Thanksgiving is very close, and if you’re looking for a recipe that will make your holiday meal unforgettable, you need to try this Julia Child’s turkey recipe. It’s not your average turkey recipe – it’s a bit more complicated than the average dish, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
Start by marinating turkey bones in sage, salt, and pepper. Then prepare the stuffing by combining roasted bread, cranberries, beaten eggs, and veggies in a bowl. Toss the turkey to the filling and roast for 30 minutes. Serve hot topped with scraped browned bits.
You can also use challah bread, which tends to be a little papery. The bread will allow plenty of the other flavors to come out, giving stuffing an extra rich flavor.
This post will walk you through making Julia Child’s turkey recipe. Trust us – it will be the star of your Thanksgiving meal! Check out other best Julia Child’s recipes.
What's In The Post
Other Julia Child’s Recipes That You Can Try
- Julia Child’s Chicken And Mushrooms
- Julia Child’s Chocolate Cake Reine De Saba
- Julia Child’s Cheese Souffle
- Julia Child’s Potato Salad
- Julia Child’s Chocolate Almond Cake
- Julia Child’s Chocolate Mousse
- Julia Child’s Clafoutis
- Julia Child’s Beef Stroganoff
- Julia Child’s Ratatouille
- Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin
What Equipment Will You Need To Make Julia Child’s Turkey Recipe?
- Oven – Roast the bread cubes and marinated turkey in the oven until crispy and slightly browned.
- Wire Rack – Set the wire racks in the oven and roast the bread cubes until they are dry, slightly brown, and crispy.
- Skillet – Cook the veggies and bread cubes in a skillet over medium-high heat until they are tender and crispy.
- Mixing Bowl – Mix the ingredients for marinating the turkey bones.
- Spatula – Toss all the ingredients well and coat the turkey bones with the bread stuffing for the recipe’s rich and flugelhorn texture.
- Pastry Brush – Brush the oil over the turkey with a pastry brush to enhance its rich flavor.
- Knife – Chop the veggies and turkey skin along the leg quarter to expose the bone.
- Whisk – Whisk the eggs in a bowl until smooth texture forms to add a fluffy texture to the stuffing.
How Much Time Will You Need To Make Julia Child’s Turkey Recipe?
| Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Minutes | 13 Hours | 13 Hours 30 Minutes |
What Ingredients Will You Need To Make Julia Child’s Turkey Recipe?
- Turkey – Marinate turkey bones with salt and pepper to get a dark, rich and juicy flavor.
- Eggs – Beat eggs using a whisk to add a fluffy texture to the stuffing.
- Unsalted Butter РSaut̩ the veggies in the butter to add a rich and nutty flavor.
- Vegetable Oil – Marinate the turkey in vegetable oil to moisten the turkey and add flavor.
- Fresh Sage – Mince fresh sage to add an intense aroma with a strong, slightly minty and musky taste.
- Onions – Chop and cook onions in butter until translucent to add sweetness to the stuffing.
- Celery Ribs – Mince celery ribs to add juicy and salty flavor to the stuffing.
- Cranberries – Add dried cranberries to the stuffing for a slightly sweet and bright taste.
- White Sandwich Bread – Cut and roast bread cubes in the oven as it will absorb the maximum amount of flavorful stock and seasonings, giving a soggy texture to the stuffing.
- Salt – Add salt while marinating turkey to enhance its flavor and not to make it salty.
- Pepper – Season Turkey with pepper for a bolded version of stuffed Turkey.
Steps To Make Julia Child’s Turkey Recipe
1. Boning Of Turkey
Cut through the turkey skin around the leg quarter using a sharp knife to expose the bone, then slide the knife under the bone to free the meat.
Cut the joint between the thigh and leg and remove the thigh bone—Reserve thigh bones for gravy.
2. Marinate Turkey
Mix half a teaspoon of sage, salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a bowl. Rub each thigh using your hands. Refrigerate each leg quarter for 6 to 12 hours on a plate.
Heat the oven to 300 °F and set wire racks. Spread cubed pieces of bread on a wire rack on baking sheets, and bake until they are lightly browned and crispy for 25-30 minutes. Transfer dried and crispy bread to a large bowl.
Now add cranberries and beaten eggs to the bread and toss to combine. Transfer the bread stuffing to a roasting pan and use a rubber spatula to pat the filling.
3. Roasting Turkey
Melt butter sticks in a non-stick oven-safe skillet, add chopped onions, and cook, occasionally stirring, until translucent for 10-12 minutes.
Add diced celery, sage, and pepper. Cook until the celery is slightly softened. Transfer veggies to a bowl with crispy bread. Put marinated turkey breast in a skillet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
Once roasted, place it over the stuffing, brush with oil, and season with salt. Transfer the turkey to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Transfer the roasted breast to a plate and rest for 30 minutes.
While the turkey rests, using a metal spatula, scrape the browned bits. Before serving, season stuffing with the bits. Carve and serve.
Nutritional Information
| Calories | 380 kcal |
| Carbohyderates | 21 g |
| Protein | 6 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Saturated Fat | 18 g |
| Cholesterol | 111 mg |
| Sodium | 1029 mg |
| Potassium | 179 mg |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Vitamin A | 965 iu |
| Vitamin C | 1.5 mg |
| Calcium | 79 mg |
| Iron | 1.8 mg |
How Will Julia Child’s Turkey Look And Taste Like?
Julia Child’s turkey is a seasoned mixture of bread, eggs, meat, vegetables, and spices combined and typically placed in the cavity to be baked together.
Fresh sage goes a long way to add flavor, and stuffing it into the bird takes almost no time. Seasoning the cavity with a good amount of salt and pepper makes the bird juicy.
Recipe Card
Julia Child’s Turkey Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- Wire Rack
- Skillet
- Mixing Bowl
- Spatula
- Knife
- Whisk
- Pastry Brush
Ingredients
- 12 – 15 pound Turkey (neck and giblets removed and reserved for gravy)
- 4 large Eggs (beaten)
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Sage (minced)
- 3 Onions (chopped fine)
- 6 Celery Ribs (minced)
- 1 cup Dried Cranberries
- 1 ½ pounds White Sandwich Bread (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Cut the turkey skin around the leg quarter using a sharp knife, then slide the knife under the bone to free the meat.
- Cut the joint between the thigh and leg and remove the thigh bone—Reserve thigh bones for gravy.
- Mix half a teaspoon of sage, salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a bowl. Rub each thigh using your hands. Refrigerate each leg quarter for 6 to 12 hours on a plate.
- Heat the oven to 300 °F and set wire racks. Spread cubed bread on a wire rack on baking sheets, and bake until they are lightly browned and crispy for 25-30 minutes. Transfer dried and crispy bread to a large bowl.
- Now add cranberries and eggs to the bread and toss to combine. Transfer the bread stuffing to a skillet and use a rubber spatula to pat the stuffing.
- Melt butter sticks in a non-stick oven-safe skillet, add chopped onions and cook, occasionally stirring, until translucent for 10-12 minutes.
- Add diced celery, sage, and pepper. Cook until the celery is slightly softened. Transfer veggies to a bowl with crispy bread.
- Put marinated turkey breast in a skillet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Once roasted, place it over the stuffing, brush with oil, and season with salt. Transfer the turkey to the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the roasted breast to a plate and rest for 30 minutes.
- While the turkey rests, using a metal spatula, scrape the browned bits. Before serving, season stuffing with the bits. Carve and serve.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What kind of turkey should I use?
Julia Child recommends using an oven-ready bird injected with a self-basting marinade, which will help keep the turkey moist while it cooks.
How long should I cook the turkey?
Julia Child says to cook the turkey for 30 minutes per pound. So, if you’re using a 10-pound turkey, you’ll need to cook it for 300 minutes (5 hours).
What temperature should I cook the turkey?
Julia Child recommends cooking the turkey at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
How often should I baste the turkey?
Julia Child says to baste the turkey every 30 minutes, which will help keep it moist and prevent it from drying out.
What should I do if the skin starts to get too dark?
If the skin starts to get too dark, Child recommends covering the turkey with foil, which will help prevent it from getting overcooked.
Conclusion
You can’t go wrong with Julia Child’s turkey recipe. It’s simple, delicious, and sure to please your guests. So, what are you waiting for? Get cooking!
