Easy Beginner's Turkey with Stuffing

Ingredients

• 12 pounds whole turkey
• 1.5 cups water
• 5 tablespoons butter , divided
• 1 package dry bread stuffing mix , 6 ounce
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 0.25 cups chopped onion
• 4 slices toasted white bread , torn into small pieces
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. 2

   Remove and discard giblets. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Place turkey in a shallow roasting pan.

3. 3

   Bring water and 4 tablespoons butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in stuffing mix, cover, remove from the heat, and let rest for 5 minutes.

4. 4

   While stuffing is resting, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook and stir until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

5. 5

   Add celery and onion to the stuffing. Mix in toasted bread pieces and season with salt and pepper.

6. 6

   Loosely scoop stuffing into the body and neck cavities of the turkey. Rub exterior of the turkey with vegetable oil and loosely cover with aluminum foil.

7. 7

   Roast turkey in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) and the interior of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (70 degrees C), about 3 ½ to 4 hours. Remove foil during the last 30 minutes of cooking to brown the bird.