ROAST STUFFED TURKEY

Roast Stuffed Turkey image

Provided by Craig Claiborne

Time 4h30m

Yield 12 - 15 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 17-to-20-pound ready-to-cook turkey
6 cups stuffing such as a pork and sage stuffing (see recipe)
3 tablespoons corn, peanut or vegetable oil
Salt to taste if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 onions, about 1/2 pound, peeled
1 turkey neck
1 cup fresh or canned chicken broth
1 cup water
Giblet gravy (see recipe)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Stuff turkey cavity with about 5 cups of stuffing. Place folded piece of aluminum foil inside cavity opening to hold stuffing in place. Fill neck opening with remaining stuffing and fold over skin to enclose. Truss turkey with string.
Place turkey in large roasting pan. Rub all over with oil, salt and pepper. Scatter onions and turkey neck around it. Put in oven and roast about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Baste and cover breast loosely with aluminum foil.
Reduce oven heat to 400 degrees.
Roast turkey about 50 minutes and pour chicken broth and water around it. Replace foil and continue baking, basting often, at least every 15 minutes. Cook about 2 hours longer. Total cooking time is 3 hours and 30 minutes. The cooking time is 11 or 12 minutes per pound. When done, joint between leg and thigh bone will move easily when touched. If skin is pierced at that joint, the juices that run out will be clear. A meat thermometer inserted into the stuffing or breast meat will register 160 degrees.
Remove turkey from roasting pan and pour off the basting liquid. Strain it. Skim off the fat. Pour skimmed juices into the giblet gravy. Bring to the boil and skim off any additional fat. There should be about 3 cups of gravy.