Roast Turkey with Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing Recipe
Description:
This roast turkey with old-fashioned bread stuffing recipe from Better Homes and Gardens is a Thanksgiving dinner game-changer! Even if it’s your first time tackling the turkey, fear not – this recipe will make you look like a seasoned pro. The turkey comes out perfectly moist, and the stuffing is simply incredible. It’s so good that you might want to double the stuffing if you’re serving a large crowd – trust me, it disappears fast!
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Celery | 1 stalk |
| Fresh mushrooms | 1 |
| Onion | 1/2 |
| Butter | 1/3 cup |
| Ground sage | 1 tsp |
| Pepper | 1/4 tsp |
| Salt | 1/8 tsp |
| Chicken broth | 8 cups |
| Water | 1/2 – 3/4 cup |
| Turkey | 10 – 12 lbs |
Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Calories: 1475
- Fat Content: 73.1g
- Saturated Fat Content: 24.1g
- Cholesterol Content: 541.6mg
- Sodium Content: 1013.7mg
- Carbohydrate Content: 32.7g
- Fiber Content: 2.1g
- Sugar Content: 3.8g
- Protein Content: 160.3g
Cooking Time:
- Preparation Time: 1 hour
- Cooking Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours
Instructions:
-
Prepare the Stuffing:
- In a medium saucepan, cook celery, mushrooms, and onion in butter until tender but not brown. Remove from heat.
- Stir in sage, pepper, and salt.
- Place dry bread cubes in a large mixing bowl, then add the onion mixture.
- Drizzle with enough broth or water to moisten, tossing lightly.
-
Prepare the Turkey:
- Season the body cavity of the turkey with salt.
- Spoon some stuffing loosely into the neck cavity. Pull the neck skin to the back and fasten with a skewer.
- Lightly spoon more stuffing into the body cavity. Any remaining stuffing can be placed in a casserole, covered, and chilled. Dot with butter and bake alongside the turkey for 35-45 minutes or until heated through.
- Tuck the ends of the drumsticks under the band of skin across the tail. If the band of skin is not present, tie the drumsticks securely to the tail.
- Twist wing tips under the back.
-
Roast the Turkey:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Place the turkey, breast side down, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
- Brush with oil and cover loosely with foil.
- Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 hours, or until a meat thermometer placed into the center of a thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 180°F (82°C). Make sure the center of the stuffing reads 165°F (74°C).
- After about 1 1/2 hours, turn the turkey over so that it is breast side up. Brush the breast side with oil.
- After 2 1/2 hours, cut loose drumsticks so that thighs will cook evenly.
- When done, drumsticks should move very easily in their sockets, and their thickest parts should feel soft when pressed.
- Uncover the turkey for the last 30 minutes of roasting.
-
Prepare the Bread Cubes:
- To make dry bread cubes, cut bread into 1/2-inch squares. You’ll need about 12-14 slices of bread for 8 cups of cubes.
- Place the cubes in a brown paper bag and close loosely. Let stand for 3-4 days, mixing up by hand each day until thoroughly dry.
- Alternatively, spread bread cubes onto a large cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 10-15 minutes or until dry, stirring twice. Cool before using.
- I highly recommend using homemade white bread (made by hand or bread machine) for the bread cubes. You’ll be amazed at the difference in texture!
Keywords:
Poultry, Meat, High Protein, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Weeknight, Oven
Recipe Notes:
- Feel free to adjust the seasonings in the stuffing to suit your taste preferences.
- Don’t forget to let the turkey rest for about 20-30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Serve with your favorite Thanksgiving sides and enjoy the praise from your family and friends! 🦃🍞
