Bagged Roast Turkey With Cornbread, Chestnut, and Sage Stuffing

Photo Credit
Bochkarev Photography/shutterstock
The Editors
Category
Course
Occasions
Preparation Method
Print Friendly and PDF

This Bagged Roast Turkey With Cornbread, Chestnut, and Sage Stuffing recipe won second prize in The 1989 Old Farmer’s Almanac Recipe Contest. The recipe was submitted by June Stewart of Wheeling, Illinois.

Note on below: We recommend using an oven-roasting bag, not a brown bag such as often found at grocery stores, for this recipe. Refer to the oven-cooking bag package for specific directions of how to use it.

Roast Turkey

Ingredients
large turkey (15 to 22 pounds)
1 large, plain oven-roasting bag
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
Instructions

Remove giblets from turkey. Soak turkey in salted water to cover for 1 hour; meanwhile, prepare giblet stock and stuffing (see below). Drain and rinse turkey; pat dry. Rub cavities with minced garlic. Brush inside of bird with melted butter. Bird is ready for stuffing.

Giblet Stock

Ingredients
giblets and neck from turkey
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, quartered
1 parsnip, quartered
1 teaspoon each salt, pepper, marjoram, and sage
Instructions

Combine all and cook in 1 quart water, covered, while turkey is soaking and stuffing is being mixed. (Stock will be used in stuffing and gravy.)

Stuffing

Ingredients
4 to 6 slices cornbread (depending on size of turkey)
2 cups cubed wheat bread
2 onions, diced
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped chestnut meats
1/2 cup grated carrot
2 tablespoons ground fresh sage
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup giblet stock, strained
giblet meat, chopped fine
Instructions

Crumble cornbread and toss with bread cubes and remaining ingredients. When stuffing is well mixed, stuff lightly into cavities of turkey, and sew them shut with needle and cotton thread. Tuck wings in and tie legs together. Follow the direction on the oven-roasting bag package for cooking. Place bagged bird in roasting pan and roast at 350° F, allowing 20 minutes per pound. Check after three quarters of the time has elapsed, and add water if necessary. Cut away bag and let turkey brown during last 20 to 30 minutes. Use turkey drippings and remaining stock to make gravy.

About The Author

The Old Farmer's Almanac Editors

We love introducing fun new recipes as well as time-tested recipes, straight from the archives! Read More from The Old Farmer's Almanac Editors