Roast Turkey with Corn Bread-Chorizo Stuffing
Submitted by b_booty62
Roast turkey with cornbread chorizo stuffing: juicy turkey stuffed with spicy chorizo, sweet corn, and cornbread, roasted with a turn-and-baste method that delivers crisp skin and moist meat. A Southwestern Thanksgiving showstopper.
YIELD
24 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
4 hrsREADY
4 hrsRoast Turkey with Cornbread Chorizo Stuffing
This roast turkey with cornbread chorizo stuffing takes Thanksgiving in a distinctly Southwestern direction. Mexican-style chorizo brings smoky heat and paprika richness, crumbled day-old cornbread soaks up all the meaty drippings, and sweet corn kernels add pops of sweetness that balance the spice. It’s the kind of bird that makes guests ask for the recipe before dessert is even served.
The turning method is what separates this from a dry-breasted disappointment. Starting on one side, flipping to the other, then breast-down, and finally breast-up is old French rotisserie logic applied to roasting. Each turn lets the fattier dark meat render while protecting the leaner breast from constant high-heat exposure. The result is evenly cooked meat with no overdone patches.
Stuffing the bird is traditional but has one modern caveat: food safety. The stuffing must reach 165°F (74°C) at its center before the turkey is done. Loose packing allows heat penetration. Overstuffing is what causes undercooked stuffing and dried-out meat.
Basting every 15 to 20 minutes keeps the skin glossy and infused with the white wine pan drippings. Don’t skip it. Dry skin reads as dry turkey even when the meat underneath is perfect.
Chef Tips
- Use Mexican-style raw chorizo, not Spanish cured chorizo; the textures and flavors are completely different.
- Let the turkey come to room temperature for an hour before roasting; cold birds cook unevenly.
- Rest the turkey, tented in foil, for a full 30 minutes before carving; the juices redistribute and every slice comes out moist.
- Sew or truss carefully; a loose stuffing cavity lets the bird collapse and cook unevenly.
- Use a meat thermometer; visual cues lie, especially with turkey. The breast is done at 165°F (74°C), thigh at 175°F (80°C).
Variations
- Swap chorizo for Italian sausage and add fresh sage for a Mediterranean twist.
- Add diced apples, dried cranberries, and pecans to the stuffing for a sweeter, more New England flavor.
- Use chicken stock and a splash of bourbon for the gravy for a Southern-style finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash turkey under hot water.
Pat exterior and cavities completely dry with paper towels.
Smear turkey with 4 tablespoon butter. Sauté onions and celery in the remaining butter over medium heat until translucent.
Remove with slotted spoon to a very large bowl.
Sauté the chorizo in the same pan until lightly brown.
Remove to same bowl and add remaining stuffing ingredients.
Toss to combine completely.
Salt and pepper the turkey’s cavity and loosely stuff the cavity and the neck with the bread-chorizo mixture, leaving some room for expansion during cooking.
Sew up and truss the turkey.
Return to rack in roasting pan and turn turkey on its left side.
Add 1 cup stock and wine gravy to pan.
Place in preheated 400℉ (200℃) oven for 20 minutes.
Turn turkey onto its right side and continue roasting another 20 minutes.
Lower oven to 325℉ (160℃). Turn turkey breast-side-down and roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Baste every 15 minutes or so, adding stock as needed.
Turn turkey breast-side-up and continue basting every 15 to 20 Remove to a heated platter to rest. Skim off as much fat as possible from the pan drippings. Transfer pan drippings, including brown bits, to a sauté pan. Reduce to a gravy over high heat. Carve turkey.
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