Roast Turkey with Sausage Herb Stuffing

This is the first turkey recipe I ever made.  This is another recipe that came from my sister.


Herbed Butter:
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large shallot, chopped
2 tsp. of chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp of dried)
2 tsp. of chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp of dried)
1 18-20 pound turkey (neck and giblets removed)


2 cups of chicken stock


Mix the first four ingredients in a bowl.  Can be made one day ahead and chilled.  Bring back to room temperature before using.
Rinse turkey and pat dry.  Preheat oven to 400.


Put the herb butter over the turkey.  If the legs of the turkey aren't secured then tie the legs together loosely with cooking twine.  This will help the turkey hold it's shape. place in roast pan with the trussed legs facing up.  put 2 cups of chicken stock in bottom of roasting pan.
Roast the turkey for 30 minutes at 400 then reduce temperature to 350.  Continue roasting.  Using a baster, baste the turkey every 30 minutes for about 2 and a half hours.  Continue cooking until meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 175.
If the turkey begins to brown too much on the breast you can make a little foil tent to cover it.


I do not stuff the turkey with the stuffing but the recipe says you can.


Sausage and herb stuffing


1 pound of bread (such as french bread) with crust trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch cubes.
1 lb of sausage
1/4 cup of unsalted butter
3 large celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, chopped  (yellow or white)
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 Tablespoons of poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. of thyme
1/4 tsp. of sage
3/4 cup of chicken stock
1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs, beaten


Toast the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet until lightly golden.
Cook the sausage and then transfer to a bowl.  Add the butter to the sausage drippings then saute celery, onion, bell pepper, sage, poultry seasoning and thyme for about 10 minutes.  Add this mixture to the sausage mixture.  Then add the bread.  Add chicken stock to the skillet and bring to a boil scraping up and browned bits and pour over stuffing. Add salt and pepper, then add the eggs and parsley and toss well.
Put the stuffing in an oven safe dish and during the last 30 minutes of roasting the turkey you can bake the stuffing until hot.


Most turkeys have turkey timers an they do work!  :)
The turkey should be pulling away from the bone slightly when done.


OK!  This is one recipe... I'll post another later!
The next recipe is the one that has the paprika pan gravy.