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1
Preheat oven to 425F.
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2
Rinse turkey and pat dry inside and out.
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3
Season turkey inside and out with salt and pepper and pack neck cavity loosely with some stuffing.
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4
Fold neck and skin under body and fasten with a skewer.
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5
Fill body cavity loosely with some remaining and truss turkey.
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6
Transfer remaining to a buttered 3-quart baking dish and reserve it, covered and chilled.
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7
Spread turkey with butter and on a rack in a roasting pan in oven 30 minutes.
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8
Reduce oven temperature to 325F.
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9
and baste turkey with pan juices.
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10
Add water to pan and roast, basting every 20 minutes, 2 1/2 to 3 hours more, or until a meat thermometer in fleshy part of thigh registers 180F., and juices run clear when thigh is pierced.
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11
During last 1 1/2 hours of roasting, drizzle reserved stuffing with stock or broth and bake, covered, in 325F.
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12
oven 1 hour.
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13
Bake stuffing uncovered, 30 minutes more.
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14
Transfer turkey to a heated platter, reserving juices in roasting pan, and discard string.
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15
Keep turkey warm, covered loosely with foil.
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16
Skim fat from roasting pan juices, reserving 1/4 cup fat, and deglaze pan with Port over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits.
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17
Bring Port to a boil and remove pan from heat.
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18
In a saucepan whisk together reserved fat and flour and cook roux over moderately low heat, whisking, 3 minutes.
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19
Add Port mixture and stock or broth in a stream, whisking, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes.
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20
Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste and transfer gravy to a heated gravy boat.
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21
Garnish turkey and stuffing with herbs and apple slices.
