2 Recipes for Thanksgiving Stuffed Turkey in the Oven and Pot with Step-by-Step Images

According to SHAHEDNEWS, In this article, we will teach you how to marinate this delicious dish, and professional tricks for eliminating the turkey's gamey smell.

Step-by-Step Recipe for Stuffed Turkey in the Oven for Thanksgiving

Follow the step-by-step guide to making a whole stuffed turkey in the oven or without an oven for Thanksgiving.

Step 1: Preheating the Oven for Stuffed Turkey

The first step in preparing the stuffed turkey for Thanksgiving is to set the oven temperature to 175–180°C to heat it up while you prepare the ingredients.

Step 2: Preparing the Stuffing for the Thanksgiving Turkey

In the second step, wash the turkey and dry it with a towel. Remove the turkey's neck. You can later use the neck to make soups like turkey soup. Then, add black pepper and salt inside the turkey’s cavity and rub it well with your hands.

Next, crush 3 garlic cloves. Cut the onions and lemons into 4 pieces and add them along with half of the dried thyme and rosemary into the turkey cavity. Place half of the finely chopped basil, parsley, and dill under the skin and the rest inside the turkey.

If you like, you can buy various aromatic dried herbs from the stores of Ofogh Kourosh through in-person or online shopping.

Step 3: Buttering the Turkey

In the third step, slightly heat some butter to soften it. Add the chopped walnuts to it and sauté them. Then, brush the remaining butter mixed with brewed saffron onto the turkey.

You can purchase various types of animal and plant-based butter, as well as high-quality saffron from Ofogh Kourosh stores, both in-person and online.

Step 4: Roasting the Stuffed Turkey in the Oven

In this step, cover the turkey with foil and place it in the oven. To ensure the turkey doesn’t dry out, take it out of the oven every hour, baste it with the turkey’s juices, and put it back into the oven until the surface is completely roasted and cooked.

In the final hour of cooking, remove the foil from the turkey to allow it to brown and become golden. Remember, when roasting the stuffed turkey, calculate the weight of the turkey and subtract one from the number. The resulting number gives you the cooking time (for example, if the turkey weighs 6 kg, the cooking time will be 5 hours).

Step 5: Serving the Stuffed Turkey

Finally, remove the turkey from the oven. Let it rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, then carve it with a knife and serve.

Method for Making Stuffed Turkey Without an Oven in a Pot

To make stuffed turkey without an oven, line the bottom of the pot with some carrots, potatoes, and celery. Place the prepared stuffed turkey (wrapped in foil) on top of the vegetables, ensuring the turkey does not touch the bottom of the pot.

Add some water to the pot and cover it. Allow the turkey to cook slowly in the pot for 4 to 5 hours, using the same cooking formula mentioned earlier.

Method for Making Fried Stuffed Turkey Without an Oven for Christmas

Another way to prepare the stuffed turkey for Christmas is by frying it whole. To make fried stuffed turkey, first wash the turkey thoroughly. Then, heat some butter or oil in a pan and fry the turkey until its surface is fully browned.

Once the surface of the turkey is slightly browned, add 2.5 French cups of water and 3 tablespoons of sautéed onions (for the sautéed onion recipe). Season the turkey with some salt and pepper. Wait a bit until the turkey is fully cooked.

Tips for Marinating Stuffed Turkey

Marinating stuffed turkey is not as hard as you might think. As part of the turkey preparation process, the most important step for roasting the turkey in the oven or pot is marinating it. You can marinate the turkey with thyme powder, paprika, dried lime powder, savory, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.

To do this, coat the surface of the turkey with oil and sprinkle the spices over it. Then, apply some fresh lemon juice or vinegar to the turkey and cover it with plastic wrap to marinate.

Typically, for roasting the whole turkey, it’s best to refrigerate the marinated turkey with spices for anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours, so the aroma of the spices infuses into the meat, and the turkey’s gamey smell is removed.

Method for Salt-Curing the Turkey for Cooking

One way to marinate the stuffed turkey to remove its gamey odor is by salt-curing it. This method will enhance the turkey's flavor and make the meat fresher and tastier.

For this method, combine water and salt in a large pot. Then, place the turkey in the salted water so that the entire surface of the turkey is covered.

Let the turkey sit in the brine for about 2 hours in the refrigerator to marinate. This method of marinating is also ideal for making stuffed turkey without an oven.

How to Cook Stuffed Turkey in the Oven

When cooking a stuffed turkey in the oven, be sure to calculate the weight of the turkey. Subtract 1 from the weight to get the cooking time. (For example, if the turkey weighs 6 kg, the appropriate cooking time will be 5 hours.)

Insert a knife into the turkey's thigh. If the juices run clear, you can remove the turkey from the oven.

For preparing stuffed turkey, try to keep the oven temperature between 160°C to 190°C. Keep in mind that when roasting a whole turkey, opening and closing the oven door can increase the cooking time. Therefore, avoid opening the oven door as much as possible during cooking.

Tips for Flavoring and Removing the Gamey Smell from Stuffed Turkey for Thanksgiving

To flavor your turkey and remove its gamey smell, you can pour a cup of orange juice over it.

Before cooking, sprinkle salt and pepper over the turkey.

In the final step of preparing a whole turkey in the oven, mix ¼ cup of sugar with 1 cup of white vinegar and pour over the turkey before serving.

For marinating the turkey, mix butter with salt and black pepper the night before, and rub it on the turkey with a brush before storing it in the fridge.

Pomegranate sauce can be used both to flavor the stuffing inside the turkey and to pour over the stuffed turkey. It adds a unique aroma and taste to the turkey, much like in the recipe for stuffed duck.

If the turkey is fresh, it will have a better taste, but if frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking, similar to the recipe for stuffed fish.

For the best result, try to use fresh vegetables when cooking the turkey, but if fresh vegetables are unavailable, you can use dried ones.

How to Prepare Stuffed Turkey for Thanksgiving

Never remove the turkey's skin before roasting, as the skin helps prevent the turkey from drying out during cooking.

Before cooking, leave the turkey out of the fridge for about an hour to bring it to room temperature.

It’s recommended to chop some celery and place it inside the turkey to help remove the gamey smell.

For a Northern-style stuffed turkey recipe, you can use pomegranate paste, sour plums, pomegranate seeds, and sweet plums for stuffing.

The most important tip for a delicious stuffed whole turkey is to use fresh turkey rather than frozen.

For decorating the stuffed turkey after it’s done cooking, place it on a larger serving dish and garnish it with fresh parsley or coriander, carrots, peas, tomatoes, potatoes, and broccoli.

Using brine when preparing the turkey will make it softer and moister than usual.

Before marinating the turkey, be sure to thoroughly clean and empty the turkey's cavity to remove any gamey smell.

For marinating the thicker parts of the meat, you can mix lemon juice or vinegar with spices and inject it into the turkey using a syringe. You’ll always prefer making this dish yourself rather than ordering stuffed turkey from outside.

If you're preparing a whole turkey weighing 8 kg, it’s suitable for 12 people.

If you’re using a frozen turkey, keep in mind that it will take a long time to thaw. Each 2 kg of turkey requires 24 hours to thaw. So, if your turkey weighs 9 kg, it will take about 4 days to thaw in the refrigerator.

Brining the turkey before cooking makes the skin slightly softer than usual.

You can use a thermometer to check the temperature of the turkey, ensuring it reaches at least 165°C to ensure the turkey is fully cooked.

Thanksgiving History in the US and Canada and Stuffed Turkey

Turkey, with its many health benefits, is a very nutritious food and an excellent choice for serving guests. When we talk about stuffed turkey, most people associate it with Thanksgiving.

Although Thanksgiving is not commonly celebrated among Iranians, a whole stuffed turkey is a main dish for Thanksgiving in the US and Canada before Christmas. But do you know the history of Thanksgiving and the tradition of eating a whole stuffed turkey on this day?

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the US and Canada, where people celebrate the harvest. Similar celebrations are held in other parts of the world. In the US, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, and in Canada, it is celebrated on the second Monday of October.

The Thanksgiving holiday in the US always falls between November 22 and 28. The roots of Thanksgiving go back to Mesopotamia, but the celebration of this day in North America is tied to English customs. According to some historians, the first Thanksgiving celebration in North America occurred during Martin Frobisher’s voyage from England in 1578 while searching for the Northwest Passage.

Other researchers say there is no fascinating story behind the origins of Canadian Thanksgiving. Some trace its origin to the French settlers who arrived in New France in the 17th century and celebrated their successful harvest.

These French settlers in the region celebrated at the end of the harvest season and often shared their food with the indigenous people.

On Thanksgiving today, the President of the US pardons one turkey, allowing it to live freely on a farm (or sometimes in the White House yard).

Tips for Making Delicious Stuffed Turkey

How to Remove the Gamey Smell from Turkey:

To remove the gamey smell, the turkey must be fully thawed.

Soak the turkey in a saltwater solution for 2 to 4 hours to help remove the bad odor and tenderize the meat.

Marinate the turkey with butter and aromatic spices and let it rest for a few hours.

You can pour some orange juice over the turkey and let it rest to improve its flavor.

A mixture of vinegar and water or lemon juice and water can help eliminate the gamey smell.

How Long Should the Turkey Cook?

Turkey is a type of meat that requires quite a bit of time to cook.

It takes about 40 minutes to cook each kilogram of turkey.

You can also use this formula: subtract 1 from the turkey's weight in kilograms, and that gives you the approximate cooking time. For example, a 6 kg turkey will need about 5 hours to cook.

Why Does Turkey Take So Long to Cook?

Some reasons why your turkey might take longer to cook include:

- If the turkey is not thawed properly.

- If the turkey is not marinated.

- If the turkey’s cavity is overstuffed.

- If the oven or pot temperature is not properly adjusted.