Roast Turkey With Oyster Stuffing

AmyZoe's Note:

I like oysters, but I didn't know I'd like them in stuffing. I like the combination of leeks and oysters. This recipe came from Betty Crocker's Old-Fashioned Cookbook. You can substitute 2-8 ounce cans oysters for the shucked oysters.

• Total Time: 4 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 14

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped leek (with tops)
• 9 cups soft bread cubes
• 1 pint shucked oyster (rinsed, drained, and chopped(reserve liquid)
• 1 cup snipped fresh parsley
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh marjoram or ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 10 -12 lbs turkey
• butter , melted

Directions:

1. Heat 1/2 cup butter in Dutch oven over medium heat until melted.
2. Cook and stir celery and leeks in butter until tender. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients except turkey and melted butter.
4. Stir in enough reserved oyster liquid, if necessary, to moisten stuffing.
5. Heat oven to 325. Fill wishbone area of turkey lightly with stuffing.
6. Fasten neck skin to back with skewers.
7. Fold wings across back with tips touching.
8. Fill body cavity lightly. (Do not pack--stuffing will expand while cooking.).
9. Tuck drumsticks under band of skin at tail, or tie to skewer to tail.
10. Spoon remaining stuffing into small greased casserole. Cover and refrigerate.
11. Place in oven with turkey during last 30 minutes of roasting.
12. Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan.
13. Brush with melted butter.
14. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh muscle or thickest part of breast meat and does not touch bone.
15. Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until thermometer registers 185.
16. Brush turkey with pan drippings 2 or 3 times during roasting.
17. Place a tent of aluminum foil loosely over turkey when it begins to turn golden.
18. After 2 1/2 hours, cut band or remove skewer holding legs.
19. Let stand about 20 minutes for easiest carving.
20. As soon as possible after serving, remove every bit of stuffing from turkey.
21. Cool stuffing and turkey meat promptly. Refrigerate separately.
22. Use stuffing within 1 or 2 days and turkey meat within 2 or 3 days. Turkey meat can be frozen up to 3 weeks.