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1
Heat 1/2 cup butter in Dutch oven over medium heat until melted.
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2
Cook and stir celery and leeks in butter until tender.
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3
Remove from heat.
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4
Stir in remaining ingredients except turkey and melted butter.
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5
Stir in enough reserved oyster liquid, if necessary, to moisten stuffing.
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6
Heat oven to 325.
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7
Fill wishbone area of turkey lightly with stuffing.
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8
Fasten neck skin to back with skewers.
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9
Fold wings across back with tips touching.
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10
Fill body cavity lightly.
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11
(Do not pack--stuffing will expand while cooking.
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12
).
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13
Tuck drumsticks under band of skin at tail, or tie to skewer to tail.
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14
Spoon remaining stuffing into small greased casserole.
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15
Cover and refrigerate.
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16
Place in oven with turkey during last 30 minutes of roasting.
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17
Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan.
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18
Brush with melted butter.
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19
Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh muscle or thickest part of breast meat and does not touch bone.
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20
Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until thermometer registers 185.
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21
Brush turkey with pan drippings 2 or 3 times during roasting.
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22
Place a tent of aluminum foil loosely over turkey when it begins to turn golden.
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23
After 2 1/2 hours, cut band or remove skewer holding legs.
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24
Let stand about 20 minutes for easiest carving.
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25
As soon as possible after serving, remove every bit of stuffing from turkey.
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26
Cool stuffing and turkey meat promptly.
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27
Refrigerate separately.
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28
Use stuffing within 1 or 2 days and turkey meat within 2 or 3 days.
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29
Turkey meat can be frozen up to 3 weeks.
