Buy a chilled fresh or frozen oven-ready bird (it's drawn, cleaned, and ready to stuff, with the cleaned giblets and neck neatly wrapped and tucked in the body cavity). If your turkey is frozen, follow directions on package for thawing. Or:
* Keep bird in its original wrapper in your refrigerator, allowing 2 to 4 days to thaw. Or:
* Place bird, wrapped as you bought it, under running cold water for at least 2 hours, depending on size.
Rinse turkey inside and out with cool water; drain; pat dry.
To Stuff and Truss bird: Sprinkle inside with salt; lightly stuff breast cavity with BUTTER-CRUMB herb stuffing or your own favorite. Smooth neck skin over stuffing and skewer to back of bird. Twist wing tips until they rest flat against skewered neck skin. Next stuff body cavity; lace opening with poultry pins or wooden picks and clean white string. Tie legs together and fasten to tailpiece. Or, if turkey is "tucked" type, tuck legs into original position under bridge of skin.
Place stuffed turkey in roasting pan; rub skin with softened butter, margarine, or shortening; cover completely with double-thick cheesecloth moistened with melted fat. Do not cover pan or add any water.
Roast in slow oven (325F) 4 to 5 hours (that's about 30 minutes for each pound), or until meaty part of drumstick feels soft, or till leg moves up and down easily at its body joint. During roasting, baste turkey often with pan drippings or more melted fat to keep skin and cheesecloth moist.
Giblet Gravy & Butter Crumb Herb Stuffing
Makes about 4 cups of gravy
Simmer giblets (except liver) and neck with 1 chopped onion, handful of celery tops, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns in 4 cups water about 2 hours, or until tender. Add liver during last 20 minutes' cooking. Strain stock; measure; add water, if needed, to make 4 cups. Chop giblets and neck meat; add to stock; chill. (It's good to get this much done a day ahead.) When turkey is cooked, remove from roasting pan; pour fat into measuring cup, leaving brown drippings in pan. Return 1/2 cup fat to pan; blend in 1/2 cup flour; gradually stir in stock and giblets. Cook, stirring constantly, until gravy thickens and boils 1 minute. Season to taste and darken gravy with a little gravy coloring, if you wish.
Butter-Crumb Herb Stuffing
Makes about 12 cups
(Enough for a 12-pound turkey)
Dice enough slightly dry bread to make 18 cups (you'll need about 2 loaves); season with 1 large chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped parsley or parsley flakes, 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning. 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with 1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter or margarine and 1/2 cup water; toss lightly with 2 forks to mix well. Stuff your turkey just before roasting time.
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