Thanksgiving Turkey, Stuffing and Gravy Recipe
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Turkey |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: One large fresh turkey. Choose size of turkey depending on how many people you are feeding, and how many leftovers you want, but being careful that you have a pan to fit the size you choose.
For Brining, (Brining helps retain the moisture in the turkey during cooking):
1 large brining bag
Ratio of 1 cup salt to 1 gallon of water
A large cooler/container to store Turkey in the bag and to keep it cold for 10-12 hours
For Roasting:
1 stick butter
salt and pepper
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Directions: |
Directions:Step 1: Brine Turkey:
Put salt and water in large pot on stove and boil to dissolve the salt thoroughly. Completely cool before using. Remove giblets, neck, liver and heart, from neck and cavity of turkey. Refrigerate the giblets for use in the gravy later. Place the brining bag into a cooler, and place the turkey in the brining bag. Pour the cooled brining liquid into the bag to surround and completely cover the turkey. Seal the bag and add ice to the cooler around the turkey bag. Place closed cooler in cold spot, (but not freezing), over night or for 10 - 12 hours.
Step 2: Clean Turkey:
When you are ready to start cooking the turkey, remove it from the brine and rinse in the sink, inside and outside, with cold water until all traces of salt are off the surface. Safely discard the brine. Dry the turkey. Preheat oven to 350º.
Step 3: Stuff Turkey:
Prepare stuffing, (instructions below). Stuff both the front and rear cavities lightly. Set aside the remainder of the stuffing for roasting separately. If necessary, skewer or tie the cavities closed to hold the stuffing in.
Step 4: Roast Turkey:
Place the stuffed turkey on a rack in a deep roasting pan. Cover each drumstick with foil. Oil the skin of the breast with vegetable oil or butter. Make a loose tent with foil over the bird. Put 2-3 cups of water in the bottom of the pan. Place in 350º oven.
Roasting times for turkeys are about 20 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey, 16 minutes per pound unstuffed. The turkey is done when the legs and thighs move easily back and forth or when a thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 180º and 165º in the breast. Uncover the breast and remove foil from drumsticks, and raise the oven temperature to 375º and allow the turkey to brown for a few minutes longer. Don't brown too long, or turkey will be dry. When brown and completely cooked, remove from oven and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible.
Approximate cooking times:
10-12 lb. 3½ - 4½ hours 4 people
12-16 lb. 4½ - 5 hours 6-8 people
16-20 lb. 5-6 hours 8-10 people
20-24 lb. 5½ - 6½ hours 12-18 people
24-28 lb. 6-7 hours 18-22 people
28-32 lb. 7-8 hours 22 people plus |
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Stuffing |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 2 large boxes Bell’s Stuffing mix
2 onions chopped
2 cups chopped celery
2 sticks butter
2 cans chicken broth, or more if needed, and water can be used too.
Mom adds some extra Bell Seasoning mix, (approximately 1 TBSP per box)
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Directions: |
Directions:In a large fry pan, melt butter. Sauté onions and celery until soft. Put stuffing mix into a very large bowl, and add onion/celery mixture. Add liquids and stir until blended well. Let sit before working with.
Put half the mixture, (or as much as will fit), inside the turkey, some in the neck and some in the body. Wash hands before handling the rest. Put the remainder in a large buttered casserole dish and refrigerate until ready to bake. Cover with foil and bake around 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 or more minutes until top is crusty.
Notes:
Mom sometimes uses a bundt pan to make the stuffing look more festive. She adds 2 or 3 beaten eggs to the stuffing mixture to hold it together so it keeps the shape.
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Giblet Gravy |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Giblets from Turkey cavity, (neck, liver and heart)
4 stalks celery, cut in chunks leafy ends on
4 carrots, cut in large chunks
1 large onion cut in chunks
1 stick butter
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Directions: |
Directions:In a large saucepan place all ingredients and cover with water or chicken broth. Simmer until everything is tender and meat is cooked through, approximately, 2 hours.
Remove giblets from water, and chop finely. Pick meat off neck and also chop fine. Strain water into a bowl and save it for the gravy. Press veggies into the strainer over the bowl to get the extra flavor. Melt butter in a large fry pan. Add meat to butter. Cook until the meat starts to brown a little bit, approximately 5 minutes. Then stir in enough flour to thicken the butter. Stir constantly. Add liquid slowly constantly stirring to continue to thicken. (This is Daryl’s job). When turkey comes out of oven, use gravy strainer to separate fat from juices and add the juices to the gravy, and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning. Can add “Gravy Master” to make the color darker, or wine or salt and pepper. If you have to thicken more, mix flour and water to a cup and slowly add to the fry pan. To serve, pour into gravy boats.
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