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Classic Roast Turkey

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Classic Roast Turkey

Cuisine:American

Course:Dinner

30m prep 4h cook 4h ready

10 to 25 servings This is the ideal method to use for birds over 15 pounds in weight, though it works well for smaller birds, too. The lower heat ensures that the bird cooks to doneness relatively evenly. While we give the option to stuff the bird, please be aware that you will have to remove the stuffing and finish cooking it in a baking dish, as it will not cook through at the same rate as the turkey. Please read About Turkey and About Roasting Turkey. A day or more before roasting the turkey, you may brine or dry-brine it (we recommend dry-brining), if desired. If you have wet-brined the bird, pat it dry and allow it to air-dry overnight, uncovered and refrigerated, on a rack set over a baking sheet. It is imperative to dry out the skin to encourage browning. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F.

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Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 1
    • 1 pound firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into ½-inch cubes (10 cups lightly packed)
    • 4 to 8 tablespoons (½ to 1 stick) butter
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
    • (Liver, heart, and gizzard from the turkey or chicken to be stuffed, finely chopped)
    • ½ cup minced parsley
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ½ to 1 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed
    • (2 large eggs, well beaten)
    • 1 to 1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth, or as needed
    • Up to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toast on a large baking sheet, stirring several times, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes: 1 pound firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread, including crusts, cut into ½-inch cubes (10 cups lightly packed)
    2. Transfer to a large bowl and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, if baking in a dish; if stuffing a bird, preheat the oven to the temperature indicated in the recipe. Melt in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the foam subsides: 4 to 8 tablespoons (½ to 1 stick) butter
    3. Add and cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes: 1 large onion, chopped; 2 celery ribs, finely chopped; (Liver, heart, and gizzard from the turkey or chicken to be stuffed, finely chopped)
    4. Remove from the heat and stir in: ½ cup minced parsley; 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage; 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme; ¾ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg; ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
    5. Add to the bread cubes and toss until well combined. Stir in, a little at a time, until the stuffing is lightly moist but not packed together: ½ to 1 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed
    6. Adjust the seasonings. If you desire a firm dressing and are baking in a dish, toss with: (2 large eggs, well beaten)
    7. If stuffing poultry, spoon the stuffing into the bird(s). For dressing, transfer to a buttered 13 × 9-inch baking dish and drizzle with: 1 to 1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth, or as needed
    8. For soft dressing, cover the dish with foil. For crispy, browned dressing, leave the dish uncovered and dot with: Up to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
    9. If the stuffing is in a dish, bake until browned as desired, 30 to 45 minutes. If the stuffing is inside a bird, ensure that the internal temperature of the stuffing reaches 165°F.
  • One 10- to 25-pound turkey
  • Salt
  • 3 to 6 tablespoons melted butter, depending on the size of the turkey, or as needed
  • 1
    • ¼ cup dry white wine, sherry, port, Madeira, or water
    • ¾ cup chicken or turkey stock or broth
    • (1 tablespoon butter, softened)
    • (1 tablespoon all-purpose flour)
    • Several drops of lemon juice or vinegar
    • Salt and black pepper to taste
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. After transferring the meat to a platter, pour into the roasting pan: ¼ cup dry white wine, sherry, port, Madeira, or water
    2. Place the roasting pan on 2 burners over medium-high heat. Bring the juices to a simmer and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up the browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture into a heatproof glass container and let the fat rise to the top, then skim off the fat and discard. (You can also use a gravy separator.) Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan. Add the juices that have accumulated around the meat along with: ¾ cup chicken or turkey stock or broth
    3. Bring to a simmer. If desired, to thicken the sauce into a gravy, mix to a smooth paste: (1 tablespoon butter, softened); (1 tablespoon all-purpose flour)
    4. Whisk the paste bit by bit into the simmering sauce and cook until thickened. Season with: Several drops of lemon juice or vinegar; Salt and black pepper to taste

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 1 (Basic Bread Stuffing or Dressing or Basic Corn Bread Stuffing or Dressing, with any desired additions)
  • One 10- to 25-pound turkey
  • Salt
  • 3 to 6 tablespoons melted butter, depending on the size of the turkey, or as needed
  • 1 (Quick Pan Sauce or Gravy or Turkey Giblet Gravy)

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    If you wish to stuff the bird, have hot or at room temperature: (Basic Bread Stuffing or Dressing or Basic Corn Bread Stuffing or Dressing, with any desired additions)

  2. Step 2.

    If you have not done so already, remove the giblets and neck from: One 10- to 25-pound turkey

  3. Step 3.

    If the bird is not kosher, self-basting, or brined, rub all over with: Salt

  4. Step 4.

    Loosely pack the body and neck cavities with the stuffing, if using. Bring the legs together and tie them to hold the stuffing in. Set the turkey breast side up on a V rack in a roasting pan or on a large rimmed baking sheet. Any leftover stuffing can be placed in a buttered baking dish. Brush the turkey’s skin all over with: 3 to 6 tablespoons melted butter, depending on the size of the turkey, or as needed

  5. Step 5.

    Transfer the turkey to the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Roast until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 155°F, and the thickest part of the thigh reaches at least 170°F. (Stuffing must reach 165°F.) This may take as little as 2 hours for a 10-pound turkey and up to 6 hours for a very large turkey. Transfer the turkey to a platter and let rest for at least 20 and up to 40 minutes before carving.

  6. Step 6.

    If the breast is done but the thighs are not, take the turkey out of the oven and carve the legs off at the hip joint. Place the legs on a rimmed baking sheet and return to the oven to finish cooking through while the breast and carcass rests. If the stuffing is not done, spoon it into a buttered baking dish and place in the oven to cook through as the turkey rests.

  7. Step 7.

    While the turkey rests, prepare, if desired: (Quick Pan Sauce or Gravy or Turkey Giblet Gravy)

  8. Step 8.

    Finally, if at the end of cooking you are not happy with the degree of browning, increase the oven temperature to 500°F and let it preheat when you remove the turkey to rest. When the oven is preheated and the gravy made, place the rested turkey back in the pan and roast until the skin is browned, about 10 minutes. To carve, see About Carving Poultry.

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