Email to Cat      

Thanksgiving: Roast Turkey with Three-Bread Stuffing

Source of Recipe


From "Food & Wine's Holiday Favorites"






List of Ingredients



• One 14- to 16-lb. turkey with neck and giblets, room temperature
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• Three-Bread Stuffing (recipe follows)
  
• 1/4 lb. plus 2 Tbsp butter
  
• 1/2 tsp paprika
  
• 2 Tbsp flour
  
• 3 cups turkey stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth
  






Instructions



1. Heat the oven to 450º F. Reserve the turkey neck and giblets for stock. Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Turn the turkey, breast-side down, on a work surface and loosely fill the neck cavity with about 2 cups of the stuffing. Pull the neck skin over the cavity. Fasten the skin to the back of the turkey with metal skewers or wooden toothpicks. Turn the turkey breast-side up. Loosely fill the main cavity of the bird with about 5 cups of the Three-Bread Stuffing. Close the cavity with skewers or toothpicks. Twist the wings behind the bird. Tie the legs of the turkey together. (Wrap the remainder of the stuffing separately in buttered aluminum foil and bake in the oven with the turkey during the last 30 minutes of cooking.)
   
   
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the 1/4 pound butter. Soak a two-foot-long double layer of cheesecloth in the melted butter. Let the remaining 2 tablespoons butter soften. Put the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a roasting pan, and cover the breast with the butter-soaked cloth.
   
   
3. Put the turkey in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 325º F. Roast the bird, basting frequently with any pan juices, until an instant-read thermometer stuck into the inner thigh registers 135º F, about 3-1/2 hours. Remove the butter-soaked cloth and add the paprika to the pan. Continue roasting the turkey, basting, until the inner thigh temperature reaches 180º F, about 1 hour longer. The juices will run clear when the thigh of the turkey is pierced with a fork. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and leave to rest in a warm spot for about 15 minutes.
   
   
4. Meanwhile, mash together the 2 tablespoons softened butter and the flour. Pour the pan juices into a bowl and skim off the fat. Set the roasting pan over high heat and when it starts to sizzle and smoke, add the stock. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits. Reduce the heat, add the pan juices, and simmer for 5 minutes. Gradually whisk the butter paste into the gravy and bring to a boil, whisking until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
   
   
5. Remove the string from the bird. Spoon the stuffing into a bowl and carve the turkey. Serve with the stuffing and gravy.
   
   Serves 10 to 12
   
   ---
   
   THREE-BREAD STUFFING
   
   • 4 cups cubed rye bread
   • 4 cups cubed pumpernickel bread
   • 5 cups cubed sourdough bread
   • 1/4 lb. butter
   • 1 large onion, chopped
   • 2 ribs celery, chopped
   • 1 tsp paprika
   • 1 lb. spicy sausage, such as Hungarian, hot Italian or chorizo
   • 2 cups water
   • 1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and chopped
   • 3 Tbsp good-quality green olives, pitted and chopped
   • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, minced (optional)
   • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
   • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
   • 1/2 tsp salt
   • 1/2 tsp fresh-ground black pepper
   • 2 eggs, beaten to mix
   
   Spread the bread cubes out on a large baking sheet. Let them dry overnight. (Alternatively, dry in a 350º F oven for 10 minutes.)
   
   In a large frying pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the paprika and cook 2 minutes longer.
   
   Put the sausage in a medium saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to a simmer over moderately high heat; reduce heat and poach until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the sausage and reserve 1 cup of the poaching liquid. Chop the sausage.
   
   In a large bowl, combine the dried bread cubes with the onion-and-celery mixture, the sausage, apples, olives, jalapeño, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, the reserved 1 cup sausage-poaching liquid, and the eggs. Mix until well-blended.
   
   Makes about 12 cups.