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Roast Turkey with cranberry stuffing 

A Simply Perfect Roast Turkey

1 (8 kg)	whole turkey
½ cup	unsalted butter, softened
1½ cubes	chicken stock
8 cups	prepared stuffing
	salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

1. Preheat oven to 165° C.
2. Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.
3. Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan.
5. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing.
6. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper.
7. Position an aluminium foil tent over the turkey.
8. Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting pan.
9. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan.
10. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time.
11. Remove aluminium foil after 2 1/2 hours.
12. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 80° C, about 4 hours.
13. Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

 

Cranberry, Sausage and Apple Stuffing

12 cups	white bread cubes, baked until slightly dry
½ kg	sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
¼ cup	butter
6 cups	coarsely chopped leeks
4 teaspoons	chicken seasoning
2 cups	chopped celery
3	green apples - peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup	dried cranberries
2 teaspoons	dried rosemary, crushed
1 1/3 cups	chicken stock
	salt to taste
	ground black pepper to taste

 

1. Sauté sausage in a large pan over medium heat, crumbling coarsely for about 10 minutes.
2. Remove sausage to a large bowl. Empty pan of grease.
3. Melt butter into the same pan.
4. Add the leeks, apples, celery and poultry seasoning.
5. Sauté until softened, about 10 minutes.
6. Add the rosemary, dried cranberries and cooked sausage.
7. Mix all with the dried bread cubes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Moisten with the chicken stock.