Roast Turkey with Pecan Corn-Bread Stuffing

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This recipe makes 10 servings

Nutritional Info
Per each of 12 servings: about	-
cal	878878 cal
pro	93 g93g pro
total fat	41 g41g total fat
sat. fat	12 g12g sat. fat
carb	30 g30g carb
fibre	3 g3g fibre
chol	336 mg336mg chol
sodium	681 mg681mg sodium
% RDI:	-
calcium	1414 calcium
iron	5353 iron
vit A	4242 vit A
vit C	88 vit C
folate	4646 folate

Give your holiday bird a southern twist with this pecan stuffing. The turkey and gravy are further flavoured with a little bourbon or Tennessee whisky, a surprising but excellent flavour enhancer for poultry. Even without the bourbon, the stuffing is delicious.

Ingredients

1 turkey , (about 15 lb/6.75 kg)1 1turkey, (about 15 lb/6.75 kg)
2-1/2 cups pecan halves 2-1/2 2-1/2cups cupspecan halves
1/3 cup butter 1/3 1/3cup cupbutter
2 stalks celery , chopped2 2stalks stalkscelery, chopped
1 large onions , chopped1 1large largeoniononions, chopped
2 cloves garlic , minced2 2cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper , seeded and minced1 1jalapeño pepperjalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1/2 cup bourbon 1/2 1/2cup cupbourbon or rye whisky or Tennessee whisky
4 tsp chopped fresh sage 4 4tsp tspchopped fresh sage
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme 2 2tsp tspchopped fresh thyme
1 tsp salt 1 1tsp tspsalt
3/4 tsp pepper 3/4 3/4tsp tsppepper
Corn Bread Corn bread
1/2 cup chopped celery leaves 1/2 1/2cup cupchopped celery leafcelery leaves or fresh parsley
1 egg , lightly beaten1 1eggeggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 1/3cup cupall-purpose flour
3 cups Giblet Stock for Gravy 3 3cups cupsGiblet stock for gravy or chicken stock

Preparation

Remove neck and giblets from cavity of turkey; reserve for Giblet Stock for Gravy. Finely chop liver and reserve for stuffing. Pull out any loose fat from cavity.

On baking sheet, toast pecans in 425°F (220°C) oven for 4 minutes; let cool.

In skillet, melt 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the butter over medium-high heat; cook celery, onion, garlic and jalapeño pepper until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.

Stir in 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the bourbon, reserved chopped liver, sage, thyme and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each of the salt and pepper; fry for 2 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; let cool. Crumble corn bread into bowl. Add pecans and celery leaves; mix well. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.) Mix in egg.

Pat turkey dry inside and out. Holding breast side down, sprinkle body cavity with 2 tbsp (25 mL) and neck cavity with 2 tsp (10 mL) of the remaining bourbon. Stuff both cavities loosely with some of the stuffing; skewer cavities shut. Tie legs together and tuck wings under back.

Place turkey, breast side up, on greased rack in roasting pan. Place remaining stuffing in greased 11- x 7-inch (2 L) glass baking dish; cover with foil and refrigerate.

Melt remaining butter and stir in 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the remaining bourbon; brush over turkey. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp (2 mL) of the remaining salt and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) of the remaining pepper.

Roast in 325°F (160°C) oven for 1 hour. Roast, basting often, for 2-1/2 hours or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 180°F (82°C).

Meanwhile, add covered dish of stuffing to oven; cook for 45 minutes. Uncover and cook for 15 minutes longer. Lift turkey onto warmed platter; tent with foil and let stand for at least 15 minutes or for up to 30 minutes.

Skim off all but 2 tbsp (25 mL) fat from pan drippings; place pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle flour over drippings; cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan. Gradually whisk in stock and remaining bourbon, salt and pepper; bring to simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in giblets; heat through. Pour into warmed gravy boat.

Additional information :

Substitution: You can replace the corn bread with 8 cups (2 L) coarse, slightly dry homemade-style white bread crumbs.