Apple-Almond Stuffed Turkey
I found this terrific recipe a few years back and tried it out on some friends at a dinner party. Everyone enjoyed the combination of flavors and unique ingredients. It has become my staple. The currants and apples give the stuffing a nice sweet flavor, and the almonds add crunch.
I found this terrific recipe a few years back and tried it out on some friends at a dinner party. Everyone enjoyed the combination of flavors and unique ingredients. It has become my staple. The currants and apples give the stuffing a nice sweet flavor, and the almonds add crunch.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed crushed
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
- 1 loaf sliced bread
- 3 medium onions chopped
- 3 medium tart apples chopped
- 1-1/2 cups fully cooked ham diced
- 1 cup celery sliced
- 1 tablespoon savory dried
- 1-1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
- 1-1/2 cups slivered almonds toasted
- 1/2 cup dried currants
- 1 cup turkey or chicken broth
- 1 turkey 14 to 16 pounds
- Carbohydrate 11.1013992379516 g
- Cholesterol 58.6987500259112 mg
- Fat 10.5897157305234 g
- Fiber 2.05633332577409 g
- Protein 10.7686126473512 g
- Saturated Fat 5.72313994043355 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (150g)
- Sodium 89.7437127686384 mg
- Sugar 9.04506591217747 g
- Trans Fat 0.927756814216173 g
- Calories 180 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut bread into 1/2-in. cubes and place in a single layer on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 225 deg; for 30-40 minutes, tossing occasionally until partially dried.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute the next 10 ingredients in butter until onions and apples are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer to a large bowl. Add the bread cubes, almonds, currants, broth and juice; toss well.
- Just before baking, stuff the turkey. Skewer openings; tie drumsticks together. Place on a rack in a roasting pan.
- Bake, uncovered, at 325 deg; for 4-1/2 to 5 hours or until thermometer reads 180 deg; for the turkey and 165° for the stuffing. When the turkey begins to brown, cover lightly with foil and baste if needed.
Bread is the structural engine of any traditional stuffing. Without intentional intervention, soft bread cubes absorb moisture from onions, apples, and broth too quickly, collapsing into a dense paste during roasting. Drying the bread cubes at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 40 minutes forces out internal moisture while maintaining a porous crumb structure. This desiccation allows the bread to act like a sponge, rehydrating evenly with turkey broth and apple juice without losing structural integrity.
Managing Moisture and Crunch
Almonds provide a contrasting textural element that must be protected from premature softening. Toasting slivered almonds before mixing them into the stuffing drives off residual moisture and locks in the natural oils, preventing the nuts from turning rubbery inside the cavity. Meanwhile, tart apples supply pectin and malic acid. Cooking the apples and onions in butter for 15 minutes breaks down their cellular walls, softening them before they enter the roasting pan. This step prevents raw pockets of hard apple from persisting in the finished dish. Roasting the entire 14- to 16-pound bird uncovered at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 4.5 to 5 hours creates dry heat that crisps the skin, while monitoring internal temperatures guarantees safety. The deep meat of the thigh must reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit, and the center of the stuffing must hit 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If a roasting pan rack is unavailable, create a makeshift trivet using rolled balls of heavy-duty aluminum foil to elevate the bird and ensure proper heat circulation.
- Should the turkey skin brown too rapidly before the interior finishes cooking, drape a tent of foil loosely over the breast to deflect direct radiant heat.
- Bake the stuffing in a separate 3-quart greased baking dish at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour, then uncover for 10 minutes if cavity food safety parameters are a concern.
