READY IN ABOUT 5 hrs

Greek Traditional Turkey with Chestnut and Pine Nut Stuffing

Read Reviews (20)

"This is my grandmother's old recipe for a delicious turkey roasted in lemon, orange, and tangerine juice, and stuffed with meat, roasted chestnuts, and pine nuts. An excellent recipe for everybody who loves Greek cuisine." — Penelope Karagouni

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Make a small incision on sides of each chestnut, and place in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until toasted. Remove from heat, peel, and chop.
Melt 2/3 cup butter in a saucepan, and mix in the orange juice, tangerine juice, and lemon juice. Rub the turkey inside and out with the mixture, reserving some for basting. Season turkey with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, ground pork, and onion until beef and pork are evenly brown and onion is tender. Drain grease. Mix in the rice. Stir in the chestnuts, pine nuts, raisins, 1/3 cup butter, broth, and brandy. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking until all liquid has been absorbed. Stuff all turkey cavities with the mixture, and tie in place with kitchen twine.
Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, and loosely cover breast and thighs with aluminum foil. Pour about 1/4 inch water into the bottom of the pan. Maintain this level of water throughout cook time. Roast turkey in the preheated oven 3 to 4 hours, brushing occasionally with remaining butter and juice mixture. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) during final hour of roasting, and remove foil. Cook turkey to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 30 mins
COOK 4 hrs 15 mins
READY IN 4 hrs 45 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Dec 18, 2007

Of all the turkeys I have ever eaten all over the world, this is a wonderful recipe! From the juices to the nuts in the stuffing, the brandy and all, this is the best I have ever had! I can not recommend it enough! The next time Ms. Karagouni makes her turkey, I wish she would post the picture of her creation here so all of you could see what a truly appetizing turkey it is and with her stuffing. It still could not begin to describe how fantastic it truly tastes! BRAVO to a great recipe 5 stars plus

—rose perrone

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Dec 07, 2010

just the standard turkey recipie the dressing was not good

—MERMAIDRACHEL

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26 Ratings

Dec 03, 2008

I made this stuffing recipe this year to impress my Greek inlaws since this was the first time they came to my house for Thanksgiving in 22 years! They loved it! The only change I made was adding a dash of cinnamon because I always remember my mother in law's stuffing having a hint of cinnamon. I thought it was a nice addition.

—Carolyn

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Nov 21, 2006

I tried the recipe and the turkey tasted great. Brushing it often while cooking with butter and juice mixture, added a nice golden color. The stuffing also was extremely tasteful.I'm going to make it again.

—Elena N.

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Nov 07, 2008

I want to make this recipe for thanksgiving,so I tried it with a plain chicken to see what it tastes like!!it was fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And very easy to make.You can omit the stuffing if you want to make it easier,but it is worthy,take my word for it!The stuffing may take you an additional 30 minutes to make,but everybody will be impressed!!!Don't your beloved ones worth that too?And on such a special day???

—LiliaGa

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Nov 05, 2008

I have been looking for a recipe that is comparable to what my mom used to make. She passed away many years ago but was a fabulous cook. Most of her recipes are written in greek so it is hard for me to follow, so I came here looking for help. Boy did I find it. This is exactly what she used to make. It is wonderfully flavorful and absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for sharing this!!

—ags08

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Nov 25, 2004

Excellent!!!

—BBBBB1

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Dec 02, 2004

This is a succulent dish which is also surprisingly easy to fix. The tangerine, lemon and orange give it an extra zest.

—Katerina

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Nutrition

Calories
931 kcal
47%

Carbohydrates
22.4 g
7%

Cholesterol
322 mg
107%

Fat
52.3 g
80%

Fiber
0.6 g
2%

Protein
86.2 g
172%

Sodium
644 mg
26%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Greek Traditional Turkey with Chestnut and Pine Nut Stuffing

Serving Size: 1/12 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 931
Calories from Fat: 470

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 52.3g 80 %
Saturated Fat 20.4g 102 %
Cholesterol 322mg 107 %
Sodium 644mg 26 %
** Potassium 1241mg 35 %
Total Carbohydrates 22.4g 7 %
** Dietary Fiber 0.6g 2 %
Protein 86.2g 172 %
Sugars 4.9g
Vitamin A 11 %
Vitamin C 26 %
Calcium 9 %
Iron 71 %
** Thiamin 40 %
** Niacin 255 %
** Vitamin B6 106 %
** Magnesium 37 %
** Folate 37 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.