Roast Turkey With Grand Marnier Apricot Stuffing

Total Time: 5 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 5 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 21 lbs whole turkey
• 2 oranges, halved
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups butter, room temperature
• 1 cup dried apricot, diced
• 1 1/2 cups grand marnier
• turkey liver, and
• turkey heart
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 lb bulk sausage
• 1 lb stuffing cubes, herbed
• 1 cup almonds, slivered
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 make the stuffing - directions below.
• 2 preheat oven to 450°f
• 3 rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry.
• 4 squeeze the juice of the oranges all over the turkey and in the neck and body cavities.
• 5 spoon the stuffing loosely into the cavities.
• 6 set aside any extra stuffing.
• 7 sew up the cavities or close with small trussing skewers.
• 8 place the turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
• 9 sprinkle all over with thyme and salt and pepper to taste.
• 10 spread the butter all over the turkey.
• 11 turn breast side up in the pan and cover the pan with aluminum foil.
• 12 place turkey in the oven and reduce heat to 425.
• 13 roast for 3 hours.
• 14 remove the foil and roast, basting occasionally until the juices run clear when the meaty part of the thigh is pierced with a sharp skewer, about 2 more hours.
• 15 bake the leftover stuffing in a baking dish at 325 for 30 minutes.
• 16 let turkey stand, covered with foil for 15 minutes before carving.
• 17 stuffing:.
• 18 place the apricots and 1 cup of grand marnier in a small saucepan.
• 19 heat to boiling.
• 20 remove from the heat and set aside.
• 21 simmer the turkey liver and heart in water to cover in a small saucepan for 5 minutes; set aside and cool.
• 22 melt 1/2 cup of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• 23 add the celery and onion and saute for 10 minutes.
• 24 transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• 25 cook the lamb sausage in the same skillet, crumbling with a fork, until it is no longer pink.
• 26 remove and add to the celery mixture.
• 27 add the stuffing mix, apricots with liquid, and almonds.
• 28 finely dice the turkey liver and heart and add to the stuffing mixture, stir to combine.
• 29 heat the remaining 1/2 cup butter and the stock in a small saucepan just until the butter melts.
• 30 pour over the stuffing mixture and add the remaining 1/2 cup grand marnier.
• 31 stir well to moisten the stuffing.
• 32 season with thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
• 33 enough for a 21-24 pound turkey.