Charlene's Recipe

Holiday Ranch roasted turkey with cornbread stuffing

Category: Dinners

Ready in 3 hours
serves 12

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 packet (1 oz) Ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
Freshly ground black pepper
12-14 lb fresh turkey

CORNBREAD STUFFING:
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
10 large cornbread muffins, torn into pieces, or 1 loaf cornbread, cubes (about 5 cups)
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
1 apple (golden delicious works well!) cored, peeled and cut into medium size cubes
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup all purpose flour
juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 F; remove top rack. Prepare compound butter by combining butter and ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix in a small bowl; stir with a spoon until well incorporated. Adjust seasoning with freshly ground black pepper; set aside.
Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a medium skillet. Toss apple cubes in melted butter and cook approximately 2 minutes to gently caramelize. Remove apple cubes and set aside. In same pan melt half of compound butter over medium heat, reserving remaining compound butter for turkey. Add onion and rosemary; cook until lightly browned. Add Italian sausage meat and cook 10 minutes until soft and golden. Scrape sausage mixture into large mixing bowl, add apple and cornbread pieces; toss to combine. Season well with salt and pepper. In separate bowl, whisk egg, cream and stock; pour liquid over cornbread mixture. Stir stuffing together; set aside.
Rinse turkey thoroughly inside and out with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using fingers, gently lift skin from breast and rub ranch compound butter under skin, massaging breast meat as you go. Spread remaining compound butter over exterior of skin, covering wings, legs and any gasps. Stuff bird with prepared stuffing. Truss with kitchen twine or simply cross legs over and secure with twine. Position turkey of rack in large roasting pan; transfer to oven.
Roast turkey approximately 3 hours, until instant read thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 170 (thigh juices run clear with pricked with a knife, 15 minutes per pound). If legs or breast brown too quickly during roasting, cover with foil. Remove turkey from oven; transfer to serving tray to rest while making gravy.
Skim off most fat from pan drippings with spoon and position roasting pan across two burners over medium high heat. Using wooden spoon, scrape up browned bits stuck to bottom of pan. Whisk in flour, stirring as it thickens to prevent lumps. Pour in remaining 2 1/2 cup stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly to blend and prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer; season with salt, pepper and squeeze of lemon juice to brighten flavors. Simmer for 5 minutes; strain to remove solids. Serve with turkey and stuffing.