Thanksgiving is very close, and if you’re looking for a recipe that will make your holiday meal unforgettable, you need to try 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 into 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 let the other flavors shine, giving the 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!
Expert Tips That I Recommend
- You need to brine the turkey for 6-12 hours for juicy, flavourful meat.
- To enjoy a perfectly browned and crispy turkey, pat it dry before seasoning it.
- Make sure you sear the turkey skin-side down before you roast to develop a crispy, golden skin.
- You can simmer the turkey bones and neck to prepare a rich homemade stock.
- Skim excess fat from the stock for a richer taste.
Recipe Variation for Different Diets
- Keto Version: Swap white sandwich bread for almond flour-based bread and replace all-purpose flour with xanthan gum.
- Gluten-Free: Instead of regular bread, choose gluten-free bread. Make sure you avoid all-purpose flour and use gluten-free starch.
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 |
Storing And Reheating This Recipe
Storing
- Once the recipe cools down completely, make sure you add turkey, gravy, and stuffing in different airtight containers. Then place it in the refrigerator, and it will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days.
- You can freeze it too, but make sure you freeze turkey and gravy separately. Add them in freezer-safe bags and save up to 3 months.
Reheating
- Stovetop: Take a skillet and warm over low heat, then add turkey along with broth in it. You can heat the gravy separately over medium heat while stirring it constantly.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, then add the turkey in a baking dish along with some gravy. Cover it with foil and heat for 15-20 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Juicy Julia Child’s Turkey can be paired with various other preparations. But out of all, turkey gravy and cranberry sauce are a perfect choice for this recipe. To keep it simple and easy, you can enjoy the savory flavor of turkey with corn bread or dinner rolls too.
Printable Version
Julia Child’s Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Use a sharp knife to cut the skin around the thighs where it attaches to the breast. Now you need to push the leg forward to pop the bone out of the socket and cut through the joint to separate the leg.
- Now, with the knife, cut along the sides of each thigh bone to separate it from the meat and slide the knife under the bone to free it. Cut around the end of the bone where it connects, find the soft cartilage, and slice through it to remove the thigh bone completely.
- Make sure you sprinkle salt, pepper, and some chopped sage on each thigh. Close the thighs back up using two wooden skewers, then tie them closed with kitchen twine.
- Now place the thighs on a plate or dish and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for 6 to 12 hours.
- With a knife, cut through the ribs along the side of the backbone, and using your hands, bend the backbone away from the breast to pop the shoulder joint out of socket. Then cut through the joint to separate the back from the breast.
- Prepare the brining solution, pour it into a large pot that will fit the turkey in your fridge. Brine the turkey for 6 to 12 hours.
- Now prepare the stuffing. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Slice the bread into small square cubes and spread the bread out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Now bake for 30 minutes until bread is crunchy. Then remove from the oven and allow it to cool. Then add the bread to a large bowl.
- Take a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and onion, and allow it to cook for three minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add this mixture over the dried bread.
- Remove the turkey breast from the fridge, dry it well, then prepare garlic butter by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl. You can add half of the butter to the turkey breast, rubbing it into the skin.
- Now preheat the oven to 425°F and heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, place the Turkey breast and skillet in the oven and continue baking at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes.
- While the Turkey bakes, you can beat the eggs into the stuffing mixture and add it to a large roasting pan. Once the turkey is done baking, remove it from the oven and add the turkey thighs to the roasting pan on top of the stuffing as well, thighs with garlic herb butter, and take time to ensure all the stuffing is under the turkey to keep it from cooking too much.
- Now reduce the heat and bake the turkey stuffing for an additional 50 to 75 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 165°F.
- Remove from the Oven and allow the turkey to rest for 20 minutes before cutting.
- Stir the stuffing to mix with the juices from the turkey.
- Now you need to prepare stock and gravy. All you need to do is take a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, then Turkey, neck, and bones,nes and allow it to simmer in oil for several minutes.
- Then add chicken, stock, celery, onion, carrots, and herbs, and boil it well.
- Allow it to cook for 45 minutes, then strain through a mesh strainer so that you can get a smooth, silky gravy.
- Allow this to cool for 20 minutes, as it allows fats to separate and you can skim them off.
- Now, to prepare gravy, heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat, add butter, and cook until it is melted. Add flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes so that it is well cooked. Pour in turkey stock, bring to a simmer, and allow to simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes until gravy is thick.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQs About Juicy Julia Child’s Turkey
How do I prevent turkey from drying out?
You can prevent it from drying out by not overcooking it for long periods. Make sure you check the internal temperature; if it’s 160 degrees F, just remove it from the heat.Â
How can I achieve a crispy skin?
You can enjoy a crispy skin by making sure the turkey is dry while you cook, and roast at a higher temperature initially. Avoid covering the turkey during the final stage of cooking, too.Â
Do I need to baste turkey while it cooks?
No, it is not necessary. You can coat it with herb butter, and its natural juices provide enough moisture.
What to do if the gravy is too thin?
The best way to enjoy thick gravy is to let it simmer for some time, or you can add a cornstarch slurry.
More Recipes That You Can Try
Classic Jamie Oliver Turkey Recipe
How To Make Salt Beef Bagel At Home
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Turkey And Ham Pie At Home
How To Make Gordon Ramsay’s Turkey Curry At Home
Conclusion
The Juicy Julia Child’s Turkey is an all-time classic preparation that needs no introduction. The tender, juicy turkey is a perfect choice for your Thanksgiving menu that will make every bite an enriching experience. You can enjoy the savory gravy with herby stuffing and crispy turkey that adds the extra charm to the feast with its flavors. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do, and do let me know in the comment section how it turned out for you.
