INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

One week before: Bake a 9 x 13 pan of corn bread. Cool. Break into
chunks and put in very large Tupperware container or large roasting
pan. Add 1 & 1/2 loaves of bread - spread slices for drying moving
around daily, and breaking up as the slices dry out. Use good bread ~
the cheap stuff is NOT as good! Keep covered with a clean dish towel,
do NOT seal with lid. PREPARATION AND COOKING:  Clean a a thawed
turkey (thaw in the refrigerator about 3-4 days for a 20 pound
turkey). Place the turkey breast DOWN in a large roasting pan (enamel
is great). Add the neck and giblets. Slice about 2 sticks of butter
and place these all over the turkey. Open one can chicken broth and
pour in the bottom of the pan. If the roaster lid fits, use it to
cover the turkey.  If it doesn't, make a cover with heavy foil by
tearing off two pieces of foil about 12 inches longer than the pan  and
make a "sealed" fold along the lengthwise edges. Put over the  turkey
like a tent ~ that is, leave some space in the center rather  than
having the foil touch the turkey. Pinch the edges of the foil  tightly
around all edges to seal juices in as turkey bakes. Bake in a  325
degree oven until about 1 hour BEFORE the turkey is completely  done!
You'll have to check a 20 lb turkey in about 2 1/2 hours or 3  hours.
If your turkey is TOO done, it will not be as good. Ideally,  the meat
should not be falling away from the bones. Set a timer for 2  1/2
hours... and about 1 hour before you think the turkey is ready  for
adding the stuffing, begin preparing it. Do NOT prepare too far  ahead
of time. Dice the onions and celery hearts/leaves (if you don't  have
hearts, use lots of leaves - this is one of the "secrets" of my
stuffing). Together, the onions and celery should equal at least 6
cups, more or less. Remove the turkey carefully.  Move the turkey to
another container (I use the roaster lid or an aluminum baking pan).
Pour the broth through a strainer into the sauce pan you'll be using
to make the gravy. Retain the rest for the stuffing. If more liquid  is
needed, use cans of chicken broth and/or 1 stick of butter to 1  cup of
water. Into a large container (I use the huge Tupperware  bowl), put
the dried corn bread, bread, onions & celery. Pour in any  left-over
broth. This may be hot, so wait for it to cool.  Mix with a  large
wooden spoon. Add enough chicken broth to cool the mixture  enough that
it can be mixed with your hands. Each hardened piece of  corn bread and
bread should be smashed with your fingers. When the  mixture is cool
enough that it won't cook the eggs, add the eggs.  Remember to break
the eggs into another container. This will prevent  egg shells in your
stuffing!!! (Eggs in stuffing: Another secret.)  Add salt, lots of
pepper, and lots of sage. Mix by hand, adding more  broth as needed for
a nice thick and moist mixture - not too sloppy.  Taste it! This is
where YOUR judgment comes into play. The stuffing  should have a hint
of pepper, and a definite taste of sage. When the  stuffing looks right
and tastes right, start putting it in the bottom  of the roaster. Put
in enough so that you have about 1/2" of stuffing  in the pan. Now
place the turkey ON TOP of the stuffing, breast UP.  Continue adding
the stuffing all around the turkey. If you have  enough, you can
completely bury the turkey in stuffing! Bury the neck  and giblets in
the stuffing - push then in and cover them. (My  favorite part of the
turkey is the neck - no one in my family DARES  to use it in gravy!)
If you want giblet gravy (ugh!) hold back the  giblets and do your
thing with them. Cover as before, return to the  oven for about 2
hours, or until celery and onions are tender. Make  gravy by adding a
couple of large scoops of stuffing into the  retained broth. Make
thickening of flour and water (or cornstarch) to  thicken your gravy as
desired. If you don't have enough broth, open  another can of Chicken
broth! This turkey is NOT "pretty as a  picture" but I guarantee it's
the most delicious way in the world to  prepare turkey and stuffing (or
chicken and stuffing). Clem's  grandmother raised fourteen children and
this was the only way to  prepare enough "dressing" for the entire
family. Of course, she  cooked her meals in a wood cook stove. This
method of preparation was  handed down to Clem's mother who then taught
it to me....Joyce Kohl  Taken from: IT NEVER TURNS OUT THE SAME WAY
COOKBOOK A Collection of  Recipes from the Kitchen of Joyce & Clem Kohl
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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