Roast Turkey Recipe

Ingredients:

12 pound turkey
salt, pepper
stuffing
butter
bacon
onions
cloves
celery
carrots
bay leaves
parsley
thyme
flour
cooked ham
cooked chicken
sausage
day old bread
eggs
mace
marjoram
chicken stock

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to moderate (325 degrees F)

2. Rub inside of a ready to cook 12 pound turkey with: 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

3. To roasting pan add: 2 cups water, 1 onion stuck with 3 cloves, 1 stalk celery, 2 carrots, 2 bay leaves, 5 sprigs parsley and 1/2 teaspoon thyme.

4. Cook turkey in a moderate oven for 10 to 20 minutes per pound (3 1/2 to 4 hours) or until it is a rich even brown, basting every 30 minutes with the drippings in the pan.

5. Place turkey on heated platter and serve with giblet gravy.

Directions:

1. In skillet melt: 1/2 cup butter. Add: 2 chopped onions, 2 stalks celery chopped and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

2. Add: 1 cup finely diced cooked ham, 1 cup finely diced cooked chicken meat, 1/2 cup sausage and cook for 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

3. Pour mixture over: 6 cups day old bread crumbs in large mixing bowl. Add: 4 eggs, lightly beaten, 1 teaspoon crumbled sage, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon mace, 1/4 teaspoon marjoram and 1 teaspoon mace salt. Mix lightly and stir in: 1/2 cup chicken stock to moisten.

1. 1 pound of lean pork shoulder. Have the pork ground through a fine meat grinder.

2. Combine the ground pork with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard and 1 teaspoon crumbled sage.

3. Shape into patties and pan fry or boil slowly for 15 minutes, until they are browned well and cooked through and through.

Trussing and closing up the cavity after the turkey has been stuffed is completely up to you. Some cooks like to close the cavity with skewers so the dressing doesn't fall out. Many cooks don't bother with either trussing or closing the cavity.

The Price's recipe didn't mention anything about applying butter or olive oil on the outside skin of the turkey. I find that when you do apply butter or olive oil it gives the skin a nice golden color.

Our Grandmothers and Mothers have always basted the turkey. They felt basting made a juicy and tender turkey while adding flavor to the skin and preventing if from drying out.

1. While the turkey is cooking - simmer the turkey giblets, neck and wing tips in 1 quart of water for 2 hours.

2. When turkey is finished cooking and cooling on a platter. Strain the liquid in the roasting pan and let fat rise to the surface.

3. Return 6 tablespoons fat to the baking pan. Stir in 6 tablespoons of flour and cook for 5 minutes. Make sure you stir in all the brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pan.

I find it easier to mix the flour in some stock before adding it to the pan. This helps to prevent the flour from clumping.

4. Combine the liquid from the roasting pan (after the fat has been removed) with the giblet stock to make up 3 cups of stock.

5. Add this liquid into the pan , constantly stirring until the gravy is thickened and smooth.

6. Add the chopped giblets.

Don't Forget To Baste Every 30 Minutes.

I find that sticking a meat thermometer into the turkey breast or thigh to find the temperature and test if it is done lets the turkey juice escape. I feel that it is better to keep the juice inside the turkey - helps keep the turkey moist. I test to see if the turkey is done by color and shaking the turkey leg - if the leg is loose and moves easily it is done.