Sausage Apple Stuffing
1/4 lb Pork sausage meat
1/3 cup Chopped onion
1/3 cup Chopped celery
6 cup Dry bread cubes
1 tbl Finely chopped fresh parsley
3/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp Pepper
3 tbl Butter, melted
1/3 cup Water
1 1/2 cup Chopped peeled apples
1/2 cup Raisins
In small skillet, brown pork sausage with onion and celery. Do not drain.
In a large bowl, combine bread, cubes, parsley, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper and butter, mix well.
Stir in the water, apples, raisins and sausage mixture including drippings.
Just before roasting, spoon stuffing loosely into turkey cavities (both ends); do not pack too tightly.
Place leftovers in a casserole and cook basting with the juices from the turkey.
Turkey
16 lb Turkey
1 cup Butter or Margarine, Melted
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
Sausage Apple Stuffing (see below)
Remove giblets and neck from turkey; wash, and set aside.
Wash turkey thoroughly inside and out. Pat dry with towels. Remove any excess fat.
Prepare the Sausage Apple Stuffing.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Spoon some of stuffing into neck cavity of turkey. Bring skin of neck over back; fasten with poultry pin.
Spoon remaining stuffing into body cavity; do not pack. Insert 4 or 5 poultry pins at regular intervals. Lace cavity closed with twine and then tie.
Bend wing tips under body, or fasten to body with poultry pins. Tie ends of legs together. Insert meat thermometer in inside of thigh at thickest part.
Place turkey on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush with some butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast uncovered and brushing occasionally with remaining butter and pan drippings; about 4 hours, or until meat thermometer registers 185 degreesF. Leg joint should move freely within the socket.
When turkey begins to turn golden, cover loosely with tinfoil to avoid burning.
Place turkey on serving platter. Remove foil, twine, and poultry pins. Let stand 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
Make the gravy.
Serves 14 to 16.