roasted turkey with scrumptious chestnut stuffing

How To Make roasted turkey with scrumptious chestnut stuffing

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  1

  FOR TURKEY BRINE: Combine all brine ingredients except for turkey and ice in a large stockpot or work in even batches in a smaller pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then bring down to a simmer for about ten minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
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  2

  Pour brine into a container wide enough so that the turkey can lay the breast side down. Remove giblets from turkey and reserve for gravy or another use. Lower turkey into the brine. Add ice. Cover and let stand overnight.
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  3

  Meanwhile, prep the stuffing for the following day by first roasting chestnuts. Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut a shallow cross into the flat side of each chestnut, careful not to pierce the shell through to the flesh. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes. Chestnuts are easier to peel when they are still hot, so let them cool just enough to handle them before peeling with your hands. Make sure to get all the shells and peels off completely. Coarsely chop the flesh.
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  4

  Mix the chestnuts, chopped onion, and celery. Cover and chill until ready to use.
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  5

  Spread the bread slices, six at a time, on a baking sheet. Preheat the broiler and broil the bread in two batches, about 2-3 minutes on each side until the bread is an even tan on both sides.
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  Let the bread cool completely before cubing each slice into 1/2 in cubes.
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  Pour bread and any loose crumbs into a large bowl and let sit overnight to completely dry out.
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  8

  Rub a brush or paper towel over cremini mushrooms to remove any dirt and moisture. Make sure they are completely dry. Slice mushrooms to a medium thickness.
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  Spread on a paper plate. Cover with a second paper plate and place into the coldest part of your refrigerator; away from any humidity or moisture.
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  10

  When the turkey is ready to be removed from the brine, first remove the chestnut/veggie mixture from the fridge. Combine the mixture with mushrooms.
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  11

  Heat oil in a very large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Carefully stir in the mixture. Stir and simmer until vegetables are just soft.
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  Stir in toasted bread and crumbs, seasonings, and parsley. Heat for about a minute more. Then stir in broth. Continue to heat and stir until mixture is combined, hot, and moist, about three minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and keep very warm.
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  13

  For turkey oven prep, mix thyme and unsalted butter.
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  14

  Loosen turkey skin in breasts and drumsticks.
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  Spread the butter mixture under the skin, pressing so that the turkey is as evenly covered as possible.
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  Turn turkey, breast side down, and lay neck skin flat so the neck cavity is exposed.
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  Using gloves, stuff turkey neck cavity ONLY with very warm stuffing, filling in as much as possible.
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  Pull neck skin up to wings to hold stuffing in place. Fold wings over neck skin and tie with kitchen string to hold them in place - using metal skewers or poultry pins if necessary.
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  19

  Turn the turkey, breast side up, and tie the legs together with kitchen string.
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  20

  Brush vermouth over the entire surface of the turkey skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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  21

  Preheat oven to 350 F and roast turkey in a large roasting pan on a roasting rack for 4-6 hours or until thermometer reading from a thigh reaches 160 degrees.
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  22

  Baste turkey when fat renders, but only about once an hour.
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  23

  Loosely cover the turkey with aluminum foil halfway through baking if the skin begins to darken too much.
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  24

  Let the turkey rest for about 40 minutes before carving. Remove wings and carve the neck side first, and get a little bit of stuffing inside each slice. Serve with giblet gravy.
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