
- ½ cup (125 mL) sliced carrots
- ½ cup (125 mL) sliced celery
- Gravy:
- ¼ cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (60 mL) sherry
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Nutty Stuffing: In skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook celery, onions, garlic, apple, sage, pepper, rosemary, salt and ham, stirring, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. In large bowl, combine bread, parsley and pecans. Add celery mixture; toss well. Set aside. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 1 week; thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours before continuing.)
- Remove giblets and neck from turkey and place in large saucepan, reserving liver for another use; set aside.
- Fill neck cavity with stuffing; fold neck skin over cavity and skewer to back. Stuff body cavity; tuck legs under band of skin or tie together with kitchen string.
- Place turkey, breast side up, on greased rack in roasting pan. Combine butter, sage and rosemary; spread over turkey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Tent turkey with foil, tucking in ends and leaving sides open. Roast in 325°F (160°C) oven for 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Remove foil and roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 185°F (85°C) and stuffing reads 165°F (74°C), 45 to 60 minutes. Transfer to platter; let stand, loosely covered, for 20 minutes.
- Stock: Meanwhile, add broth, 11?2 cups water, onion, carrot and celery to turkey parts in saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and skim off foam; simmer for 3 hours. Strain into measuring cup and skim off fat; add enough water to make 3 cups stock. Set aside.
- Gravy: Skim off fat in roasting pan. Stir flour into pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in stock and bring to boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat and add sherry (if using); simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; strain into warmed gravy boat. Serve with turkey.