Turkey and Stuffing...First time?

Question

Hey everyone,
i have never made turkey before and this is going to be my first time. We are going to get one pretty small, but i have NO idea what to do with it?

-am i supposed to season it? i dont want it all bland.
-How do i make the stuffing? Which store bought brand is good (Stouffer's)?
-How do i make gravy?

-please no pork in recipes...we don't eat it...

thanks again.

Answer 1

I am not going to burden you with too much information, I suggest you get some professional help.
cooks.com has devoted part of their main page devoted to all of the things you need to know, and probably thousand of recipes.
My own suggestion would be to keep it reasonably simple for a first timer.

Answer 2

First and foremost I do the turkey and the stuffing apart. It's a pain to get the bird and the stuffing to be done together at just the right time. You can just defrost the bird ( usually let it sit in the sink full of water overnight or a clean 5 gallon bucket if I have one. Clean it out and remember to remove all the parts and that stupid gravy packet if there is one. Easiest way to do the bird is to season it with a poultry seasoning and then stuff an onion cut in half into the cavity. Cook normally. You may have to top the breast with foil halfway through if it gets too brown. Let the bird rest for ten minutes before carving.

Take the pan dripping and put into a saucepan. I make a slurry with flour and water( not paste and not too much water) in a shakeable container. Shake it good and hard for a few minutes. Strain into the pan drippings over medium heat and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Answer 3

Perfect Roast Turkey

1 fresh turkey (12 pounds)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch of fresh thyme
1 lemon, halved
3 Spanish onions
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick), melted
1/2 cup good olive oil
8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
10 red new potatoes, halved
3 heads fennel, fronds removed, cut into wedges through the core

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, lemon, one of the onions (quartered), and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey. Peel and slice the remaining onions, toss them with 1/4 cup olive oil, and scatter them around the turkey.

Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Toss the carrots, potatoes, and fennel with 1/4 cup olive oil and add to the roasting pan. Continue to roast for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.

Stir the vegetables and return the pan to the oven. Continue to cook the vegetables while the turkey rests. Slice the turkey and serve on a platter with the roasted vegetables. Serves 8.

--Ina Garten
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Don't try to stuff the dressing into the bird. The risk of food poisoning is too great. Just make it in a separate dish.

LEEK AND WILD MUSHROOM STUFFING
The porcini mushroom soaking liquid moistens this stuffing.

1½ cups hot water
½ oz. dried porcini mushrooms*
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups dry white wine
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1½ ( 8oz.) French-bread baguettes, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Combine 1½ cups hot water and dried porcini in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to work surface; chop finely. Pour mushroom soaking liquid into small bowl, leaving any sediment behind, and reserve.
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add shiitake and button mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes. Add leeks and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and porcini mushrooms. Cook until almost all wine evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover mushroom mixture and porcini soaking liquid separately and chill. Reheat mushroom mixture to lukewarm before continuing.) Transfer mixture to very large bowl. Mix bread into mushroom mixture. Season with salt and pepper; mix in egg.

To bake stuffing in dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough reserved mushroom soaking liquid to stuffing to moisten (3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until heated through, about 40 minutes.

* Dried porcini mushrooms are available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and many supermarkets.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.
--Bon Appétit, November 2002
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Old-Fashioned Cornbread Dressing

2 cups crumbled cornbread
1 cup toasted croutons; use sourdough day old bread
1 teaspoon crumbled sage
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1/2 teaspoon each salt/ pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 egg
1 teaspoon flour, optional
1 cup chicken stock

Preheat oven to 355ºF. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Put mixed ingredients in a 9 by 4-inch loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes.