Learn How to Make Jeffrey Jew's Roast Turkey

Jeffrey Jew (Top Chef season 10), Roast Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing
Serves 12, Time: 5 hours and 45 minutes

Chestnut Stuffing:
1 ½ lb fresh chestnuts or two 7 1/2-ounce jars vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts
8 cup cubed whole-wheat country bread (1 pound)
¾ lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 Tbsp olive oil2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ lb mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and sliced
⅔ cup dried cranberry
⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs
1 ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Roasted Turkey:
1 12- to 14-pound turkey
1 lemon, cut in half
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp chopped fresh sage
½ tsp salt freshly ground pepper to taste
2 2 slices bacon
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
3 cup giblet broth (recipe follows) or reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp cornstarch

For Chestnut Stuffing:

1. If using fresh chestnuts, make an incision through the outer shell of each chestnut. Put them in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and let stand. Peel off the outer shell and inner skin as quickly as possible. Break the chestnut meat into chunks. If using jarred chestnuts, simply break chestnut meat into chunks.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Spread bread on a baking sheet and bake 15 to 25 minutes. Set aside.
4. Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, crumbling, until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
5. Add oil to clean skillet and heat over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high; cook 5-7 minutes.
6. Toss the reserved chestnuts, toasted bread, sausage, onion-mushroom mixture, dried cranberries, parsley, thyme, sage, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk eggs and 1 cup broth in a small bowl. Drizzle the egg mixture over the bread mixture and toss.
7. Use as directed in Roast Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing or place in a 3-quart baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray, cover and bake at 325°F 35 to 45 minutes. For crisp top, uncover for the last 15 minutes.

For Roasted Turkey:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a large roasting pan and a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Remove but keep the giblets and neck. Remove fat. Rinse and dry turkey. Rub the cavity with lemon halves. Make a tiny slits in turkey and stuff with rosemary and sage.
3. Stuff cavity and neck pouch with about 5 cups of the stuffing. Place remaining stuffing in baking dish; cover and refrigerate. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper. Place bacon slices crosswise on the breast. Cover with a piece of cheesecloth. Dribble oil over the cloth to moisten slightly. Tie drumsticks together.
4. Place the turkey, breast-side up, in the roasting pan and roast for 1 hour. Pour wine over and baste. Roast for 2 hours, basting with pan juices. Remove cheesecloth and bacon and roast an additional 30 to 60 minutes.
5. While the turkey is roasting, make Giblet Broth. About 30 minutes before the turkey is ready, cover the reserved stuffing with a lid or foil and bake until heated through, 35 to 45 minutes. If you like a crisp top, uncover for the last 15 minutes of baking.
6. Tent turkey with foil. Chill drippings from roasting pan in freezer. Place the roasting pan over medium heat and pour in broth; bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, then transfer to a medium saucepan. Skim fat from chilled drippings, add drippings to the saucepan, bring to a simmer. Mix water and cornstarch in a small bowl; add and whisk to the simmering sauce.
7. Carve the turkey; serve with stuffing and gravy.