Roast Turkey With Country Ham Stuffing and Giblet Gravy

This Thanksgiving centerpiece from the 1991 November issue of Gourmet brings together two beloved holiday mains: ham and roast turkey. You’ll start the salty, textured stuffing by browning cubes of country ham until the edges have crisped and the fat has started to render, then softening onions, celery, sage, and thyme in that flavorful fat. This mixture lends its flavor to a hearty combo of half white bread and half whole wheat, all brought together with plenty of butter and giblet stock.

Roasting your turkey draped with a butter-soaked cheesecloth means that it will be continuously basted with butter, even though you’re not checking on it every five minutes to scoop up the melted fat from the corners of the pan. A little bit of water added to the roasting pan will ensure that your drippings don’t burn during the three or so hours of roasting (which means no climbing up a stepladder to turn off the smoke detector when you have potatoes to mash). Once the turkey’s out of the oven, whisk together a quick roux with the turkey drippings, deglaze with cognac and some heavy cream, add some stock, and you’ll have the perfect trio of turkey, stuffing, and gravy in the starring role of your ‘90s-themed Thanksgiving feast.