Turkey with Southwest Stuffing
Submitted by Jazzey
A whole roasted turkey stuffed with a bold Southwest cornbread dressing loaded with jalapeños, chayote, cilantro, pecans, and sage. Give your holiday bird a Tex-Mex twist that’ll have the whole table talking.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
4 hrsREADY
4 hrsForget the same old Thanksgiving stuffing. This year, your turkey goes Southwest.
A 10 to 12-pound bird gets filled with a cornbread stuffing that’s anything but traditional. Chayote squash, four jalapeños, garlic, onion, and fresh cilantro sauté in butter, then get tossed with cubed cornbread, chopped pecans, thyme, and sage.
The turkey roasts uncovered at a low, steady heat with a foil tent to keep the skin golden without burning. Four hours later, the meat is juicy, the stuffing is fragrant with Southwestern heat, and your kitchen smells like a fiesta.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t pack the stuffing tightly; it expands as it bakes inside the bird
- Bake extra stuffing in a covered casserole alongside the turkey during the last 45 minutes
- Adjust the jalapeño count up or down depending on your spice tolerance
- Let the turkey rest a full 20 minutes before carving for the juiciest slices
- Remove all stuffing from the bird before storing leftovers
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare Southwest Stuffing.
Fill wishbone area of the turkey with stuffing.
Fasten neck skin to back with skewer. Fold wings across back with tips touching. Fill body cavity lightly. (Do not pack as stuffing will expand.) Tuck drumsticks under band of skin at tail or skewer to tail.
Spoon any remaining stuffing into a small ungreased casserole; cover. (Refrigerate leftover stuffing until 30 minutes before turkey is done. Bake covered until hot, bout 45 minutes.) Heat oven to 325 degreesF.
Place turkey breast side up in roasting pan. Brush with Margarine. Insert meat thermometer in thigh muscle or breast, not touching the bone. (Tip of thermometer can be inserted in center of stuffing also) Do not add water and do not cover.
Roast until done, 3½ to 4 hours. Place a tent of aluminum foil loosely over turkey when it begins to turn golden. After 3½ hours, cut band or remove skewer holding legs.
Turkey is done when the thermometer placed in the thigh muscle registers 185 degrees or drumstick meat feels very soft when pressed between fingers. (Thermometer inserted in the stuffing will register 165 degrees F.) Let stand about 20 minutes before carving.
As soon as possible after serving, remove every bet of stuffing from the turkey. Cool stuffing and turkey promptly; refrigerate separately, and use within 2 days.
SOUTHWEST STUFFING: Cook and stir chayote, chiles (Seed and finely chop chiles), garlic, and onion in margarine in 10-inch skillet until chayote is tender.
Stir in cilantro, salt, thyme, and sage until well blended. Stir in about ⅓ of the cornbread cubes.
Turn mixture into deep bowl. Add the remaining cornbread cubes and pecans. Toss and fill turkey.
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