1 whole turkey, thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
Cajun seasoning
black pepper
garlic powder
3 celery sticks
1 quartered apple
1 peeled onion

Thaw and thoroughly wash the turkey inside and out in cold running water. Be sure you remove the neck and giblet packet. Place turkey in large roasting pan which has been sprayed with non stick spray, on a wire rack. Slow pour the melted butter all over the turkey inside and out. Stuff the celery, apple and onion inside. Sprinkle the seasoning heavily all over the turkey.

Add cool tap water into the bottom of the roaster until it comes to the bottom of the turkey on the wire rack. This will be the broth you will be using later to make the cornbread dressing. Cover the entire roasting pan with heavy duty aluminum foil instead of a lid.

Roast in 225°F oven for 8 hours or until turkey legs are loose, falling away from the bone. Discard apple, celery and onion. Allow turkey to cool.

After cooling lift turkey to a large shallow pan for carving. Using a large slotted spoon go through the broth to remove any fat, bones or cooked down vegetables leaving nothing but broth. Pour the broth carefully into quart size Mason jars and let cool so the fat will rise to the top. This fat will be the base for your giblet gravy. Cornbread dressing recipe is under Nana's Cornbread Dressing.

Submitted by: LJR