1 15- to 17-pound turkey
2 cups butter, softened
1½ tablespoons salt
Stuffing:
½ cup butter, softened
¾ pound lean ground beef
Liver from the turkey, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
¾ cup each of finely chopped almonds, walnuts, raisins and stuffed olives
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 cup dry white wine
¾ cup orange juice
3 cups turkey or chicken broth
Wash the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels; mix 2 cups of the softened butter with the salt and spread the mixture evenly on the turkey, spreading it also under the skin.
Stuffing Preparation:
In a large saucepan, heat the 1/2 cup butter and brown the ground beef and turkey liver with allspice; add the potatoes, onion, parsley, almonds, walnuts, raisins, olives and wine. Cover and simmer until the mixture thickens (approximately 45 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from stove and let it cool before stuffing the turkey.
Roasting:
Preheat oven at 400 degrees. In a roasting pan, place the stuffed turkey. Pour the orange juice and broth over it. You will bake it at this temperature for 30 minutes. Lower heat to 325 degrees, basting the turkey every 45 minutes with the liquid in the pan. (Roasting instructions and the turkey roasting timetable were taken from the Foster Farms® website: Cover turkey loosely with a tent of aluminum foil to prevent splattering and over-browning for 4 to 4 1/4 hours. For additional browning, uncover turkey for the last half-hour of roasting.) Add some cornstarch to the liquid in the pan to prepare the delicious gravy to accompany the turkey.
Serves 14.
