Roasting a turkey doesn’t have to difficult. This Roasted Turkey with Dried Cranberry Stuffing doesn’t require brining and is perfect for your holiday table. A perfectly roasted turkey stuffed with a herb and cranberry stuffing which makes it the perfect centerpiece for your dinner table this holiday season.
So, this is too late for Christmas…clearly!!! Maybe New Years. However, it was what we ate for our Christmas dinner. Along with my Perfect Roast Potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted pumpkin, roasted carrots, Parmesan Topped Green Beans, cranberry stuffing and, of course, you can’t forget the Gravy.
Notes About The Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Stuffing
Roasting a turkey is just like roasting a chicken, but longer. In case you have never tried. I always stuff my turkey as I it gives a great flavour to the turkey and the stuffing. If you prefer not to do this, you can just leave it out and bake the stuffing in a roasting tin.
- Rule of thumb for roasting a turkey is about 1/2 hour per pound…more or less. It isn’t an exact science, but pretty close. Our turkey was small as we are only a family of four. This turkey weighed just 7 1/2 lbs (3.4kg) and it was in the oven for 3 1/2 hours. It was stuffed turkey, which means it was in the oven a little longer than if it was not stuffed.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature for an accurate reading if your turkey is done.
- Insert the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the inner thigh, but not touching the bone. When roasting, any stuffing placed in the cavity of the bird should read and internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C).
- Another tip when roasting a turkey, is that you will need to cover it loosely with foil so it doesn’t brown too quickly before cooking. Usually, I roast the turkey for about and hour uncovered and then cover it for the remaining cooking time, apart from the last 20 minutes or so. You can kind of judge it as it cooks.
And don’t forget the Pan Gravy friends!
I usually cook a whole roasted turkey once a year, at Christmas. So, when we have it, I really enjoy it alongside all the side dishes. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas day!
Here’s Some Other Recipes You’ll Love
Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Stuffing
Ingredients
- 8 lb turkey 7-8 lbs
- 3 Cups bread crumbs make your own, much better
- 1 Onion finely diced
- 1/2 Cup dried cranberries finely chopped
- Small bunch of fresh chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 Teaspoon dried rosemary
- 4 Tablespoons butter a little extra for greasing the turkey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Give your turkey a good rinse and set into a large roasting tin and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, onion, dried cranberries, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, oregano and rosemary. Using a large wooden spoon or your hands, combine well. Add the butter a tablespoon a at a time. Use your hands to incorporate the butter into the breadcrumb mixture. Once all the butter is added, it should be starting to stick together slightly. You don’t want it completely sticking together or you will have a mushy stuffing. Once the stuffing is done, you can put it into the cavity of the turkey. Just use your hands to put the stuffing inside the turkey. Don’t pack it too close, or again, it will be a little sticky and mushy when cooked. Once you have finished with the stuffing, cross the turkey legs over and tie with cooking twine. Lightly grease the turkey skin with butter and season a little with salt.
- Roast the turkey for about 1 hour uncovered. Check it after an hour and the skin should be browning quite nice. Now baste your turkey with the pan juices, cover and return to oven for another 2 – 2 1/2 hours. Check the turkey about every 45 minutes and baste it again. About 20 minutes before you turkey is done, remove the foil to get the skin a really nice golden brown colour.
- Your turkey will be completely done when the juices run clear. Remove from oven and set aside to rest about 15 minutes before carving. Remove the stuffing from the cavity and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with your favourite side dishes.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
