This delicious Stuffed turkey recipe is perfect for a festive feast! With its golden, crispy skin and tender, juicy meat, it’s surprisingly simple to prepare. You’ll love how the butter-and-wine baste infuses flavor while keeping the turkey moist. Pair it with your favorite stuffing or vegetables, and enjoy a show-stopping holiday centerpiece.
Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 fresh whole turkey (20 pounds), giblets (the heart, gizzard, and liver) and neck removed from cavity, rinsed with cool water, and dried with paper towels
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, at room temperature
- 1 bottle dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
- 1 parsnip, peeled and quartered
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 stalks celery, cut into 4-inch pieces
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 4-inch pieces
- 1 small head celeriac (about 1 pound), peeled and quartered
- 1 white turnip, peeled and cut into small wedges
- Stuffing
How To Make Stuffed Turkey?
- Prepare the turkey: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven: Place the rack on the lowest level in the oven and preheat to 230°C / 450°F.
- Prepare the cheesecloth: In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter and white wine. Soak the folded cheesecloth in this mixture until it’s fully saturated.
- Stuff and season the turkey: Fold the wing tips under the turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper inside the cavity. Loosely fill the cavity and neck with stuffing, ensuring it’s not packed tightly. Secure the neck flap with toothpicks and tie the legs loosely with kitchen string. Rub the turkey all over with the softened butter.
- Set up the roasting pan: Arrange the parsnip, onion, celery, carrots, celeriac, and turnip in a heavy roasting pan with 5-8 cm / 2-3 inch sides. Place a roasting rack on top of the vegetables, and place the turkey breast side up on the rack. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper over the turkey.
- Cover with cheesecloth: Remove the cheesecloth from the butter-and-wine mixture, gently squeeze to remove excess liquid, and drape it evenly over the turkey breast and partway down the sides.
- Roast the turkey at high heat: Place the turkey, legs first, into the oven and roast for 30 minutes at 230°C / 450°F. Baste the cheesecloth and exposed parts of the turkey with the butter-and-wine mixture.
- Reduce heat and continue roasting: Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C / 350°F and roast for 2 1/2 hours, basting the cheesecloth and turkey every 30 minutes. If the pan juices become too full, spoon out some liquid to maintain a manageable level.
- Remove cheesecloth and adjust positioning: After 3 hours of cooking, remove and discard the cheesecloth. Turn the roasting pan so the breast faces the back of the oven. Baste with pan juices or the butter-and-wine mixture, being gentle to avoid tearing the skin. Cover any overly browned areas loosely with aluminum foil.
- Check for doneness: After 4 hours, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, avoiding the bone. The temperature should register 82°C / 180°F. Insert the thermometer into the stuffing to ensure it reads between 60-70°C / 140-160°F.
- Rest the turkey: Transfer the turkey to a serving platter and let it rest for 20-30 minutes. Use the vegetables from the pan to prepare gravy while the turkey rests.
Recipe Tips:
- Bring the turkey to room temperature: Letting the turkey sit at room temperature for 2 hours ensures even cooking, preventing cold spots that can cause uneven results.
- Use a roasting rack: Placing the turkey on a rack helps heat circulate evenly, ensuring the skin crisps up beautifully without soggy spots.
- Soak the cheesecloth well: A damp cheesecloth soaked in the butter-and-wine mixture locks in moisture, keeping the turkey breast juicy while adding rich flavor.
- Baste regularly, but carefully: Basting every 30 minutes ensures a golden-brown finish, but handle the delicate skin gently as it becomes more fragile during cooking.
- Check the temperature in multiple spots: Use an instant-read thermometer to check the thigh and stuffing temperatures. This ensures the meat is fully cooked and safe to serve.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: First, let the leftover roasted turkey cool to room temperature. Once cooled, store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in foil. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the turkey cool completely, then portion it into airtight containers or freezer-safe bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer to the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat with a little broth or water. Add the turkey slices, cover, and warm for 5-7 minutes, flipping once, until fully reheated.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 161
- Total Fat: 6.3g
- Saturated Fat: 1.8g
- Cholesterol: 92.6mg
- Sodium: 87.6mg
- Potassium: 203.2mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 0.05g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 0g
- Protein: 24.3g
Check out More Recipes:
Martha Stewart Stuffed Turkey
Description
This delicious Stuffed turkey recipe is perfect for a festive feast! With its golden, crispy skin and tender, juicy meat, it’s surprisingly simple to prepare. You’ll love how the butter-and-wine baste infuses flavor while keeping the turkey moist. Pair it with your favorite stuffing or vegetables, and enjoy a show-stopping holiday centerpiece.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the turkey: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven: Place the rack on the lowest level in the oven and preheat to 230°C / 450°F.
- Prepare the cheesecloth: In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter and white wine. Soak the folded cheesecloth in this mixture until it’s fully saturated.
- Stuff and season the turkey: Fold the wing tips under the turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper inside the cavity. Loosely fill the cavity and neck with stuffing, ensuring it’s not packed tightly. Secure the neck flap with toothpicks and tie the legs loosely with kitchen string. Rub the turkey all over with the softened butter.
- Set up the roasting pan: Arrange the parsnip, onion, celery, carrots, celeriac, and turnip in a heavy roasting pan with 5-8 cm / 2-3 inch sides. Place a roasting rack on top of the vegetables, and place the turkey breast side up on the rack. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper over the turkey.
- Cover with cheesecloth: Remove the cheesecloth from the butter-and-wine mixture, gently squeeze to remove excess liquid, and drape it evenly over the turkey breast and partway down the sides.
- Roast the turkey at high heat: Place the turkey, legs first, into the oven and roast for 30 minutes at 230°C / 450°F. Baste the cheesecloth and exposed parts of the turkey with the butter-and-wine mixture.
- Reduce heat and continue roasting: Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C / 350°F and roast for 2 1/2 hours, basting the cheesecloth and turkey every 30 minutes. If the pan juices become too full, spoon out some liquid to maintain a manageable level.
- Remove cheesecloth and adjust positioning: After 3 hours of cooking, remove and discard the cheesecloth. Turn the roasting pan so the breast faces the back of the oven. Baste with pan juices or the butter-and-wine mixture, being gentle to avoid tearing the skin. Cover any overly browned areas loosely with aluminum foil.
- Check for doneness: After 4 hours, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, avoiding the bone. The temperature should register 82°C / 180°F. Insert the thermometer into the stuffing to ensure it reads between 60-70°C / 140-160°F.
- Rest the turkey: Transfer the turkey to a serving platter and let it rest for 20-30 minutes. Use the vegetables from the pan to prepare gravy while the turkey rests.
Notes
- Bring the turkey to room temperature: Letting the turkey sit at room temperature for 2 hours ensures even cooking, preventing cold spots that can cause uneven results.
- Use a roasting rack: Placing the turkey on a rack helps heat circulate evenly, ensuring the skin crisps up beautifully without soggy spots.
- Soak the cheesecloth well: A damp cheesecloth soaked in the butter-and-wine mixture locks in moisture, keeping the turkey breast juicy while adding rich flavor.
- Baste regularly, but carefully: Basting every 30 minutes ensures a golden-brown finish, but handle the delicate skin gently as it becomes more fragile during cooking.
- Check the temperature in multiple spots: Use an instant-read thermometer to check the thigh and stuffing temperatures. This ensures the meat is fully cooked and safe to serve.
Martha Stewart Stuffed Turkey