Turkey and Potato Filling (not in-bird stuffing)

[Kinsey6]

Hi family,

In my area of the US, there is always some confusion or overlap of the words FILLING, STUFFING, or DRESSING as the starchy bread and/or potato side dish to a [holiday] turkey.  I won't get involved in that "argument."  Growing up, my mom always made a potato filling and left the bird un-stuffed.  This recipe has been handed down (slightly adjusted by my mother and I) and is now being passed on to you.  The only change I have ever made is to clarify the cooking times (covered and uncovered).  I truly hope you all enjoy this side dish – it truly comes from my heart.  My mom could and would cook nearly everything from scratch -- unlike today's packaged foods -- but luckily this is one of many things she documented to hand down to future generations.

I have also included turkey cooking instructions I found on the Internet that I have used numerous times to complete the main dish (providing link along with a few adjustments).

I would suggest making the filling the day before and reheating it during the last hour (or 90 minutes if low oven temp.) upon the turkey's bake.  By having it pre-prepared, you can simplify the final cook-off of additional sides (and reheat the filling) with little supervision in the final hour or two before serving (great for entertaining).  Admittedly, the filling is often better the day after; however, there is usually none left.

Turkey Ingredients

| Turkey up to 20 pounds (fresh or slowly thawed over days in refrigerator) |
| Butter (depending on turkey size, about 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) |
| Rosemary (fresh or dried) |
| Thyme (fresh or dried) |
| Salt |
| Pepper |

Mom F…'s Potato Filling (last name omitted for anonymity)

| 5 | lbs. | Potatoes – peeled, cubed and boiled (reserve water) |
| 1/4 | lb. | Butter (one stick) |
| 3 | large | onions – chopped |
| 3-4 | stalks | Celery (not 3 bunches) – chopped |
| 1 | bunch | Parsley (fresh) |
| 3/4 | loaf | bread (cubed) |
| 6 | | Eggs |
| | Salt | |
| | Pepper | |

OK, OK … now that I've got you taste buds watering.  Please review the TURKEY-bake website link and listen to my adjustments.  Then make you plan.

TURKEY INSTRUCTIONS
Over MANY years of seeking a great turkey-cooking recipe without fail, I have used the instructions at the following Webpage several times.
hXXp://www.howtocookathanksgivingturkey.com/
While there are a bunch of external ad-links, just read the instructions.
Realize in advance that this is a slow-cook method (which I personally highly recommend), so typically the turkey may take 5 or 6 hours in the oven.
Personally, I recommend this for the very reasons discussed there (tender, juicy white meat).
The required ingredients were listed above.
My strongly suggested changes are:

1. The cooking instructions call for a covered baking pan.  I have found that cheap foil pans (high sides) work well when covered with aluminum foil.
2. Increase the PRELIMINARY "suggested" 475°F of 20 minutes to 500°F for 30 minutes.  This increases external crispiness to seal juices.
3. The two-step process of putting butter and THEN spices (rosemary and thyme) under the breast skin can easily be combined into a single step.
4. The cooking times [consistently] remain accurate at 250°F for the longer low-temperature cooking [20 minutes per pound].  THIS Step is NOT a change; however, is important in your overall planning and deserves attention to the "bigger picture" of planning.  Don't worry about reweighing the purchased turkey without the giblets – the store-specified weight works just fine.
5. While the oven is at only 250°F for hours and the Webpage recommends to "allow it to rest uncovered for at least 20 minutes before carving it," I encourage you to place the bird back into the oven uncovered during about 15 minutes of any last stages of cooking/baking other oven items at a higher temperature to continue to crisp the skin and keep the surface areas as hot as the internal [juicy] areas of the turkey upon serving.

FILLING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Peel, cube (roughly 1 inch squares) and boil the potatoes with about a tablespoon of salt (reserving about 2/3 cup of the water afterwards) – typically 20 minutes.
2. Using 1 stick of butter, saute the chopped onions adding the chopped celery in the last minutes (and optionally the parsley now or later).
3. Cube 3/4 of a loaf of cheap bread.
4. Mash ALL the above with 6 eggs, salt and pepper (adding the parsley if not already in the onion/celery mixture).  You can use a potato masher or fork instead of needing to use a mixer; although, either works.
5. Put into ungreased casserole dish -- actually you can even mash all of the above in that casserole dish.
6. Bake covered with aluminum foil at 375° for about 70 minutes.
   7a) Bake uncovered for about at 325° for about 40 minutes.
   7b) If you are preparing this for serving the next day (or two), shorten the uncovered bake time to 25-30 minutes and cover with foil for the final baking/serving at around the 350° temperature for the final 15 minutes.

Closing comment:  While we share recipes here in the forum (sometimes from other untried sources as suggestions) -- these two recipes ARE things I have done many times.  The turkey recipe has worked many times very successfully.  The filling recipe is adapted from my mom's handed-down recipe and is close to my heart -- the major adjustments being cooking times for clarity.  I sincerely hope you enjoy both these treats.

Regards,
Tim a/k/a Kinsey6

[leatherbear]

This is one I will try soon. Of course here in the South we have "Dressing" made from cornbread  as a base(may or may not contain bread). Nice twist for a change up to the traditional Turkey & Dressing.

Thank you for sharing this family recipe!!!