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Dinde Farcie Aux Marrons
(Turkey Stuffed with Chestnuts)
This is a French classic roast turkey recipe that is cooked mainly for Christmas dinner but can be served all year of course. The stuffing or dressing in this recipe has chestnuts, and cocktail sausage, and the bird is roasted on a bed of onion, carrot, belly pork or bacon, and bouquet garni. It is very seasonal as the Turkeys and chestnuts are ready together in the autumn months.
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✅About
Of course it is very seasonal as there are many turkeys ready at this time of year and also many lovely chestnuts to be bought in the markets all over France
Most people will buy a turkey from the supermarket either fresh or frozen and some people will buy a fresh one just before Christmas which may need plucking and cleaning or your butcher may do this for you.
📋Ingredients
- Whole fresh or frozen turkey large enough to feed all your guests.
- Chestnuts in the shell (But, already shelled chestnuts or canned will do if that's what you can find. Drain them, rinse under fresh water, and soak in water for one hour to ensure there is no canned flavor.)
- cocktail sausage or sausage meatballs
- onion
- carrot
- belly pork
- butter
- bouquet garni of thyme, bay leaf, and parsley
- salt and pepper
- more vegetables for cooking with the meat in the roasting pan during the second half of cooking, like potatoes, carrots, squash, parsnips or vegetables for side dishes
This delicious turkey dressing when cooked looks so very appetizing and your guests will rave about it!
How Big Should Your Turkey Be?
You will need between 11/4 pounds to 11/2 pounds per person. This will depend on how many children will be at the dinner and how many robust adult diners you will feed. Much better to have too much for wonderful left overs than not enough for your guests.
As a guide:
4.5- 5.9kg (10 - 15lb) turkey will serve about 8 to 10 people.
A 7.3 - 9kg (16 - 20lb) turkey will serve 16 to 18 people.
Poultry has a lot of weight in bone, skin, and fat that will not be eaten, so it is best to plan up.
🔢Instructions
- Remove the turkey giblets if they are still inside the turkey and keep aside.
- Rinse and pat dry.
- Season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper.
- Place your turkey giblets, sliced carrots, onions, diced belly pork herbs, and about 6 tablespoons of water in a large roasting pan.
- Pierce the shell of each chestnut and then bake them in a hot oven until the shells split (about 10 minutes).
- Remove the shells and inner skin while hot, (You can use already shelled ones or canned chestnuts from the grocery store if you prefer) and mix with the sausages or sausage meatballs.
- Place this mixture inside your turkey.
- Place your stuffed turkey on the bed of giblets and vegetables in the roasting tin.
- Cover the turkey skin with the softened butter and cover with either greaseproof paper or tin foil.
- Place in a pre-heated oven at 350°F/180°C/Gas 4, see the chart below for times.
- Remove the greaseproof paper/foil for the last half an hour to brown and crisp the turkey.
- Or, don't do anything to the turkey skin and bake in the oven uncovered at 400°F/200°C/Gas 6 for 15 minutes then turn it down to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4 for the remainder of the time. This method will seal the outside skin and keep the juices inside the turkey. This is the method I use and I will cover it with foil nearing the end of the 3 hours if it is browning too dark on the tips of legs and wings.
- Use a roasting thermometer to test for doneness which should read 165°F/75°C internal temperature taken in the deepest part of the thigh or breast.
- Allow your turkey to rest for about half an hour before carving it.
How To Make Turkey Gravy
Of course, your roast turkey recipe would not be complete without a good sauce or gravy to accompany it. Here is a very simple and tasty method to make a good sauce that everyone will love.
- Add about half a pint of water (this can be water from the vegetables if you have any or chicken stock, or a mixture of water and wine) to the giblets in the roasting tin and mix the juices from the pan into the liquid. Simmer for about 10 minutes and strain the liquid into a serving jug.
- If you prefer a thicker gravy you can mix a little cornstarch mixed with a little cold water to the meat juices before simmering it. A good tip is to use a small balloon whisk to prevent it from going lumpy.
- Put through a strainer and fill your warmed gravy boat.
- Your roast turkey recipe has now been transformed into a feast fit for a King and it can be served with your choice of fresh seasonal vegetables. Or, you can add roughly cut vegetables to the roasting pan about half way through the time like more carrots, onions, squash, potatoes, whatever you fancy.
How Long To Cook A Turkey In The Oven?
Here is a turkey roasting time chart that you can print located under the printable recipe card below.
See this handy chart. But remember that all ovens are different and you may have to adjust your time as needed. These temperatures apply to roast goose, roast chicken, and roast duck. As with all poultry, a little more done is better than a little under done.
If you would prefer to roast your poultry at 350°F/180°C/Gas 4 then this will reduce the cooking time by about 30 minutes.
Most people will want to have leftovers after Christmas dinner or whatever the occasion to cook a turkey is, so you can have plenty of delicious meat for sandwiches, turkey broth, soup, and great turkey recipes if you upsize your turkey weight to start with.
While your turkey is roasting get some ideas on how to carve your bird to get the most out of it.
Learn how to carve your turkey like the pros.
🍴Equipment
- meat thermometer
- roasting pan
- whisk
- gravy boat
- knife
- cutting board
❄️Storage
- A turkey can be frozen for up to a year.
- Cooked turkey and gravy can be frozen for 3 months well wrapped and in an air tight container.
More Delightful Recipes
Print📖 Recipe
A Special Roast Turkey Recipe
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 10 people 1x
Description
Bon Appetit
Like it? ~ Let us know below!
This is a roast turkey recipe that is a French classic cooked mainly for Christmas dinner but served all year as well. It is very seasonal as the turkeys and chestnuts are ready together and are so delicious together.
Ingredients
- 10 - 15 pound turkey
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound chestnuts
- 1 pound cocktail sausages or sausage meatballs
- 2 onion finely sliced
- 2 carrot finely sliced
- 4 ounce belly pork diced
- 2 ounce softened butter (To rub on outside of turkey to roast if using.)
- Bouquet garni of thyme, bay leaf, and parsley tied together
Instructions
- Remove the turkey giblets if they are still inside the turkey and keep aside.
- Rinse and pat dry.
- Season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper.
- Place your turkey giblets, sliced carrots, onions, diced belly pork herbs, and about 6 tablespoons of water in a large roasting pan.
- Pierce the shell of each chestnut and then bake them in a hot oven until the shells split (about 10 minutes).
- Remove the shells and inner skin while hot, (You can use already shelled ones or canned chestnuts from the grocery store if you prefer) and mix with the sausages or sausage meatballs.
- Place this mixture inside your turkey.
- Place your stuffed turkey on the bed of giblets and vegetables in the roasting tin.
- Salt the turkey skin liberally with the softened butter and cover with either greaseproof paper or tin foil.
- Place in a pre-heated oven at 350°F/180°C/Gas 4 for about 3 hours.
- Remove the greaseproof paper/foil for the last half an hour to brown and crisp the turkey.
- Or, after salting and buttering the turkey skin, place in the oven uncovered at 425°F/220°C/Gas 7 for 40 minutes, then turn it down to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4 for the remainder of the time. This method will seal the outside skin and keep the juices inside the turkey. This is the method I use and I will cover it with foil nearing the end of the cooking time if it is browning too dark on the tips of legs and wings.
- Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness which should read 165°F/75°C internal temperature taken in the deepest part of the thigh or breast. After the meat reaches this temperature, plunge the thermometer into the dressing and when it reads 165°F/75°C your turkey is done. In theory your turkey will continue to cook for about 20 minutes after taking out of the oven so you could take it out a little earlier if you want.
- Allow your turkey to rest for at least half an hour before carving commences. Letting it sit will allow the juice to distribute through the meat while it cools.
How To Make Gravy
Of course, your roast turkey recipe would not be complete without a good sauce or gravy to accompany it. Here is a very simple and tasty method to make a good sauce that everyone will love.
- Add about half a pint of water (this can be water from the vegetables if you have any or chicken stock, or a mixture of water and wine) to the giblets in the roasting tin and mix the juices from the pan into the liquid. Simmer for about 10 minutes and strain the liquid into a serving jug.
- If you prefer a thicker gravy you can mix a little cornstarch with water and add to the meat juices before simmering it. A good tip is to use a small balloon whisk to prevent it from going lumpy.
- Put through a strainer and fill your warmed gravy boat.
- Your roast turkey recipe has now been transformed into a feast fit for a King and it can be served with your choice of fresh seasonal vegetables. Like Vichy Carrots or Buttery Green Beans.
Bon Appétit!
Notes
How Many People Will My Turkey Serve
- 4.5- 5.9kg (10 - 15lb) turkey will serve about 8 to 10 people.
- A 7.3 - 9kg (16 - 20lb) turkey will serve 16 to 18 people.
Learn how to carve your turkey like the pros.
Visit my Pinterest boards.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: French
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