15large roasted chestnuts chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1lbSweet Italian sausage, loose, not in links
2cupscelery cut into 1/2 inch slices
Turkey Preparation
1 ½cupsbutter, softened (3 sticks - for rubbing)
3tbspfinely chopped fresh rosemary
1tbspfinely chopped garlic
1tbsplemon zest
1
Thaw turkey first (it takes one day to thaw five pounds of turkey) so three days should thaw it. Once thawed, rinse it thoroughly, removing giblets. Then pat it dry inside and out.
2
Mix the kosher salt, rosemary and lemon zest together thoroughly. Then sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with the seasoned salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts concentrating salt where meat is thickest.
3
Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. Flip the turkey over and do the same on the other side.
4
Place the turkey in a turkey-size plastic Reynolds oven bag. Squeeze out the air and seal it tightly. Place the turkey breast side up in the refrigerator for three days. Leave it in the bag but turn it daily and massage the salt into the skin.
5
On the day it's to be cooked, remove it from the bag and let it sit out at room temperature for one hour. Follow directions for Rosemary, lemon, garlic roast turkey with chestnut, sausage stuffing.
6
Remove the dry-brined turkey from the refrigerator and take it out of the plastic bag. Massage it thoroughly, dry it and set it aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
7
Cut an x into each chestnut, roast them in a toaster oven about 45 minutes or until tender. Skin them and chop them into 1/2 inch pieces. Set them aside.
8
Rinse and dry 2 to 3 stalks of celery. Cut them into 1/2 inch pieces, to make 2 cups chopped, set them aside.
9
In a skillet, brown the Italian sausage over medium heat until it is no longer pink. Drain it, on a paper towel and set it aside.
10
Prepare the 2 boxes of Stovetop stuffing mix as directed. Place water in a large pot along with the butter. Heat on medium until butter is melted. Add stuffing mix, remove from heat, and cover with lid.
11
Add the chopped celery, chopped chestnuts, and cooked Italian sausage to the stuffing mix and combine thoroughly. Add additional water up to 1/3 cup, if too dry. Cover stuffing and set it aside.
Turkey Preparation
12
Soften 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) of butter (not unsalted) and add 4 tablespoons of finely chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon of garlic, and one tablespoon of lemon zest. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.
13
Make sure turkey has been dried outside and in with a paper towel. Place the turkey, breast side up, in a large roasting pan greased with olive oil or cooking spray. With your hand, gently work your way under the skin of the turkey breast so there is a pocket. Then take two tablespoons of the butter, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest mixture and insert it into the pocket on each side of the breast. Press down on the skin so it's evenly distributed.
14
Take the rest of the butter mixture and rub it all over the outside of the turkey, breast, back, thighs and wings.
15
Take the stuffing mixture and stuff the cavity of the turkey as well as the area near the neck. Do not pack it too tightly. If you have some left over, grease a small casserole dish, place stuffing in, cover and refrigerate it, then heat it 40 minutes before dinner is ready.
16
Find a large piece of clean, 100% cotton material and wash it thoroughly so it does not smell of fabric softener. (An old white t-shirt works great.) Rinse it thoroughly and wring it mostly dry. Lay the cotton material over the turkey so it covers it completely, and place it in the oven at 350 degrees.
17
Check on the turkey every half hour, lifting the cloth, basting the turkey, then placing the cloth back over the turkey and thoroughly spraying it with water until the cloth is wet. Do this until the turkey is golden brown on top and juices run clear. About 4 hours.
Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving it.
Ingredients
Dry Brined Turkey Preparation
115 pound turkey
3tbspkosher salt
2tbspfresh rosemary finely chopped
1tbsplemon rind
Stuffing Preparation
2boxes Stovetop Turkey Stuffing mix
3cupswater
½cupbutter (1 stick) not unsalted
15large roasted chestnuts chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1lbSweet Italian sausage, loose, not in links
2cupscelery cut into 1/2 inch slices
Turkey Preparation
1 ½cupsbutter, softened (3 sticks - for rubbing)
3tbspfinely chopped fresh rosemary
1tbspfinely chopped garlic
1tbsplemon zest
Directions
1
Thaw turkey first (it takes one day to thaw five pounds of turkey) so three days should thaw it. Once thawed, rinse it thoroughly, removing giblets. Then pat it dry inside and out.
2
Mix the kosher salt, rosemary and lemon zest together thoroughly. Then sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with the seasoned salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts concentrating salt where meat is thickest.
3
Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. Flip the turkey over and do the same on the other side.
4
Place the turkey in a turkey-size plastic Reynolds oven bag. Squeeze out the air and seal it tightly. Place the turkey breast side up in the refrigerator for three days. Leave it in the bag but turn it daily and massage the salt into the skin.
5
On the day it's to be cooked, remove it from the bag and let it sit out at room temperature for one hour. Follow directions for Rosemary, lemon, garlic roast turkey with chestnut, sausage stuffing.
6
Remove the dry-brined turkey from the refrigerator and take it out of the plastic bag. Massage it thoroughly, dry it and set it aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
7
Cut an x into each chestnut, roast them in a toaster oven about 45 minutes or until tender. Skin them and chop them into 1/2 inch pieces. Set them aside.
8
Rinse and dry 2 to 3 stalks of celery. Cut them into 1/2 inch pieces, to make 2 cups chopped, set them aside.
9
In a skillet, brown the Italian sausage over medium heat until it is no longer pink. Drain it, on a paper towel and set it aside.
10
Prepare the 2 boxes of Stovetop stuffing mix as directed. Place water in a large pot along with the butter. Heat on medium until butter is melted. Add stuffing mix, remove from heat, and cover with lid.
11
Add the chopped celery, chopped chestnuts, and cooked Italian sausage to the stuffing mix and combine thoroughly. Add additional water up to 1/3 cup, if too dry. Cover stuffing and set it aside.
Turkey Preparation
12
Soften 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) of butter (not unsalted) and add 4 tablespoons of finely chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon of garlic, and one tablespoon of lemon zest. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.
13
Make sure turkey has been dried outside and in with a paper towel. Place the turkey, breast side up, in a large roasting pan greased with olive oil or cooking spray. With your hand, gently work your way under the skin of the turkey breast so there is a pocket. Then take two tablespoons of the butter, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest mixture and insert it into the pocket on each side of the breast. Press down on the skin so it's evenly distributed.
14
Take the rest of the butter mixture and rub it all over the outside of the turkey, breast, back, thighs and wings.
15
Take the stuffing mixture and stuff the cavity of the turkey as well as the area near the neck. Do not pack it too tightly. If you have some left over, grease a small casserole dish, place stuffing in, cover and refrigerate it, then heat it 40 minutes before dinner is ready.
16
Find a large piece of clean, 100% cotton material and wash it thoroughly so it does not smell of fabric softener. (An old white t-shirt works great.) Rinse it thoroughly and wring it mostly dry. Lay the cotton material over the turkey so it covers it completely, and place it in the oven at 350 degrees.
17
Check on the turkey every half hour, lifting the cloth, basting the turkey, then placing the cloth back over the turkey and thoroughly spraying it with water until the cloth is wet. Do this until the turkey is golden brown on top and juices run clear. About 4 hours.
Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving it.
Notes
Rosemary, Lemon, Garlic Roast Turkey with Sausage Chestnut Stuffing
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