Special Equipment and Supplies for
Preparing a Brined, Roasted, and Stuffed Turkey, with Pan Gravy

• Large stockpot or clean, food-safe bucket for brining turkey (a 16-quart stockpot accommodates a 14-pound turkey)
• Roasting pan with rack (check ahead to make sure your pan fits in your oven!)
• Heavy rimmed baking sheet
• 4 or 5 metal skewers (about 3 inches each)
• Cheesecloth
• Fine mesh skimmer
• Bulb baster
• Fat separator measuring cup
• Flat whisk

Guest Chef
Linda Carucci

A Holiday Feast with
Brined, Roasted and Stuffed Turkey with
Pan Gravy

Each fall for the past several years I've taught a class called "Your First Turkey." It's one of my favorite classes because the students are always full of enthusiasm. Many come from cultures that don't have an annual turkey-eating tradition, but they've had a taste of Thanksgiving and want to create a special holiday feast of their own.

At first, I expected only young or novice cooks at these classes, but I'm always pleased to see more experienced cooks, eager to learn how to brine a bird or to finally perfect the gravy that's plagued them for years. While I haven't traveled far from my mother's satisfying classic bread stuffing, it's fair to say that my own approach to preparing the traditional Thanksgiving bird has changed since I began teaching this class. Now I wouldn't think of roasting a turkey I hadn't brined first.

These days we're bombarded with more and more information about the pedigree of our turkeys. To my taste, a fresh, natural bird is more tender and flavorful than a free-range turkey, and less expensive, too

The recipes that follow offer step-by-step instructions on brining, stuffing, roasting and more. To avoid ruffled feathers on the big day, be sure to read through the recipes and check the list of equipment and supplies ahead of time.

How To Brine Turkey
Recipe

Broth (for
Gravy and Stuffing)
Recipe

Stuffing
Recipe

Brined, Roast Turkey
Recipe

Read about Linda Carucci.