Test Roast Turkey with Stuffing
We tested the turkey in preparation for next week’s dinner (we’re hosting). So many articles online contradicted themselves that it was hard to gauge what works. This was the main reason for testing the method.
Since neither of us had cooked one, it seemed appropriate to make a small test bird (10lb for $10) and invite some fam to help us eat it. It’s a good thing we did – we didn’t have any skewers and the neck stuffing fell out while we were trying to stuff the rest of it. Here’s what we did:
- remove the neck and giblets from inside the bird. They are hidden in both ends by the importer
- rinse inside and out, pat dry
- stuff the wishbone cavity (neck side); skewer the skin to the back to close it up
- with the neck side resting in a large bowl, spoon the stuffing into the main cavity. Do no pack!
- pull the skin closed and fasten the legs together with twine or a flap of skin (ours came with a handy plastic brace)
- tuck the wings behind the shoulders and brush the skin with oil or butter
- preheat the oven to 400F, roast uncovered for 20 minutes. Basting is not necessary
- reduce heat to 325F, loosely cover with foil and bake for an additional 3½-4 hours for 8-12 lb turkey (5-5½ for 18-20lbs)
- during the last 45 minutes, uncover and roast until done, or the thermometer reads over 176F (according to our thermometer range for poultry)
The stuffing was standard fare:
- dry white bread cubes (we left them out for the morning and flipped once, then lightly toasted the soft ones)
- 2 tsp sage and rosemary, or poultry seasoning
- sautéed celery and onion
Mix and stuff into the bird. Any left overs should be moistened with a few Tbs water and put in a small casserole dish. Cover and store in the fridge, then add to the oven and cook at 325F during the last 40 minutes (i.e. when you remove the foil).
We also parboiled potatoes for 10 minutes, then added them during the last 20 minutes to finish cooking. They needed a few more minutes and we had a miscommunication about when the foil came off vs the timer so the skin wasn’t crispy. Otherwise, it was great! I would make again … and will, next weekend. HA!
