Roast Turkey with Stuffing

Directions

Preheat oven to 325℉ (160℃).

Thaw turkey (20 pound turkey will thaw in approximately 7 days in refrigerator).

Remove wrap.

Unhook turkey legs from retainer down by tail, then remove neck from body cavity.

Remove giblet packet from neck cavity.

Put these in saucepan, cover with 2 to 3 cups water and simmer for 1 hour or more.

Rinse turkey well and drain, returning to refrigerator until needed.

After ½ hour of giblets cooking, dice celery and onion.

Fry sausage, crumbling, until completely done.

Add celery and onion and ½ cup water to fry pan and let simmer 10 minutes.

Using your roasting pan, empty 2 boxes of croutons into it.

Add sausage/celery/onion mix.

Melt ½ cup butter and add.

Add teaspoon of poultry seasoning.

Add 2 cups of giblet broth.

Stir well until croutons are evenly moistened.

Rinse turkey again, shake out excess water.

Stuff body cavity with stuffing loosely (do not pack in or turkey will explode) and put legs back into retainer to hold together.

Stuff neck cavity.

Fold wing tips behind bird’s back, use to hold neck skin down so stuffing won’t fall out from neck.

Rinse out roasting pan and line with foil.

Coat foil with vegetable oil.

Coat turkey, all over, with vegetable oil.

Place in roasting pan.

Add any excess stuffing that will fit on top of turkey legs at body cavity opening, laying on top.

Put in oven and roast for approximately 6½ to 7 hours, depending on oven.

Roast to 180 to 185 degrees internal temperature at thickest part of thigh without touching thermometer to bone, and same at thickest part of the breast.

Baste turkey with baster last 2 hours, about every 15 minutes.

If skin is getting too dark, tent with foil.