Oven Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter

Cook Time: 3 hr
Level: Easy
Yield: 10-12 servings

Ingredients

* 1 (12 to 14) pound fresh turkey
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing, recipe follows
* Extra-virgin olive oil
* Sage Butter, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and remove the top rack of the oven.

Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, and pat dry
with paper towels. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt
and pepper. Stuff the cavity with stuffing and, if required, truss the
legs. Cover the turkey with olive oil and season well with salt and
pepper. Push the sage butter under the skin of the turkey, being
careful not to puncture the skin.

Put the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan, and into the oven.
Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the
meaty part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F. The thigh juices will
run clear when pricked with a knife, about 3 hours total (15 minutes
per pound). If the legs or breast brown too quickly during roasting,
cover them with foil.

Sage Butter:

2 sticks butter, softened

1/4 cup chopped sage

Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients.

Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing:

2 tablespoons butter

2 onions, chopped

6 large cornmeal muffins, cubed

Handful fresh sage leaves, chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions
and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until soft and
caramelized. Add sage and scrape into a large mixing bowl. Add the
cornbread pieces, season well with salt and pepper, and give it a good
toss until it's well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the
egg, cream, and stock, and pour that over the cornbread. Stir the
stuffing together and stuff the cavity of the turkey. You could also
spoon it into a buttered baking dish and put it in the oven along with
the turkey. Bake until hot and crusty on top, about 30 minutes.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ease of preparation: easy