Turkey 101
Why I Love This Recipe
Since Thansgiving Day is almost around the corner I thought I would share our recipe for roasted turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Ingredients You'll Need
1 20 pound turkey - if frozen thaw out in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
3 medium onions, diced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
5 celery stalks, diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 Turkey roasting bag
1 Turkey stuffing bag
Bread Stuffing:
Giblets, cooked and diced
3 large or 5 medium onions, chopped
10 cloves garlic, chopped
8 stalks celery, chopped (stalks and leaves)
2 loaves of Seven Grain Bread or other whole grain breads, cubed
1 tablespoon sage
2 teaspoons ground thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound butter
Directions
In advance: One day prior to roasting the turkey, cube the bread and place in large stainless steel bowl..cover.
Cook the giblets with 2 bay leaves and enough water to cover the giblets. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, then dice the giblets. Save the giblet water and place in the refrigerator.
Turkey Day: In a large skillet melt the butter, then cook and stir onions, garlic and celery until onion and celery is soft.
Season bread cubes. Add onion mixture to bread cubes and toss. Add a little giblet water to bread mixture.
Wash turkey cavities thoroughly.
Place turkey in large roasting pan, then place stuffing bag in turkey and add stuffing in the stuffing bag until full. Place remaining stuffing in neck cavity and a casserole.
Place 3 garlic cloves under the skin of the turkey.
Place turkey in roasting bag..follow directions on package.
Add remaining vegetables in roasting bag - they can be used in the gravy including the carrots.
Roast turkey, breast down in uncovered baking pan. See directions on package.
After turkey is done, remove vegetables and let them cool. Remove stuffing bag and stuffing from neck cavity and place in a casserole.
After vegetables are cooled, place them in a food processor and add a tablespoon of turkey drippings and set to puree. Add pureed vegetables to turkey drippings. To thicken gravy, make a paste of 3 tablespoons flour with 1 tablespoon cold water. Whisk in the flour mixture to gravy. Continue stirring until it boils. Then set aside.
Debone turkey and place meat on a serving platter.
To use vegetables in the gravy we learned from my brother Eric.