Indulge in a culinary masterpiece with our succulent roast turkey, a centerpiece worthy of any special occasion. Savor the tantalizing aromas of roasted turkey infused with the earthy nuttiness of hazelnuts, offering a delightful symphony of flavors. Discover the perfect balance of crispy skin, tender meat, and a moist, flavorful stuffing made from a medley of savory ingredients. Accompaniments like creamy mashed potatoes, tangy cranberry sauce, and aromatic gravy elevate this dish to a gourmet experience. Elevate your holiday feast or impress your dinner guests with this exquisite roast turkey and its accompanying recipes, designed to delight every palate.
Let's cook with our recipes!
CLASSIC ROAST TURKEY WITH HERBED STUFFING AND OLD-FASHIONED GRAVY
After trying every turkey-roasting method under the sun, I've finally settled on this as absolutely the best. The secret? Slow down the cooking of the breast area, which tends to get overcooked and dried out before the dark meat is done, with a cover of aluminum foil. These instructions are for a 12-pound turkey, which serves eight people. But you can easily scale it up for a bigger bird. Estimate about one pound of meat per person (one and a half pounds if you want lots of leftovers) and refer to the chart in the Test-Kitchen Tips, below, for the scaled-up cooking times.
Provided by Rick Rodgers
Categories turkey Roast Thanksgiving
Yield Makes 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place oven rack in lowest position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 8-inch square baking dish or 2-quart casserole. Lightly brush roasting rack with vegetable oil and place in roasting pan.
- Remove plastic or paper packet of giblets from turkey (usually in small cavity). Remove from packaging and rinse; reserve gizzard and heart; discard floppy, dark purple liver. Remove neck from large cavity. Remove from packaging, rinse, and reserve. Using tweezers or needlenose pliers, remove any feathers and quills still attached to skin (kosher turkeys tend to require this more than others). Pull off and reserve any visible pale yellow knobs of fat from either side of tail (not found on all birds).
- Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Loosely fill small (neck) cavity with stuffing. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with metal skewer. Loosely fill large body cavity with stuffing. Transfer remaining stuffing to buttered dish and drizzle with 1/4 cup stock. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Transfer turkey, breast-side up, to rack in roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under breast and tie drumsticks loosely together with kitchen string. Rub turkey all over with softened butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Tightly cover breast area with foil, leaving wings, thighs, and drumsticks exposed.
- Transfer gizzard, heart, neck, and reserved turkey fat to roasting pan around rack. Pour 2 cups stock into pan.
- Roast turkey 45 minutes. Baste with pan juices (lift up foil to reach breast area) and continue roasting, basting every 45 minutes, 1 1/2 hours more (2 1/4 hours total). Baste again and, if pan juices have evaporated into glaze, add 1 cup stock to pan. Roast another 45 minutes (3 hours total). Remove foil from breast area, baste, and add stock if necessary, until instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thigh (close to but not touching bone) registers 180°F, about 1 hour more (4 hours total).
- Insert instant-read thermometer into center of stuffing in body cavity. If thermometer does not read 165°F, transfer stuffing to microwave-safe baking dish and microwave on high until 165°F, about 3 minutes for 10 degrees. Cover and keep warm. Using turkey holders (or by inserting large metal serving spoon into body cavity), transfer turkey to large serving platter. Let stand 30 minutes before carving.
- Meanwhile, bake extra stuffing and make gravy: Raise oven temperature to 350°F. Remove giblets and neck from roasting pan and discard. Pour pan juices into measuring cup or gravy separator. Let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and reserve fat or, if using separator, carefully pour juices into measuring cup, reserving fat left in separator.
- Transfer foil-covered dish of extra stuffing to oven and bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add enough remaining stock to pan juices to total 4 cups. Measure turkey fat, adding melted butter if necessary to total 6 tablespoons. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners on moderate heat and add fat. Whisk in flour, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan, then cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Whisk in pan juice-stock mixture and bring to a boil, whisking often. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and keep warm. (Gravy can be kept warm over very low heat, covered, up to 20 minutes. If it thickens, thin with additional stock before serving. If skin forms on top, whisk well to dissolve.)
- When extra stuffing has baked 10 minutes, remove foil and bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Pour gravy through fine-mesh sieve into large bowl, then transfer to gravy boat. Carve turkey and serve gravy and stuffing alongside.
- Test-Kitchen Tips:
- •To combat dryness, most frozen turkeys and some fresh are injected with a saline solution. This is not a good thing, though: Injected birds generally lack flavor and can have a mushy texture. For this reason, we recommend buying a fresh turkey and checking the label to be sure there aren't any additives. (Look for the words "all natural.") Don't be too concerned, though, with the many other terms that can be applied to turkeys, such as free-range, organic, or heritage. All can be excellent.
- •When buying a fresh bird, be sure to purchase it no more than two days before Thanksgiving. If you must get a frozen bird, defrost it in the refrigerator in a pan to catch drips, allowing a full 24 hours for each 5 pounds.
- •Warm, moist stuffing is an optimal environment for bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli to multiply, so it's important to follow safe procedures. Be sure to make the stuffing at the last minute so it can go into the bird warm. This helps it move above the "danger zone" (the optimal temperature range for bacteria growth) more quickly during roasting. When you remove the turkey from the oven, be sure to check the temperature in the middle of the stuffing to make sure it's 165°F, the temperature at which bacteria will be killed. If it's not 165°F, scoop it out of the cavity and microwave it as directed in the recipe.
- •More stuffing tips: Be sure not to overpack the cavities, as the stuffing will expand during cooking. Loosely fill the turkey, then spread the extra in a casserole dish (no more than 2 inches deep) and bake it after the turkey comes out (be sure to refrigerate it until then to impede bacteria growth). Drizzle the portion in the casserole dish with extra stock to make up for the juices it won't get from the turkey. If you want the stuffing that's cooked inside the turkey to be extra-moist (as opposed to having a crisp crust where it's exposed), cover the exposed portion with a small piece of aluminum foil.
- •Opinions vary on whether or not to stuff the bird-some people think it can cause uneven cooking. If you prefer not to stuff your bird, fill the cavities with a chopped vegetable and herb mixture that will impart its flavor to the meat and pan juices: Chop 1 onion, 1 celery rib with leaves, 1 carrot, and 3 tablespoons fresh parsley. Mix this with 1 teaspoon each dried rosemary, sage, and thyme. Sprinkle the cavities with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place the mixture inside. An unstuffed bird will take about 15 minutes to a half hour less to cook than a stuffed bird. When the turkey is cooked, tilt it to allow any juices that have collected in the cavity to drain into the pan. Do not serve the vegetable mixture, as it may not have cooked to a safe temperature.
- •This recipe can easily be scaled up to serve more people. Estimate about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person. Cooking times (for a stuffed bird, cooked at 325°F to an internal temperature of 180°F) will be as follows: 8 to 12 pounds: 3 to 3 1/2 hours 12 to 14 pounds: 3 1/2 to 4 hours 14 to 18 pounds: 4 to 4 1/4 hours 18 to 20 pounds: 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours 20 to 24 pounds: 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours
- •Some experts prefer to cook their turkeys to an internal temperature of 170°F (rather than 180°F, as in this recipe). If you don't mind having the meat slightly pink, this is perfectly safe and makes it more moist. However, Rick Rodgers, who created this recipe, believes that the dark meat in particular does not achieve its optimum flavor and texture until it reaches 180°F. If you choose to stuff your turkey and cook it to only 170°F, its stuffing will almost definitely not reach the safe temperature of 165°F. When you remove the turkey from the oven, be sure to check the temperature in the center of the stuffing, and if necessary remove it and microwave it as directed in the recipe.
- •Letting the turkey stand for half an hour after it comes out of the oven is an essential part of the roasting process. When meat roasts, its juices move to the outer edge of the flesh. Letting it rest gives the juices time to redistribute, making for a moister turkey. An added bonus: The resting time provides an excellent window of opportunity to make the gravy and reheat the side dishes. There's no need to cover the bird-it'll stay warm enough, and covering it would only soften the crispy skin.
ROAST TURKEY WITH HAZELNUT STUFFING
Steps:
- Prepare Turkey:
- Rub salt all over turkey, inside and out. Cover turkey with cold water and let sit for one hour in the sink (this will get rid of blood and gamey taste).
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix spices with apples.
- Put 1/2 of apple mixture inside turkey under white meat (front). Using the other half of apple mixture and quartered orange, stuff under the dark meat (back) inside turkey.
- Prepare basting sauce #1 by heating butter and adding juices and spices.
- Put turkey in roasting pan and add basting sauce.
- Roast, covered with foil, for 2 hours.
- Prepare Stuffing:
- Put hazelnuts in food processor and chop to medium coarseness.
- In a large skillet, brown pork sausage and drain. Add 3 teaspoons of butter to pan and fry chicken until done. Sauté onions, celery, and sage until translucent. Add ham and rest of vegetables in large bowl, adding the pork, chicken and bread, mixing well. Add eggs and Amaretto. Finally, add turkey stock to moisten.
- Put in baking pan and bake 1 hour at 350 °F.
- Finish Roasting Turkey:
- Remove foil and roast until internal temperature is 175°F, basting every 15 minutes.
- Prepare #2 basting sauce by heating butter and maple syrup.
- Remove bird from oven when it reaches 175°F. Let rest - turkey will continue to cook, reaching 180°F in the next 15 minutes.
- Baste with #2 sauce until all sauce is gone.
- Remove fruit from inside.
ROAST TURKEY WITH STUFFING AND GRAVY
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 4h20m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- In a non-stick skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Allow bacon to cool and crumble. Add onions and celery to bacon fat and cook until tender. Stir in mushrooms and cook until golden. Stir in seasonings. Remove skillet from heat and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Soak 3 cups stuffing croutons in water. Squeeze out water from croutons so that they are moist but not soggy. In a large bowl, combine dry and moist croutons with onion mushroom mixture. Mix in eggs and moisten with water if necessary. Fill cavity of turkey with stuffing. Cover opening of cavity with foil. Tuck wings under turkey. Make a small slit in neck skin and tuck legs through slit to secure. Transfer leftover stuffing to a baking dish, cover with foil and bake alongside turkey. (This may need to be moistened.) Place stuffed turkey in roasting pan. Rub turkey with butter and season. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue roasting for approximately 3 hours or 15 to 20 minutes per pound. Baste the turkey with its drippings occasionally as it cooks. Turkey is done when pricked with a knife on the thigh the juices run clear. When turkey is done, transfer to a cutting board and cover with foil. Allow turkey to rest so that juices can be reabsorbed. Place roasting pan over medium high heat. Skim off excess fat with a spoon and reserve in a bowl. Add 3 cups hot chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. In a small dish, combine into a paste 3 tablespoons flour with 3 tablespoons of reserved fat. Whisk flour mixture into simmering gravy. Season with salt and pepper.
EASY BEGINNER'S TURKEY WITH STUFFING
This easy to make turkey is great for beginners, but experts will find it equally delicious. Adjust the cooking time for different sized birds.
Provided by DD123
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Turkey Whole Turkey Recipes
Time 4h30m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse turkey, remove giblets and place in a shallow roasting pan.
- Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Mix in water.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and slowly cook and stir the celery and onion until tender.
- Mix celery, onion, and toasted bread pieces into the stuffing, and season with salt and pepper. Loosely scoop stuffing into the turkey body cavity and neck cavity. Rub the exterior of the turkey with vegetable oil.
- Loosely cover turkey with aluminum foil, and roast 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) and the interior of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove foil during the last half hour of cooking to brown the bird.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 834.7 calories, Carbohydrate 15.6 g, Cholesterol 311.4 mg, Fat 40.4 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 95 g, SaturatedFat 11.4 g, Sodium 592.6 mg, Sugar 1.8 g
APRICOT & HAZELNUT STUFFING
Fantastic as part of your Christmas lunch - so much more than just a stuffing for the turkey
Provided by Good Food team
Categories Dinner, Side dish
Time 45m
Yield Makes about 16 balls
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Fry onions in the butter. Stir in nuts; fry until golden. Remove from the heat, add apricots, breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon zest. Mix in the egg and season. Use half to stuff the neck end of the turkey; shape the rest into balls.
- Put the balls in a buttered baking dish, then drizzle with oil. Bake for 30 mins until golden, or roast them around the turkey.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 124 calories, Fat 7 grams fat, SaturatedFat 2 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 14 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 5 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 3 grams protein, Sodium 0.28 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Thaw the turkey properly: Allow the turkey to thaw slowly in the refrigerator for 1-2 days per 4-5 pounds of weight.
- Prepare the hazelnut stuffing in advance: This will save you time on the day of cooking. You can make the stuffing up to 2 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Season the turkey inside and out: This will help to ensure that the turkey is flavorful throughout.
- Roast the turkey at a high temperature initially: This will help to brown the skin and seal in the juices. Reduce the temperature to a moderate heat for the remainder of the cooking time.
- Baste the turkey regularly: This will help to keep the turkey moist and prevent it from drying out.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey: The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and 175°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
- Let the turkey rest before carving: This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful turkey.
Conclusion:
This roast turkey with hazelnut stuffing is a delicious and festive dish that is perfect for a special occasion. The combination of savory turkey, nutty stuffing, and rich gravy is sure to please everyone at your table. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make this dish at home. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and get ready to enjoy a delicious and memorable meal!
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love