Turkey Gobbler Stuffed with Chestnuts

The gobbler turkey is a large-sized bird having a medium convex shaped beak and is specially known by the erectile mammilated carnucle or fleshy membrane covering its head and extending over a part of the beak and neck. The turkey's tail is provided with fourteen distinct feathers that can be raised in such a manner as to form a semi-wheel. Its plumage is of a fine black or greenish color mingled with gray and white; they usually weigh from six to eighteen pounds. Draw, singe, pare, truss and remove the breastbone from a young gobbler turkey, the same as for roasting. Chop up ten ounces of kernel of veal and sixteen ounces of pig's leaf lard, both to be chopped separately then mixed together; season with salt and spice, adding a little shallot and the liver both well chopped. Put this into a mortar with a gill of stock (No. 194a), pound well, remove and place in a sautoir to cook for fifteen minutes, let cool and stir in sixty cooked chestnuts; stuff the turkey with this roast, dress and pour over a little good gravy (No. 404).