Holiday Turkey With Apple-Pear Stuffing

By á-170456

Ingredients

• APPLE-PEAR STUFFING:
• 1 turkey - (abt 14 lbs)
• Salt to taste
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter - (1 stick)
• 4 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and chopped
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 3 celery stalks with leaves chopped
• 6 dried pear halves chopped
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dried sour cherries
• 36 slices firm white bread - (abt 2 lbs) cut 3/4" squares
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 3/4 tspn dried thyme)
• 1/2 teaspoon shredded fresh sage leaves (or 1/4 tspn dried sage, crumbled)
• Salt to taste
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup turkey or chicken broth

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper. Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples, onions, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until softened. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the dried pears, raisins, dried cherries, bread, parsley, thyme, and sage to the apple mixture and season with salt and pepper. Pour the broth over and toss until evenly moistened.

Spoon the stuffing loosely into the neck and body cavities. Place the remaining stuffing in a small buttered baking dish; refrigerate. Tuck the turkey skin at the neck end under, fold the wings under, and tie the legs together. Cover with a foil tent.

Roast the turkey for 2 3/4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices. Remove the foil and continue roasting for about 45 minutes longer, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, registers 180 degrees. Let the turkey stand loosely covered with foil for about 20 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, about 45 minutes before the turkey is done, put the reserved stuffing into the oven, and bake for 1 hour.

Carve the turkey, spoon the stuffing into a bowl, and serve.

This recipe yields 10 servings.