Stuffed Turkey
Thigh/Legs (Preheat oven to 350°)
If you like dark meat turkey this is the recipe for you---but not an
every day recipe for sure! They sell 2 packaged together and frozen
so be sure to pull them out and let them thaw a couple days in the
frig. It takes time to bone out the bird, make the stuffing, and tie
it all up---although I bone the turkey and make the stuffing ahead.
I don’t know quantities for everything---I just wing it! Probably
used ½ onion, ½ red pepper, lots of mushrooms. Depends on what
you and your family like. Mushrooms tend to cook down quite a bit
and we like them so I use a lot. Add or change out the ingredients
as you like!
2 Boned Turkey
Thigh-Leg Portions (I bone them out myself---just make sure to get
out all those really skinny bones that are in the leg portion—this
is the hard part!)
Stuffing:
bacon – chopped
and cooked
mushrooms - sliced
onions - chopped
red sweet pepper -
chopped
fresh spinach leaves
(frozen, thawed will work in a pinch)
chicken or turkey
stock/broth
Italian bread crumbs
and/or Panko crumbs
parmesan cheese
(maybe ¼ cup?)
pine nuts –
toasted (very good---don’t skip these!)
Cook the bacon and
remove from pan and discard all but a tablespoon or two of the fat.
Saute the mushrooms, onions, red pepper in the remaining bacon fat
and when almost tender add the spinach to wilt. Turn off heat. Stir
in parmesan, breadcrumbs and enough stock to help it bind. I like it
fairly dry as the turkey will give off some moisture and you don’t
want the stuffing too mushy. Add seasonings as you like---thyme,
onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper… Stir in the toasted
pinenuts.
Lay out the turkey
and put half the stuffing on each portion. Use kitchen string to tie
it up as best you can. I never have enough time to be neat and
usually just try to get it closed up enough so the stuffing doesn’t
go everywhere. It always seems to come out looking appetizing no
matter how messy my tying job is!
Rub a little vegetable oil on and season the skin with whatever you like. I used Lawry’s seasoning salt,
pepper, onion powder and a little thyme. Put the turkey on a rack in a sheet pan (or on a broiler pan) and put it in a 350 degree oven
until the internal temp is about 165-170 degrees. It took about an
hour. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Cut and remove strings then slice and
serve!
I usually accompany
this with a vegetable, mashed potatoes or noodles and/or some bread. If you
have drippings in the sheet pan you can make a gravy. I used the
turkey bones to make a broth and then just thickened and seasoned it to serve
alongside.
I cook it on a sheet pan and a
rack but you could use a broiler pan with rack as well. Just spray them both with some cooking spray and put the turkey on the rack in the sheet pan. and then
season the skin with whatever you like. I used Lawry’s salt,
pepper, onion powder and a little thyme. Put it in a 350 degree oven
until the internal temp is about 165-170 degrees. It took about an
hour. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Slice and
serve!
I usually accompany
this with a vegetable, mashed potatoes and/or some bread. If you
have drippings in the sheet pan you can make a gravy. I used the
turkey bones to make a broth and then just thickened that to serve
alongside.
Yum!!
