How to Cook a Turkey and Stuffing. There are too many videos of turkeys gone wrong to count. If you’re nervous about roasting a turkey for the first time, I think you might appreciate how easy it really is to do.
See the charts below for defrosting and roasting times.
How to Cook a Turkey and Stuffing
First, use this handy chart to figure out when to remove your turkey from the freezer so it has plenty of time to defrost.
Then use this one to figure out how long to roast your turkey.
Once you have defrosted your turkey and figured out your roasting time, it’s time to prepare your turkey. To prepare your oven, remove extra racks and use one at a low level so your roasting pan will fit. Doing this while the oven is still cool will save you a lot of unnecessary troubles. Then turn the oven to 450°F to preheat it.
Remove the packaging. Remove the packets and neck from either or both ends and set them aside. Save them for the gravy-making. Place the turkey legs up in the pan and fold the wings underneath.
If you don’t have a roasting pan, you can buy disposable ones in a regular grocery store but I recommend making the investment of a good roasting pan and a pretty platter. You will use them for more than just turkey over the years.
How to Cook a Turkey and Stuffing
Turkey Stuffing
- 1 pound bag dried bread pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
- 1 bunch fresh sage (or 1 tablespoon ground sage but fresh is best)
- 1/2 bunch celery, diced
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 can water chestnuts (optional)
- 32-40 ounces chicken broth (see note below)
- 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons Sea salt
- 2 teaspoons Coarse ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon Beau Monde
Most grocery stores and bakeries sell plain toasted bread around the holidays. For my 16 pound turkey, I just used one bag (1 pound) of stuffing bread.
You can toast your own by cutting it into about 1-inch pieces, laying bread on a baking sheet, and baking it in the oven. Just be sure not to choose a sweet type of bread.
Put the bread into a large bowl.
Secret: If you love the flavor of Stove Top stuffing, sage & celery are probably the main reason why you do.
Water chestnuts add a nice crunch to the stuffing. I like to chop mine a little bit first.
Toss all the stuffing ingredients into the large bowl.
Drizzle with the broth and stir so the stuffing is well-coated. If cooking stuffing in the turkey, just use 32 ounces of broth. If cooking in a baking dish, use about 40 ounces of broth.
The great thing about stuffing is that as long as it hasn’t come near the raw turkey, you can taste a little piece before putting it in the turkey to see if it has enough salt. This will at least give you a good idea if you are close to perfection.
Yay! The stuffing is ready to stuff into the stuffee. First, rub butter or olive oil, salt, & pepper all over the inside & outsides of the turkey.
Then push the stuffing into the neck end of the turkey (the end where the skin flap was). I know, it’s yucky.
When done, use the skin flap to help seal the stuffing on that end. Just pull it up.
All the way… and hold in place while you flip the turkey over.
Then stuff the other end of the bird as full as you like. The top of this stuffing will get that yummy crispy topping on it. Mmmmm.
Pour about a cup of water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the rack in the pan and then the turkey with legs upward.
Tom is ready to pop into the oven. Once the turkey is in the oven, turn the heat down to 350°F. Keep your cutest oven mitts and turkey baster ready.
About every hour or so, check on the turkey and use the baster to suck up the juices and squirt them all over the bird. Your home is about to smell like a family tradition. Savor it and remember it. These are the best times in life.
Once the turkey is well browned, cover with the roasting pan lid. This will prevent the top, the legs, and the wings from overcooking while the inside continues to roast.
Oh, momma. Let Tom sit for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Remove stuffing from under the flap on the bottom of the bird and place it into a serving bowl. Carefully place turkey onto a pretty platter. A pan that comes with a rack is an especially good thing for cooking things as large as a turkey.
If you have leftover stuffing that doesn’t fit inside the turkey, just put it in a small baking dish and bake it until done. You can stir it with the rest of the stuffing and serve it all in a bowl if you like.
Save all the fats and juices from your roasting pan! These make for the very best gravy.
If you like the look & plan on having a picture op, keep the stuffing that is at the top there until needed.
Electric knives are popular for cutting as they make it easier to get thinner slices.
Decorate your turkey with parsley, shorty baby tomatoes, or whatever you find pretty.
May you and yours have a very happy holiday season celebrating the blessings that you have been given.