Thanksgiving Roast Turkey with Stuffing

Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Remove the giblets from the cavity of the Turkey, pat the bird dry inside and out, and loosen the skin over the breasts with your fingers to create pockets for the butter.

Season the cavity and skin generously with Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper. Rub softened Unsalted Butter under the skin and over the surface of the turkey, mixing in chopped Thyme, Rosemary, and Sage so the herbs sit against the meat as it roasts.

Prepare a roasting rack in a large pan and scatter roughly chopped Carrot, Celery, quartered Onion, and a few smashed cloves of Garlic in the bottom—these aromatics lift the turkey and make a flavorful base for pan juices and gravy. Tuck a couple of whole sprigs of Thyme, Rosemary, and Sage into the cavity as well.

Make the stuffing: cut Bread into 1-inch cubes and spread on a sheet to dry slightly while you cook the vegetables. Melt more Unsalted Butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté chopped Onion, Celery and minced Garlic until softened and fragrant. Stir in chopped Sage, Thyme, and chopped Parsley, then combine the sautéed mixture with the bread cubes in a large bowl.

Moisten the bread mixture with warm Low-Sodium Stock a little at a time until it’s evenly moistened but not soupy; season with salt and pepper to taste and bind with a beaten Egg if you like a firmer stuffing. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Loosely fill the turkey cavity with the stuffing—do not pack tightly to ensure even cooking—and truss the legs with kitchen twine. Tuck the wing tips under the bird and place the turkey breast-side up on the rack over the vegetables.

Roast the turkey at 325°F (163°C), basting occasionally with pan juices or additional melted butter. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C) and the stuffing (if fully inside) reaches 165°F (74°C). As a rough guideline, allow about 13–15 minutes per pound, but rely on temperature rather than time.

If the skin is browning too quickly, tent the turkey loosely with foil. During the last 30–45 minutes you can remove the foil to let the skin crisp back up.

When done, transfer the turkey to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil; let it rest for 20–30 minutes so the juices redistribute. Meanwhile, strain the pan juices and skim fat, then deglaze the roasting pan with a splash of Low-Sodium Stock and reduce slightly to serve as a jus or use to make gravy.

Carve the rested Turkey and serve with the stuffing and pan jus. Adjust final seasoning with extra Kosher Salt and Black Pepper at the table if needed.