This Bagged Roast Turkey With Cornbread, Chestnut, and Sage Stuffing recipe won second prize in The 1989 Old Farmer’s Almanac Recipe Contest. The recipe was submitted by June Stewart of Wheeling, Illinois.
Note on below: We recommend using an oven-roasting bag, not a brown bag such as often found at grocery stores, for this recipe. Refer to the oven-cooking bag package for specific directions of how to use it.
Roast Turkey
Remove giblets from turkey. Soak turkey in salted water to cover for 1 hour; meanwhile, prepare giblet stock and stuffing (see below). Drain and rinse turkey; pat dry. Rub cavities with minced garlic. Brush inside of bird with melted butter. Bird is ready for stuffing.
Giblet Stock
Combine all and cook in 1 quart water, covered, while turkey is soaking and stuffing is being mixed. (Stock will be used in stuffing and gravy.)
Stuffing
Crumble cornbread and toss with bread cubes and remaining ingredients. When stuffing is well mixed, stuff lightly into cavities of turkey, and sew them shut with needle and cotton thread. Tuck wings in and tie legs together. Follow the direction on the oven-roasting bag package for cooking. Place bagged bird in roasting pan and roast at 350° F, allowing 20 minutes per pound. Check after three quarters of the time has elapsed, and add water if necessary. Cut away bag and let turkey brown during last 20 to 30 minutes. Use turkey drippings and remaining stock to make gravy.
