• Remove the giblets, and neck from the turkey. Rinse with cold water. Pat dry with paper towel. Generously season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper.

Stuffing Instructions

• Cube day old bread and place on a cookie sheet. Toast until lightly browned then transfer to a large bowl.
• In a skillet add a couple of tablespoons of butter and sauté the onions and celery until softened.
• Add the onion and celery to the bread cubes and combine.
• Toss in the dry Stove Top Stuffing mix.
• Season with poultry seasoning, sage, salt and fresh ground pepper. Keep tossing as you season to ensure all the bread gets a bit of seasoning.
• Add the chicken broth a bit at a time to moisten the bread cubes. You want the bread cubes moistened, but not soggy.
• Stuff the cavity of the turkey and upper breast. Pull the skin over the stuffed cavities and secure with skewers. Tie with kitchen string or skewer legs together and secure wings to the side of the turkey.

Roasting the Turkey

• Preheat oven to 350º F.
• Place the stuffed turkey on the rack of the roasting pan. Rub butter over the turkey and generously season with salt and pepper.  I usually place the neck in the bottom of the pan as this adds extra flavor to the drippings used for making gravy. 
• Add a bit of chicken broth to bottom of pan. (about 1/4 inch up pan)
• Tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil. 
• Baste the turkey about every 30 minutes with the pan drippings. Remove the foil for the last 30 minutes and continue to roast until done. If the legs begin to brown too much cover loosely with foil.
• Turkey is cooked when the meat thermometer reads 180ºF (82ºC) and the juices run clear. Insert meat thermometer in the thickest part of the inner thigh, but not touching the bone. The stuffing placed in the cavity of the bird should read an internal temperature of at least 165ºF (74ºC).
• Remove the turkey from the oven when done and let stand for 20 minutes to allow the juices to set.
• Gravy Instructions
• Transfer the drippings from the roasting pan to a gravy fat separator, or skim off extra fat. Using the same roasting pan, add 1- 3 cups of chicken broth. This will vary depending on how much liquid is leftover from the roasted turkey.
• In a small jar mix  ⅓ cup flour and ½ cup of broth and shake vigorously to ensure no lumps.
• On the stovetop heat the drippings and broth, gradually whisking in the flour mixture. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce heat and simmer until gravy thickens.
• Season to taste with ground sage, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes.