Turkey with Stuffing

Alton Brown

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2004

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Stuff It

Rated 5 stars out of 5
  • Rate This Recipe
  • Read 43 Reviews
Total Time:
3 hr 15 min
Prep
45 min
Cook
2 hr 30 min
Yield:
4 to 6 servings
Level:
Easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 (10 to 12-pound) turkey, with giblets removed
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • 2 ounces dried mushrooms
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus extra for rubbing on turkey
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning turkey
  • 3 cups Challah bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (from approximately 4 to 5 slices)
  • 4 ounces unsweetened dried cherries, approximately 1 cup
  • 2 ounces chopped pecans, approximately 1/2 cup
  • 2 whole eggs, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning chicken
  • Special equipment: 1 re-usable organic cotton produce bag*

Directions

*Cook's Note: The bag is optional. Once the stuffing is made, you can place the stuffing into the bag and then place the bag into the cavity of the turkey.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the turkey into a deep, high-sided bowl on its end with the stuffing end up. Set aside.

Heat the chicken broth in the microwave in a large microwave-proof container. Place mushrooms in a glass bowl and pour heated broth over them. Cover and allow to sit for 35 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl toss the onion, celery, and green pepper with the oil and salt. Place the vegetables on a sheet pan and roast for 35 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, spread the cubed bread over the vegetables, return to the oven, and continue cooking.

Drain mushrooms, reserving 1 cup of liquid. Chop the mushrooms and place in a large

microwave-proof bowl with the vegetables and bread, reserved chicken stock, cherries, pecans, eggs, sage, parsley and black pepper. Stir well in order to break up pieces of bread. Use your hands to combine, if necessary. Heat the stuffing in a microwave on high power for 6 minutes.

While the stuffing is heating, rub the bird with oil. Working quickly, place the stuffing into the cavity of the turkey to avoid losing heat. Place the turkey into a roasting pan, on a rack, and season with salt and pepper. Place the roasting pan on the middle rack of the oven. Roast for 45 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and cook for another 60 to 75 minutes or until the bird reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F. Serve immediately.

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Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 43 reviews

  • on December 08, 2011

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    Best turkey and stuffing I have ever made and ate! Making this again for Christmas LOL! Oh well my Thanksgiving menu was so good I just can't get enough!

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  • on November 02, 2011

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    This is, hands-down, my favorite stuffing ever. I bake my own challah several days before, and cut it up (also prep the celery, onion, and green pepper the night before Thanksgiving. I always double the recipe, which seems to work well for the cavity size on a 22-25lb turkey. I've found that using dried mushrooms gives a bit too strong of a mushroom-y flavor for me and my family - I instead prefer to use some fresh baby portabello mushrooms, sliced small. I find that the dried cherries give a nice sweetness, and always throw in a second handful of pecans. My only real disappointment with this stuffing is that no matter how much I make, there are rarely any leftovers for the next day!

    One tip on roasting the stuffed turkey - we always roast it breast side down for the first few hours of cooking, and then flip it at the halfway point. This makes for super-moist breast meat, which is my favorite part.

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  • on September 25, 2011

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    Very good recipe. TIP: I have used a reynolds browning bag for my turkey for 30 years. So Easy, browns beautifully, cooks faster and no basting, tons of gravy and super moist. Just season your turkey and go by direction on bag. Don't forget to cut severals small slits in the top of the bag for steam to escape

    people found this review Helpful.
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