Turkey:

20 lb turkey
giblets - heart, liver, gizzard, neck, skin from turkey (1/4 cup and tail)
3 cups celery, chopped
3 cups sweet onion, chopped
2 quarts chicken broth (from boiled turkey parts or canned)
9 eggs (4 boiled - 5 raw)
1 1/2 blocks butter
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2-3 teaspoons salt
1-3 teaspoons black pepper
1-2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoons nutmeg
6 slices toast (white) cubed (1 cup)
1 pkg herb dressing (2-3 cups)
1 pan cornbread (4 cups)* recipe below
1-2 pints oysters
1/2 lb 'bold' Jimmy Dean sausage
4 tablespoons flour (sprinkle on turkey 3 T./1 T. for giblet gravy paste, (1 tablespoon to 1 cup liquid) to make a thick paste for gravy.

Begin with hard boiling 4 eggs; set aside to cool (this will be added to giblet gravy - 3-4 only).

20 lb Turkey:

Mix 1/2 block melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper. Rub turkey down with this mixture inside and out (don't forget inside neck) dust with flour lightly.

Place Turkey in a roaster (breast up); cover turkey well with aluminum foil (tent).

Preheat Oven to 450°F.

Bake turkey at 450°F for 20 minutes; reduce heat after 20 minutes to 335 degrees. Cook turkey 20-25 minutes for each lb. A 20lb turkey = 4-6 hours; at end of 4 hours check for doneness with meat thermometer which should read 170-180 degrees (to be sure, check that the leg bone may be easily moved back and forth and away from body before removing turkey from oven. Foil may be removed to finish browning but is usually not necessary with a large turkey.

Remove turkey to platter and cover.

TURKEY BROTH FOR DRESSING AND GIBLET GRAVY:

1 1/2 quarts of water or chicken broth
turkey neck
liver, gizzard, heart, tail (cut off turkey)
a little fat cut from turkey (size of 2 oysters)
1/2 block butter
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper

Sauté onion and celery in butter add turkey parts salt and pepper and broth bring to boil and cook over low to med heat until neck meat can be easily removed from neck bone. 30 minutes to 1 hour remove all turkey from broth - cool to touch and chop all in small pieces put the turkey pieces in small pot with 2 cups of broth set aside for giblet gravy. The 4 remaining cups of broth can be used to moisten and make the dressing (only part of this should be used see dressing recipe).

GIBLET GRAVY:

1 1/2 cups of broth with chopped turkey parts and meat
1/2 cup of broth (mix with 1 tsp flour for paste to thicken gravy)

Place 1 1/2 cups of broth in pot bring to med boil slowly add the paste mix to thicken broth after cooked - add 3 chopped or sliced boiled eggs and fold in to gravy remove from heat until ready to store or serve.

Cornbread for dressing:

1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup milk (buttermilk or sweet)
2 raw eggs

Mix dry ingredients then in separate bowl mix wet. Combine wet mixture to the dry mixture gently - don't beat too much. Pour into 9" Iron skillet and bake at 450 degrees 25 minutes - (pie tin will be fine) watch make sure it is done i.e. toothpick in middle comes out clean and top is nice and brown.

Keep this until cold - then mix crush with hands mixing for dressing.

DRESSING:

1 pan cornbread crumbled (4 cups)
2 - 3 cups herb dressing
1 small package (6 slices) toast, cubed (1 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1/2 lb. cooked 'bold' Jimmy Dean sausage

Mix all of the above with hands.

Mix well. Melt 1 block butter in 2 cups of turkey broth. Pour into dry mixture - if you need more liquid add 1/4 cup at a time until consistency is like very thick pudding. Sprinkle top with paprika.

If desired, separate a little of this out and add raw oysters toss in lightly (at least 1 pint of oysters, with liquid).

To Bake Dressing:

Preheat oven to 350-400°F for 30 minutes to 1 hour (depending on size of pans you use - smaller pans less baking time large pan a little more time). To check for doneness insert a fork in several places to see if firm but not dry (add more broth if too dry - sprinkle a little at time over dressing).

SIDES:

Cranberry sauce or orange/cranberry relish
Baked sweet potatoes

(Bake @ 400°F 1 hour or less - slice lengthwise; pour a little melted butter on each half. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and broil for a few mintues until browned on top. Marshmallows may be cut into quarters and placed on top of each half.

Fresh sugar peas with flat dumplings

Shell sugar peas, rinse and cook with a little salt, butter, and 1/4 tsp sugar until a little tender. Have at least 2 cups of liquid to 1 1/4 cup peas. Bring to boiling point; drop in dumplings a few at time. Stir and place a few more in until you have the desired quantity.

Green butter beans

Cook with water to cover beans plus:

1/4 lb Streak O Lean meat
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer; cook until tender but not mushy.

Platter of fresh sliced tomatoes (only if red and sweet), sweet pickles, deviled eggs, pickled small corn and orka
Fresh pumpkin, apple and old fashioned pecan pie
Mince meat pie

Submitted by: Sparkman - Stewart