Roast Turkey

Ingredients

• 1 turkey
• forcemeat (No. 1, Chapter VIII.) or finest sausage meat
• butter
• brown gravy
• bread sauce
• fried sausages
• forcemeat of chestnuts (No. 15, Chapter VIII.)
• chestnuts
• chestnut sauce or stewed chestnuts

Instructions

1. Hang the turkey in an airy larder for up to a fortnight in very cold weather if possible.
2. Pluck, draw, and singe the bird with exceeding care.
3. Wash and dry the turkey thoroughly with clean cloths, or wipe the outside well without wetting it; pour water plentifully through the inside.
4. Fill the breast with forcemeat or finest sausage meat, highly seasoned with minced herbs, lemon-rind, mace, and cayenne.
5. Truss the bird firmly.
6. Fold and fasten a sheet of buttered writing paper over the breast to prevent it being too much coloured.
7. Lay the turkey to a clear sound fire at first far from the fire.
8. Baste the turkey constantly and bountifully with butter.
9. When half done, draw it nearer to the fire, though never sufficiently near to scorch it.
10. Remove the buttered paper twenty minutes before the bird is done.
11. Continue roasting until well done—1½ to 2½ hours total.
12. Serve with good brown gravy and well-made bread sauce, optionally garnished with an entire chain of delicate fried sausages placed round the turkey in the dish.