Roast Turkey with Corn Bread Stuffing

== Description ==
* Makes approximately 3 quarts, or 12 cups of stuffing
== Ingredients ==
* ¼ lbs butter
* 1 turkey, fresh (12 – 16 lbs)
* ½ lbs salt pork, thinly sliced
=== Corn bread stuffing ===
* 2 pack corn bread mix (10 oz)
* ½ cup celery, chopped
* 1 onion, medium, minced
* ½ cup butter
* 2 egg yolks
* salt
* pepper
=== Turkey stock ===
* turkey giblets + neck and wings
* 3 cups water
* ½ onion, small, sliced
* ½ garlic clove
* ½ bay leaf
* ⅛ tsp basil, crumbled
* ⅛ tsp rosemary, crumbled
* ⅛ tsp thyme, crumbled
* ⅛ tsp salt
===Turkey giblet gravy ===
* ¼ cup pan drippings
* ¼ cup flour
* 1 cup water
* 2 cups turkey stock
* turkey giblets, cooked, chopped
* salt
* pepper
== Directions ==
# Preheat oven to 425°F.
# Cut butter into very thin slices; place in freezer to harden while you prepare bird.
# Wash turkey inside and out.
# Remove and reserve neck, giblets and wing tips.
# Pat dry with paper toweling.
# Starting at the breast, separate the skin from the meat by working your fingers between them.
# Slice your hand under skin as far as you can go and gently free the skin on both sides of the breast.
# Loosen it around the upper part of the legs, stopping about halfway down the legs.
# Insert slices of the cold butter, first under the leg skin, then under the breast skin.
# Reshape the loosened skin on the bird by patting it gently back in place. It will sag a bit but don"t let that upset you; it will cook back in place.
# Wrap bird loosely in waxed paper and refrigerate while preparing stuffing.
# Fill cavity of turkey loosely with stuffing.
# Fasten neck skin of turkey to body with skewer.
# Push legs under band of skin at tail or tie to tail.
# Place slices of salt pork over breast and fasten with wooden picks.
# Place turkey on its side on rack in shallow open roasting pan.
# Cook for 15 minutes, then turn bird on other side and roast for 15 minutes longer.
# Lower temperature to 325°F.
# And continue to roast turkey, turning the bird from side to side and basting often with the drippings from pan, for about 3½ to 4 hours, or until juices run yellow - no longer pink - when thigh is pierced with a fork.
# Roast turkey breast side up for the last 15 minutes of cooking time.
# Transfer turkey to serving platter and let rest 30 minutes before carving.
# Reserve all drippings in pan for gravy.
=== Corn bread stuffing ===
# Prepare corn bread, following label directions, or use your own favorite recipe. Cool.
# Crumble enough to make 7 cups and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
# Sauté celery and onion in butter in a large skillet until soft.
# Spoon vegetables and butter over corn bread crumbs.
# Beat egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl; stir in stock and pour mixture over corn bread.
# Stir lightly to blend.
# Season with salt and pepper to taste.
=== Turkey stock ===
# Combine giblets, neck, and wing tips with water in a large saucepan; add remaining ingredients.
# Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until liver is tender.
# Remove liver and continue to simmer mixture for about 1 hour, or until remaining giblets are tender.
# Strain mixture; remove and chop giblets and liver for gravy.
# Reserve stock.
===Turkey giblet gravy ===
# Pour off all turkey fat from roasting pan into a glass measuring cup.
# Measure and return ¼ cup to pan.
# Sprinkle flour into fat; cook and stir 2 or 3 minutes over low heat.
# Add water and 2 cups of the reserved turkey stock.
# Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits in pan with wooden spoon, until gravy thickens and bubbles 2 minutes.
# Strain gravy into saucepan; add chopped giblets and reserved liver.
# Taste; season with salt and pepper if needed.
__NOTOC__
Category:Thanksgiving Main Dishes
Category:Basil Recipes
Category:Cornbread Recipes
Category:Salt pork Recipes
Category:Rosemary Recipes
Category:Turkey meat Recipes
Category:Giblet Recipes
Category:Turkey stock and broth Recipes