- 14 lb. turkey, thawed with wishbone removed
- 8 cups stuffing (choose your favorite recipe)
- salt
- Olive oil for basting
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle a little salt in the neck and main cavities.
Shortly before roasting, stuff the turkey using about 8 cups of your favorite stuffing. Start with the neck cavity and move on to the main cavity, making sure that you pack it loosely since the stuffing will expand during roasting. Carefully press a double thick piece of buttered waxed paper into the main cavity opening to keep the stuffing in. Then, cross the drumsticks across the opening and secure in place with a moist piece of kitchen string. Run the entire body of the bird with olive oil and place it -- breast side up -- on a rack in a roasting pan. Carefully tuck the wings under the back.
Place the pan in the lower third of the oven and baste with olive oil and pan juices every 30 minutes. Continue roasting for 4 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers between 162 and 170 degrees.
Remove the turkey from the oven and tent with foil. Allow to sit for about 30 minutes before carving. Serve with the stuffing and all the trimmings.
- Yields: 12-14 servings
- Preparation Time: about 5 hours