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A period dish

Roast Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing

The colonial feast bird, stuffed with chestnuts and herbs and basted until the skin crackles.

Serves 10

Turkey was native to America and became the centerpiece of the colonial table long before it was a national holiday dish. Chestnuts, gathered in the fall, made a rich stuffing that stretched the bird for a large company.

Ingredients

Produce

  • 1 onion

Meat & Poultry

  • 12 lb turkey
  • 2 cup chicken stock

Dairy & Eggs

  • 1/2 cup butter

Bakery

  • 4 cup breadcrumbs

Pantry / Durable

  • 2 lb chestnuts

Spices & Seasoning

  • 1 tbsp sage
  • salt
  • black pepper

Method

  1. Simmer the chestnuts in water until tender, then peel them and chop them coarsely.

  2. Toss the chestnuts with breadcrumbs, melted butter, chopped onion, sage, and enough stock to moisten, and season well.

  3. Fill the turkey's cavity loosely with the stuffing and truss the bird.

  4. Rub the skin with butter and roast at 325°F, basting every half hour, until the juices run clear and the skin is deep brown.

  5. Let the turkey rest before carving, and make a gravy from the pan drippings.

Served at

The young Frenchman's supper · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A dinner during the Convention · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania