Momsgrammas Thanksgiving Turkey Dressing Recipes

TURKEY WITH GRANDMA'S STUFFING

Steps:

• Place giblets in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until tender. Chop giblets; set broth and giblets aside. , In a large skillet, saute celery and onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. In a large bowl, combine bread cubes, celery mixture, giblets, egg substitute and seasonings. Stir in 1 cup giblet broth., Just before roasting, loosely stuff turkey with 8 cups stuffing. Place remaining stuffing in a greased 2-qt. baking dish; refrigerate until ready to bake. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup giblet broth over turkey. Melt remaining butter; brush over turkey. , Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until a thermometer reads 165° when inserted in center of stuffing and the thigh reaches at least 170°, basting occasionally. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns to quickly.), Bake additional stuffing, covered, for 30-40 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Cover turkey and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving turkey. , Pour pan drippings into a 2-cup measuring cup; skim fat. Add water or remaining giblet broth to measure 2 cups. In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Gradually stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with turkey.

MOM'S/GRAMMA'S THANKSGIVING TURKEY & DRESSING

Steps:

• Purchase an 18-20 pound frozen turkey on the Monday, prior to Thursday (Thanksgiving Day). Keep in its sealed covering and place on a cookie sheet or a roasting pan and defrost in refrigerator. Purchase 2 large loaves of Packaged white bread; remove from wrapper. Place on a cookie sheet to dry thoroughly.
• Thanksgiving Morning - Allow 1 hour for preparation time before cooking begins.
• Remove turkey from sealed covering.
• Loosen legs from wire clamp.
• Remove neck and giblets (liver, gizzard & heart) from body cavity.
• Thoroughly rinse turkey and cavity under running cold water, including body and neck. Set upright to drain.
• Sprinkle salt in neck and breast cavity, not on skin - it would cause it to blister when cooking.
• Place neck & gizzard in medium size pan, barely covering with cold water and simmer covered approximately 1 hour.
• STUFFING:.
• Moisten dried bread slices with cold water-pile on cake racks to absorb and drain.
• 2 large packages/loaves dried bread slices.
• 1 12 - 16 ounce package Jimmy Dean "Regular" Pork Sausage.
• 2 large onions quartered.
• Turkey Heart and Liver.
• 2 eggs.
• 3/4 Tablespoon Sage.
• 1 Tablespoon Poultry Seasoning.
• Salt and Pepper.
• 1/3 cup dried parsley - crushed.
• 1/2 stick margarine-melted.
• Brown pork sausage in frying pan -breaking meat into small pieces -drain off fat -set aside.
• Place in blender, or food processor:quartered onions, turkey hear and liver cut in halves, eggs, and seasonings. Blend to liquid consistency.
• Melt margarine; set aside.
• Squeeze excess water from bread with hands and bread into bite size pieces. Place in large mixing bowl.
• Add drained pork sausage. Mix.
• Add blended ingredients and melted butter. Mix thoroughly, but lightly. DO NOT PACK.
• By handfuls, gently place stuffing into neck cavity. Do not pack - close with small poultry nails or skewers.
• Fill body cavity - loosely - DO NOT PACK! Close cavity by replacing legs into wire clamp as originally positioned.
• Tuck wings under back. Place bird, breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan - (No need to turn bird during roasting time).
• Drizzle 1/2 stick melted margarine over bird.
• Place roasting pan on lowest shelf in 300 - 325 degree oven, uncovered - do not add water. Roast 13 to 15 minutes per original unstuffed weight (usually 4 1/2 to 5 hours total).
• Wrap remaining stuffing in foil, roll edges to form pouch and refrigerate.
• After 1 - 1 1/2 hours into roasting time, juices will accumulate in pan - use for basting chest every 1/2 hour thereafter.
• After 2 hours 2 hours roasting time, add 1 large onion, chopped, to bottom of pan - they will brown and make delicious gravy. If skin is darkening too quickly, cover with a tent of foil.
• If sufficient juices aren't forming - add 1/2 cup of water when onions are browning to prevent them from burning. Add boiled neck neck and gizzard - save water used to boil them for gravy.
• After approximately 3 1/2 hours of cooking -if skin is browned satisfactorily, cover roasting pan with its cover. Be cautious to tilt cover away from yourself to allow steam to escape before further basting. Place foil pouch of extra stuffing on wire shelf along side of roasting pan.
• Roasting time is completed when leg moves freely at thigh joint when pushed - or internal temperature is 180 degrees, if roasting thermometer is used (inserted in thickest part of thigh, but not against bone) or internal stuffing registers 165 degrees.
• Remove from oven - place turkey on cookie sheet. Cover with roasting pan cover - let sit for 20 minutes before carving to allow internal juices to flow.
• GRAVY - prepare in roasting pan over medium heat.
• Remove excess fat from pan drippings. Scrape browned residue from bottom and sides of pan-slowly add mixture of 1 cup flour and 3/4 cup water - use wire whisk and blend until thickened - add neck and gizzard water (or water from cooking white potatoes) until desired consistency is obtained - Add salt and pepper to taste - strain into medium size pan, cover and reheat before serving.
• Remove dressing from neck and body cavity - place in large serving container - mix dressing from foil pouch - cover with foil to retain heat.
• Carve turkey - serve - Sit up straight, place your napkin on your lap, pass the cranberries and ENJOY!

CLASSIC ROAST TURKEY WITH HERBED STUFFING AND OLD-FASHIONED GRAVY

Steps:

• Place oven rack in lowest position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 8-inch square baking dish or 2-quart casserole. Lightly brush roasting rack with vegetable oil and place in roasting pan.
• Remove plastic or paper packet of giblets from turkey (usually in small cavity). Remove from packaging and rinse; reserve gizzard and heart; discard floppy, dark purple liver. Remove neck from large cavity. Remove from packaging, rinse, and reserve. Using tweezers or needlenose pliers, remove any feathers and quills still attached to skin (kosher turkeys tend to require this more than others). Pull off and reserve any visible pale yellow knobs of fat from either side of tail (not found on all birds).
• Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Loosely fill small (neck) cavity with stuffing. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with metal skewer. Loosely fill large body cavity with stuffing. Transfer remaining stuffing to buttered dish and drizzle with 1/4 cup stock. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.
• Transfer turkey, breast-side up, to rack in roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under breast and tie drumsticks loosely together with kitchen string. Rub turkey all over with softened butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Tightly cover breast area with foil, leaving wings, thighs, and drumsticks exposed.
• Transfer gizzard, heart, neck, and reserved turkey fat to roasting pan around rack. Pour 2 cups stock into pan.
• Roast turkey 45 minutes. Baste with pan juices (lift up foil to reach breast area) and continue roasting, basting every 45 minutes, 1 1/2 hours more (2 1/4 hours total). Baste again and, if pan juices have evaporated into glaze, add 1 cup stock to pan. Roast another 45 minutes (3 hours total). Remove foil from breast area, baste, and add stock if necessary, until instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thigh (close to but not touching bone) registers 180°F, about 1 hour more (4 hours total).
• Insert instant-read thermometer into center of stuffing in body cavity. If thermometer does not read 165°F, transfer stuffing to microwave-safe baking dish and microwave on high until 165°F, about 3 minutes for 10 degrees. Cover and keep warm. Using turkey holders (or by inserting large metal serving spoon into body cavity), transfer turkey to large serving platter. Let stand 30 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, bake extra stuffing and make gravy: Raise oven temperature to 350°F. Remove giblets and neck from roasting pan and discard. Pour pan juices into measuring cup or gravy separator. Let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and reserve fat or, if using separator, carefully pour juices into measuring cup, reserving fat left in separator.
• Transfer foil-covered dish of extra stuffing to oven and bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add enough remaining stock to pan juices to total 4 cups. Measure turkey fat, adding melted butter if necessary to total 6 tablespoons. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners on moderate heat and add fat. Whisk in flour, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan, then cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Whisk in pan juice-stock mixture and bring to a boil, whisking often. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and keep warm. (Gravy can be kept warm over very low heat, covered, up to 20 minutes. If it thickens, thin with additional stock before serving. If skin forms on top, whisk well to dissolve.)
• When extra stuffing has baked 10 minutes, remove foil and bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Pour gravy through fine-mesh sieve into large bowl, then transfer to gravy boat. Carve turkey and serve gravy and stuffing alongside.
• Test-Kitchen Tips:
• •To combat dryness, most frozen turkeys and some fresh are injected with a saline solution. This is not a good thing, though: Injected birds generally lack flavor and can have a mushy texture. For this reason, we recommend buying a fresh turkey and checking the label to be sure there aren't any additives. (Look for the words "all natural.") Don't be too concerned, though, with the many other terms that can be applied to turkeys, such as free-range, organic, or heritage. All can be excellent.
• •When buying a fresh bird, be sure to purchase it no more than two days before Thanksgiving. If you must get a frozen bird, defrost it in the refrigerator in a pan to catch drips, allowing a full 24 hours for each 5 pounds.
• •Warm, moist stuffing is an optimal environment for bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli to multiply, so it's important to follow safe procedures. Be sure to make the stuffing at the last minute so it can go into the bird warm. This helps it move above the "danger zone" (the optimal temperature range for bacteria growth) more quickly during roasting. When you remove the turkey from the oven, be sure to check the temperature in the middle of the stuffing to make sure it's 165°F, the temperature at which bacteria will be killed. If it's not 165°F, scoop it out of the cavity and microwave it as directed in the recipe.
• •More stuffing tips: Be sure not to overpack the cavities, as the stuffing will expand during cooking. Loosely fill the turkey, then spread the extra in a casserole dish (no more than 2 inches deep) and bake it after the turkey comes out (be sure to refrigerate it until then to impede bacteria growth). Drizzle the portion in the casserole dish with extra stock to make up for the juices it won't get from the turkey. If you want the stuffing that's cooked inside the turkey to be extra-moist (as opposed to having a crisp crust where it's exposed), cover the exposed portion with a small piece of aluminum foil.
• •Opinions vary on whether or not to stuff the bird-some people think it can cause uneven cooking. If you prefer not to stuff your bird, fill the cavities with a chopped vegetable and herb mixture that will impart its flavor to the meat and pan juices: Chop 1 onion, 1 celery rib with leaves, 1 carrot, and 3 tablespoons fresh parsley. Mix this with 1 teaspoon each dried rosemary, sage, and thyme. Sprinkle the cavities with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place the mixture inside. An unstuffed bird will take about 15 minutes to a half hour less to cook than a stuffed bird. When the turkey is cooked, tilt it to allow any juices that have collected in the cavity to drain into the pan. Do not serve the vegetable mixture, as it may not have cooked to a safe temperature.
• •This recipe can easily be scaled up to serve more people. Estimate about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person. Cooking times (for a stuffed bird, cooked at 325°F to an internal temperature of 180°F) will be as follows: 8 to 12 pounds: 3 to 3 1/2 hours 12 to 14 pounds: 3 1/2 to 4 hours 14 to 18 pounds: 4 to 4 1/4 hours 18 to 20 pounds: 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours 20 to 24 pounds: 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours
• •Some experts prefer to cook their turkeys to an internal temperature of 170°F (rather than 180°F, as in this recipe). If you don't mind having the meat slightly pink, this is perfectly safe and makes it more moist. However, Rick Rodgers, who created this recipe, believes that the dark meat in particular does not achieve its optimum flavor and texture until it reaches 180°F. If you choose to stuff your turkey and cook it to only 170°F, its stuffing will almost definitely not reach the safe temperature of 165°F. When you remove the turkey from the oven, be sure to check the temperature in the center of the stuffing, and if necessary remove it and microwave it as directed in the recipe.
• •Letting the turkey stand for half an hour after it comes out of the oven is an essential part of the roasting process. When meat roasts, its juices move to the outer edge of the flesh. Letting it rest gives the juices time to redistribute, making for a moister turkey. An added bonus: The resting time provides an excellent window of opportunity to make the gravy and reheat the side dishes. There's no need to cover the bird-it'll stay warm enough, and covering it would only soften the crispy skin.

MOM'S TURKEY STUFFING

Steps:

• Melt butter in skillet.
• Add onions and celery and cook until tender.
• Place bread in a large bowl and add onion mixture. Use your hands to mix well. The ingredients should hold together in a ball.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Stuff in turkey and bake as directed.
• Double recipe for a larger bird.

THANKSGIVING DRESSING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, celery, apples, chestnuts, salt, pepper, thyme, sage, Worcestershire and hot-pepper sauce. Cook, stirring, until vegetables have softened and herbs wilted, approximately 5 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add the bread, beaten eggs, parsley and enough broth so the dressing is well moistened. Blend well and check for seasoning.
• Grease a baking dish with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and put dressing in it. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the top is beginning to brown. Check to make sure interior is moist. If not, add some more broth and return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes longer.