Classic Stuffed Turkey With Old-Fashioned Gravy
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Roasting a stuffed turkey means two of Thanksgiving’s most important players are prepared simultaneously, a boon for multitasking cooks everywhere. But there’s nuance to the process. No one wants to cut corners only to serve a dry Thanksgiving turkey or woefully undercooked stuffing. One key to a successfully stuffed bird is to slow the cooking of the turkey breast by covering it with aluminum foil so it comes out of the oven juicy and golden brown. Another is to ensure the turkey stuffing is warm before packing it in the bird, giving it a jumpstart on reaching a safe temperature by the time the meat is perfectly cooked.
This recipe is for a 12- to 14-pound turkey serving eight people, but it can be scaled up for a bigger bird. We estimate at least one pound of turkey per person if you want ample turkey leftovers (and who doesn’t?).
Some experts prefer to cook their turkeys to an internal temperature of 165° (rather than 180°, as we do here). Rick Rodgers, who created this recipe, believes dark meat in particular does not achieve optimum flavor and texture until it reaches 180°. If you choose to stuff your turkey and cook it to only 165°, the stuffing will almost definitely not reach a safe temperature. When you remove the turkey from the oven, check the temperature in the center of the stuffing and cook further in the microwave as indicated below.
Letting the turkey stand after it comes out of the oven is an essential part of the roasting process. Letting it rest gives its juices time to redistribute, making for a moister turkey, and provides an excellent opportunity to make the gravy and reheat your Thanksgiving side dishes. There’s no need to cover the bird—it’ll stay warm enough, and covering it would only soften the crispy skin.
Once you’ve learned how to roast a stuffed turkey, customize it by adding diced apples, dried cranberries, or toasted pecans to your stuffing recipe, or swap this one out for a nostalgic stuffing made from boxed seasoned cubes or a Garlicky Sausage Stuffing to give your Thanksgiving dinner an extra kick.
Recipe information
Total Time
5 hours 25 minutes
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
Herbed stuffing
Turkey and assembly
Preparation
Herbed stuffing
Step 1
Place rack in middle of oven; preheat oven to 325°. Toast 10 cups (1") cubes crusty country-style bread (1 lb.) on a large rimmed baking sheet until just dry, 25–30 minutes.
Step 2
Melt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in a large heavy skillet over moderately low heat. Add 3 medium onions, chopped, 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced crosswise, 1 tsp. dried thyme, ½ tsp. dried sage, and ½ tsp. dried rosemary; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Step 3
Transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Add dried bread cubes, 1½ cups hot Homemade Turkey Stock or store-bought turkey stock or chicken broth, and ½ cup water and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning.
Do ahead: Stuffing can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill. Rewarm in a microwave before continuing.
Turkey and assembly
Step 4
Place a rack in lowest position of oven; preheat oven to 325°. Grease an 8” square baking dish or 2-qt. casserole dish with unsalted butter. Lightly brush roasting rack with vegetable oil and place in roasting pan.
Step 5
Remove plastic or paper packet of giblets from one (12–14-lb.) turkey (usually in small cavity). Remove from packaging ; reserve gizzard and heart; discard floppy, dark purple liver. Remove neck from large cavity. Remove from packaging and reserve. Using tweezers or needlenose pliers, remove any feathers and quills still attached to skin (kosher turkeys tend to require this more than others).
Step 6
Pat turkey dry. Loosely fill small (neck) cavity with warm stuffing. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with metal skewer. Loosely fill large body cavity with stuffing. Transfer any remaining stuffing to prepared dish and drizzle with ¼ cup warm Homemade Turkey Stock. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Step 7
Place turkey, breast-side up, on rack in roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under breast and tie drumsticks loosely together with kitchen string. Rub turkey all over with 4 Tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened, and sprinkle with 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Tightly cover breast area with foil, leaving wings, thighs, and drumsticks exposed.
Step 8
Transfer gizzard, heart, and neck to roasting pan around rack. Pour 2 cups warm Homemade Turkey Stock into pan.
Step 9
Roast turkey 45 minutes. Baste with pan juices (lift up foil to reach breast area) and continue roasting 1½ hours more, basting every 45 minutes (2¼ hours total). Baste again; if pan juices have evaporated into glaze, add additional 1 cup warm Homemade Turkey Stock to pan. Roast another 45 minutes (3 hours total). Remove foil from breast area, baste, and add stock if necessary, until instant-read meat thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thigh (close to but not touching bone) registers 180°F, about 1 hour more (4 hours total).
Step 10
Insert instant-read thermometer into center of stuffing in body cavity. If thermometer does not register 165°, transfer stuffing to microwave-safe baking dish and microwave on high until 165°, about 3 minutes for 10°. Cover and keep warm. Using turkey holders (or by inserting large metal serving spoon into body cavity), transfer turkey to large serving platter. Let stand 30 minutes before carving.
Step 11
Meanwhile, increase oven temperature to 350°. Remove giblets and neck from roasting pan and discard. Pour drippings into measuring cup or gravy separator. Let stand until fat rises to top, 1—2 minutes, then skim off and reserve fat or, if using separator, carefully pour juices into measuring cup, reserving fat left in separator.
Step 12
Transfer foil-covered dish of stuffing to oven and bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add enough remaining warm Homemade Turkey Stock to pan juices to total 4 cups. Measure turkey fat, adding melted unsalted butter if necessary to total 6 Tbsp. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners on moderate heat and add fat. Whisk in 6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan, then cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Whisk in stock mixture and bring to a boil, whisking often. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper and keep warm.
Step 13
When extra stuffing has baked 10 minutes, remove foil and bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Pour gravy through fine-mesh sieve into large bowl, then transfer to gravy boat. Carve turkey and serve gravy and stuffing alongside.
Do ahead: Gravy can be kept warm over very low heat, covered, up to 20 minutes. If it thickens, thin with additional stock before serving. If skin forms on top, whisk well to dissolve.
Editor’s note: This stuffed turkey recipe was first printed on Epicurious in October 2007. Head this way for our guide to your best Thanksgiving ever →
Recipe notes
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