Golden
Brown Turkey
10 to 12-lb Turkey*
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
½ cup butter or margarine
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 cups finely chopped celery
¾ cup finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten
12 cups fine fresh white-bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove giblets from turkey;
set aside for gravy. Wash and dry turkey very well
inside and out.
Make old-fashioned Dressing: Melt 1/2 cup butter in
skillet over low heat. Add onion and celery: sauté
until golden, about 5 minutes. Toss lightly with rest
of dressing ingredients in large bowl just until well
mixed.
Spoon dressing into neck cavity.
Bring skin of neck over back: fasten with poultry
pin.
Spoon dressing into body cavity. Do not pack. Bake
any leftover dressing in covered casserole.
Insert about 5 poultry pins, at regular intervals,
to draw body opening together. With long piece of
twine, lace cavity closed, boot lace fashion; tie
with knot.
Bend wing tips under body or fasten wings to body
with poultry pins. With twine, tie ends of legs together.
Brush turkey all over with some of melted butter.
Insert meat thermometer in inside of thigh at thickest
part. Turn, breast side down, on rack in shallow roasting
pan.
Roast, uncovered, 2 hours. Turn breast side up. Saturate
cheesecloth square with rest of melted butter; place
over turkey breast. (Or brush turkey with rest of
butter; cover breast loosely with square of foil.)
Roast 2 to 2-1/2 hours longer.
As cheesecloth dries out, moisten with pan drippings.
(Or brush turkey with drippings.)
Turkey is done when meat thermometer registers 185
to 190°F; leg joint should move freely when twisted,
and fleshy part of drumstick should feel soft.
Place turkey on heated platter; remove cheesecloth
or foil, twine, and poultry pins. Let stand 20 to
30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make Giblet Gravy.
Makes 15 or 16 servings; about 12 cups dressing. |
