How to cook Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients
TURKEY
1 fresh/frozen turkey
1/4 cup butter/margarine
CORNBREAD DRESSING
2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1 tbs oil
5-6 slices of bread
1 chopped onion
2 stalks celery chopped
4 cups chicken or turkey broth
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
GRAVY
Giblets and neck from 1 turkey
3 1/4 cups water
1 onion
1 stalk celery
2 hard boiled eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbs corn starch
Directions
Remove giblets and neck from your turkey to reserve for the gravy. Rinse turkey with cold water.
Place turkey, breast size up, in your roasting pan. Brush turkey with melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 325 degrees for 4-5 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees. Baste with pan drippings every hour. When turkey is done let stand for 15 minutes before carving.
Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add buttermilk, eggs, and 1 tbs oil. Mix well.
Preheat over to 450 degrees. Place 1 tbs oil in a cast-iron skillet. Place skillet in the oven for 3 minutes. Remove pan and tilt to distribute oil and pour cornbread batter into the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. After it has completely cooled, crumble cornbread into a large bowl. Stir in crumbled white bread.
Combine onion and celery in a small saucepan. Add 3 tablespoons of broth. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Add crumbled cornbread mixture. Stir in poultry seaonsoning, white pepper, sage, salt and pepper. Add enough remaining broth so that dressing mixture holds together. Put mixture into a lightly greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until dressing is lightly browned.
Cover giblets and neck with 3 cups of the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for one hour. Drain, reserving broth and discard turkey neck. Chop giblets and return to broth in saucepan. Add onion, celery, eggs, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Combine cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 cup water. Stir will until it forms a broth mixture.
