Roast Turkey and Dressing

ROAST TURKEY and DRESSING

This is an obvious Thanksgiving and Christmas recipe, but very often it works well to roast a small turkey (about 10-12 pounds) to keep in the refrigerator and use for sandwiches, salads, casseroles, tacos, enchiladas, etc. Fresh, roasted turkey is tasty and can be used in such a variety of recipes that it will be used up in no time.

Since turkeys are hollow and very bony, they look large. To buy turkey by the pound, estimate 1 ½ pounds per person.

If the turkey is frozen, let it thaw in a cool spot such as the bottom shelf of a refrigerator for 1 or two days. A twenty-pound turkey will take two days to thaw in the refrigerator. Remove all of the giblets and neck parts that have been stuffed inside the turkey. Some people boil these in a couple of quarts of water to make stock. Then rinse the turkey inside and out. A large turkey has a cavity at both ends. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper into both of these cavities.

Stuff the turkey with your favorite kind of dressing, put about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of the roaster, and put in the oven.

Here is one recipe for stuffing: Sautee 1/2 cup chopped onions, 1 cup chopped mushrooms and 2 tablespoons chopped garlic in olive oil. Add this mixture to 4 cups of seasoned breadcrumbs, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, two beaten eggs, and 1/2 cup melted butter. If the mixture seems too soggy, add a few more breadcrumbs. The mixture should have a sort of fluffy consistency. Some other ingredients that can be used in turkey dressing are: cooked rice, raisins, bits of chopped apple, and celery.

Fill the turkey cavities with the stuffing, although it should be noted that this is no longer recommended because of a general nervousness about salmonella. Proceed at your own riskJ Extra dressing can be baked in a separate glass dish or you may want to bake all of it in a casserole dish. This recipe would work for a turkey 16 -18 lbs. Decrease the amounts slightly for a smaller turkey and increase them slightly for a larger turkey.

Turkeys should be cooked covered in a slow oven - 325º. For every 3 – 3 ½ pounds of turkey, allow 1 hour of baking time. Turkeys can be basted while they are roasting to enhance the flavor and tenderness. To do this spoon some of the juice in the bottom of the pan onto the top of the turkey and let it run down. Do this over all of the turkey. There is a utensil called a turkey baster that you can purchase to help with this process. Directions for gravy are found on the Pot Roast page.
The beginning is always today. Mary Wollstonecraft