Roast Turkey with Pecan Corn-Bread Stuffing
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.
Servings: 10 to 12
Ingredients:
| Nutritional Info | |
| Per each of 12 servings: about | - |
| cal | 878 |
| pro | 93 g |
| total fat | 41 g |
| sat. fat | 12 g |
| carb | 30 g |
| fibre | 3 g |
| chol | 336 mg |
| sodium | 681 mg |
| % RDI: | - |
| calcium | 14% |
| iron | 53% |
| vit A | 42% |
| vit C | 8% |
| folate | 46% |
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1 turkey (about 15 lb/6.75 kg)
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) pecan halves (8 oz/250 g)
1/3 cup (75 mL) butter
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup bourbon, Tennessee whisky or rye
4 tsp (20 mL) chopped fresh sage (or 1-1/2 tsp/7 mL dried)
2 tsp (10 mL) chopped fresh thyme (or 3/4 tsp/4 mL dried)
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
3/4 tsp pepper
Corn Bread
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped celery leaves or fresh parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup (75 mL) all-purpose flour
3 cups (750 mL) Giblet 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
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Substitution: You can replace the corn bread with 8 cups (2 L) coarse, slightly dry homemade-style white bread crumbs.
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