1/4 lb Butter
1 Turkey,fresh (12-16#)
1/2 lb Salt pork,thinly sliced
-CORN BREAD STUFFING-
2 pk Corn bread mix (10 oz)
1/2 c Celery,chopped
1 Onion,medium,minced
1/2 c Butter
2 Egg yolks
Salt
Pepper
-TURKEY STOCK-
Turkey giblets+neck & wings
3 c Water
1/2 Onion,small,sliced
1/2 Garlic clove
1/2 Bay leaf
1/8 ts Basil,crumbled
1/8 ts Rosemary,crumbled
1/8 ts Thyme,crumbled
1/8 ts Salt
-TURKEY GIBLET GRAVY-
1/4 c Pan drippings
1/4 c Flour
1 c Water
2 c Turkey stock
Turkey giblets,cooked,choped
Salt
Pepper
1. Preheat oven to 425’F.~ 2. Cut butter into very thin slices; place
in freezer to harden while you prepare bird.~ 3. Wash turkey inside
and out. Remove and reserve neck, giblets and wing tips. Pat dry with
paper toweling. Starting at the breast, separate the skin from the
meat by working your fingers between them. Slice your hand under skin
as far as you can go and gently free the skin on both sides of the
breast. Loosen it around the upper part of the legs, stopping about
halfway down the legs. Insert slices of the cold butter, first under
the leg skin, then under the breast skin. Reshape the loosened skin
on the bird by patting it gently back in place. It will sag a bit but
don’t let that upset you; it will cook back in place. Wrap bird
loosely in waxed paper and refrigerate while preparing stuffing.~ 4.
Fill cavity of turkey loosely with stuffing. (Place any remaining
stuffing in a shallow baking dish and place in oven about 30 minutes
before bird is roasted. Bake until firm and lightly browned.) Fasten
neck skin of turkey to body with skewer. Push legs under band of skin
at tail or tie to tail. Place slices of salt pork over breast and
fasten with wooden picks. Place turkey on its side on rack in shallow
open roasting pan.~ 5. Cook for 15 minutes, then turn bird on other
side and roast for 15 minutes longer.~ 6. Lower temperature to 325’F.
and continue to roast turkey, turning the bird from side to side and
basting often with the drippings from pan, for about 3-1/2 to 4
hours, or until juices run yellow – no longer pink – when thigh is
pierced with a fork. Roast turkey breast side up for the last 15
minutes of cooking time. (Remove and discard salt pork when crisp and
most of fat has been rendered. If fat in pan bgins to burn, add a few
tablespoons of water.) Transfer turkey to serving platter and let
rest 30 minutes before carving. Reserve all drippings in pan for
gravy.~ ~ *** CORN BREAD STUFFING ***~ 1. Prepare corn bread,
following label directions, or use your own favorite recipe. Cool.
Crumble enough to make 7 cups and transfer to a large mixing bowl.~
2. Saute celery and onion in butter in a large skillet until soft.
Spoon vegetables and butter over corn bread crumbs.~ 3. Beat egg
yolks in a medium-sized bowl; stir in stock and pour mixture over
corn bread. Stir lightly to blend. Season with salt and pepper to
taste.~ Makes approximately 3 quarts, or 12 cups.~ ~ *** TURKEY STOCK
***~ 1. Combine giblets, neck, and wing tips with water in a large
saucepan; add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil, then lower heat
and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until liver is tender. Remove
liver and continue to simmer mixture for about 1 hour, or until
remaining giblets are tender. Strain mixture; remove and chop giblets
and liver for gravy. Reserve stock.~ ~ *** TURKEY GIBLET GRAVY ***~
1. Pour off all turkey fat from roasting pan into a glass measuring
cup. Measure and return 1/4 cup to pan. Sprinkle flour into fat; cook
and stir 2 or 3 minutes over low heat. Add water and 2 cups of the
reserved turkey stock. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits in
pan with wooden spoon, until gravy thickens and bubbles 2 minutes.
Strain gravy into saucepan; add chopped giblets and reserved liver.
Taste; season with salt and pepper if needed.
Yields
12 Servings