Roasted jerk turkey stuffed with cornbread and andouille sausage

Ingredients:

Turkey

• 1 turkey weighing 4.5 - 5.5 kg, remove giblets
• 2 cups store-bought jerk sauce*
• 1 cup unsalted butter or margarine, room temperature

Filling (side dish)

• 1 cup turkey andouille sausage or smoked ham, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, margarine, or olive oil
• 0.5 cup onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup celery (stalks and a few leaves), finely diced
• 0.5 cup red or green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1.5 cups stale homemade or store-bought cornbread, cut into 2cm cubes.
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup chicken broth, as needed

Preparation:

1. Rub the turkey evenly inside and out with jerk sauce. Place breast-side down in a heavy-duty 8-quart zip-lock plastic bag. Press out as much air as possible and seal the bag tightly.
2. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 24-48 hours, turning occasionally.
3. Position the oven rack on the bottom shelf of the oven and preheat to 175°C.
4. Remove the turkey from the bag. Wipe off any jerk sauce inside and out, pat the turkey dry with paper towels, and generously season both inside and out with salt and black pepper. Stuff the turkey with breadcrumbs. Pull the breast skin back and rub a little oil under the skin.
5. Rub the outside of the turkey with a generous amount of butter and season with salt and black pepper. Truss the legs, if desired, and place the bird breast-side up in a large roasting pan at least 2 inches deep.
   
   Note *
   
   Instead of jerk sauce, you can use a dry jerk spice mix without salt. Rub the turkey with vegetable oil, then sprinkle the spice mix evenly over the top and inside of the turkey.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) and roast the turkey, basting frequently with the juices until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), 3 to 3.5 hours; when the skin is golden brown, cover the turkey with foil to prevent burning.
7. Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer it to a warm platter. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
8. Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing.
   
   In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the sausage and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
9. In a large bowl, combine the cornbread cubes, poultry seasoning, thyme, salt, and black pepper to taste. Add the cooled sausage mixture and egg. Add the broth, a little at a time, or as needed, until the mixture is slightly moist.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.