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Roast Turkey (After picking and singeing)

After picking and singeing the turkey, plump it by plunging quickly three times into boiling water and then three times into cold, holding it by the legs; place to drain and dress as in general directions; prepare stuffing by taking pieces of dry bread and crust (not too brown) cut off a loaf of bread fully three or four days old (but not moldy); place crust and pieces in a pan and pour on a very little boiling water, cover tightly with a cloth, let stand until soft, add a large lump of butter, pepper, salt, one or two fresh eggs, and the bread from which the crust was cut, so as not to have it too moist. Mix well with the hands and season to suit taste; rub inside of turkey with pepper and salt, stuff it as already directed on page 272, and sew up each slit with a strong thread; tie the legs down firmly, and press the wings closely to the sides, securing them with a cord tied around the body (or use skewers if at hand), steam (page 273) from one to three hours (or until easily pierced with a fork), according to the size, then place turkey in pan with water from dripping-pan in which the turkey was steamed; lard the turkey, or place on the breast the pieces of fat taken from it before it was stuffed, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge well with flour; if not sufficient water in the pan, keep adding boiling water and baste often, as the excellence of the turkey depends much on this. Cook until a nice brown and perfectly tender; remove to a hot platter and serve with cranberry sauce and giblet gravy. To make the gravy, after the turkey is dished place the dripping-pan on the top of range or stove, skim off most of the fat, and add water if necessary; chop the heart, gizzard and liver (previously boiled for two hours in two quarts of water), and add to the gravy with the water in which they were boiled, season with salt and pepper, add a smooth thickening of flour and water, stir constantly until thoroughly mixed with the gravy, and boil until the flour is well cooked. Some, in making stuffing, try out the fat of the turkey at a low temperature, and use instead of butter; others use the fat of sweet-pickled pork chopped fine (not tried out), and a small quantity of butter, or none at all. -Mrs. Judge J. L. Porter.