Greek Traditional Turkey with Chestnut and Pine Nut Stuffing
This delightful turkey dish is a cherished family recipe passed down from my grandmother. It involves roasting the turkey in a tantalizing blend of lemon, orange, and tangerine juices, while the stuffing is a mouthwatering combination of meat, roasted chestnuts, and pine nuts. It's a superb choice for anyone with a passion for Greek cuisine.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chestnuts
- 1 cup butter, divided
- ⅔ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup tangerine juice
- 1 (10 pound) whole turkey
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup uncooked instant rice
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup raisins (Optional)
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Make a small incision on the sides of each chestnut and place in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until toasted. Remove from heat, peel, and chop.
- Melt 2/3 cup butter in a saucepan; mix in lemon juice, orange juice, and tangerine juice. Rub turkey inside and out with butter-juice mixture, reserving some for basting. Season turkey with salt and pepper; set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, ground pork, and onion until beef and pork are evenly brown and onion is tender. Drain grease. Mix in rice. Stir in toasted chestnuts, broth, remaining 1/3 cup butter, pine nuts, raisins, and brandy. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking until all liquid has been absorbed by stuffing. Fill all turkey cavities with stuffing and tie in place with kitchen twine.
- Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan and loosely cover breast and thighs with aluminum foil. Pour about 1/4 inch water into the bottom of the pan. Maintain this level of water throughout cook time.
- Roast turkey in the preheated oven for 3 to 4 hours, brushing occasionally with remaining butter-juice mixture. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) during final hour of roasting and remove foil. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh near the bone should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Nutrition
Calories: 930kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 86gFat: 52gSaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 322mgSodium: 572mgPotassium: 1241mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 7mg
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