The Gourmet Butcher's Turkey

Photo: Cole Ward - The Gourmet Butcher

Ingredients

THE TURKEY:

20 pounds Medium to large free-range turkey- (or bigger, if you've got a

big oven and lots of guests and like left-overs!

THE STUFFING:

Box of Kasha (buckwheat groats)- buy whole groats, not ground

egg (for Kasha preparation)

Handful of raisins (nice if soaked in whiskey or brandy)

Handful of walnuts, chopped loosely

Dry bread (any kind, but organic please, and brown/whole grain is best)

2 onions, chopped (obviously, more for larger bird)

1 bunch of celery, chopped

Package of mushrooms (the" normal" kind)

Bell's Seasoning

Celery salt

Organic chicken broth, unsalted

Salt and pepper

Unsalted butter (about a stick)

THE BASTE:

Orange juice

Red currant jelly

Cooking sherry

ALSO:

Cheesecloth

Preparation

Wash turkey cavities with cold water and dry. Season inside with salt and pepper.

Prepare stuffing: Chop onion(s) and celery, cook over medium-high heat till soft. Add chopped mushrooms and cook together till everything looks nice and golden. Do NOT overcook - watch those mushrooms!

At same time, prepare Kasha according to box instructions - you'll need the egg for this.

In a huge bowl, mix together: Onions, celery and mushrooms Cooked Kasha D ry bread in 1/2" to 1" cubes (just pull it apart) Raisins, walnuts Bell's seasoning and celery salt (taste as you go) Moisten stuffing with chicken broth - not too wet please.

Stuff both turkey cavities and fasten with skewers (or sew, if you're obsessive-compulsive.

Cut a piece of cheesecloth large enough to cover entire bird, folded into three to four layers. Melt the butter stick in a large pan and soak the cheesecloth in it.

Place the turkey BREAST SIDE DOWN on a raised rack in a large roasting pan to catch drippings. Drape the cheesecloth over the turkey, then into the oven at 350 degrees F. until it's about one hour away fromtTouchdown on your table (oven time will depend on size of bird).. .It usually takes about 4-6 hours. USE A MEAT THERMOMETER

In a small pan, melt the baste so that it's one-third red currant jelly, one-third OJ and one-third sherry. Keep warm but don't boil.

About one hour from dinner, turn the turkey over (this is where you'll wish you'd bought a smaller bird), remove the cheesecloth, and start basting with the sherry/jelly/OJ mixture. Continue basting every 10 minutes till the skin turns dark and shiny. (If it starts looking too dark, place an aluminum foil tent loosely over the turkey, but keep basting.)

TA DA! Remove and rest for 15 minutes before carving. EAT with cranberry relish, of course! (By the way, if you have too much stuffing for the bird, just bake it by itself - but you'll need more moisture. Add more chicken stock as needed.)