Turkey and Roasted Squash

[ArticKatt]

I know that if I was cooking a chicken I would just cut the squash up and put it in the bottom on the roaster and put the chicken on top and roast. But a chicken takes a lot shorter time to cook then a turkey does. I want to roast the squash butternut and pumpkin with my turkey. I want to also make gravy. And I am doing stove top stuffing for the first time by myself. MY mom always made it but I used to stuff the bird. I can do it in the oven instead of ontop of the stove but I do need to know how to do it. the turkey is 4.59 kg or about 10 lbs I have a small pumpkin and a small butternut squash and thats likely about 4 or 5 cups. For stuffing I can get anything I need I am not cooking the turkey till Monday. Any help would be great thanks.

[Andy M.]

Hi, Arctickatt, there's a lot of info on what you want at this thread about Thanksgiving.

[Andy M.]

Here is what I do with butternut squash.

Roast Butternut Squash

1 Butternut Squash
1 Tb Oil
1 Head of Garlic
1/3 C Brown Sugar
4 Tb Butter
TT Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Select a whole squash with clear, unbroken skin. Rub it with the oil and place it on foil in a roasting pan or on a cookie sheet.

Cut the top off the garlic head about ¼ of the way down from the top so the tops of the cloves are cut off. Sprinkle with oil and wrap in foil.

Put the squash in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Up to 1 1/2 hours for a larger squash. Bake until a sharp knife can be easily inserted into the flesh.



Place the garlic in the oven for the last 45 minutes of the baking time.


Remove the pan and the garlic and allow the squash to cool enough to be handled.

Peel back the skin and scoop the squash flesh into a large bowl, discarding the seeds and the attached stringy matter.

Squeeze half the roasted garlic out of the bulb into the bowl. Add the sugar and butter. Season with salt and pepper.

At this point, the mixture should be pureed. The degree of smoothness is up to you. A potato ricer or masher will give you a slightly coarser texture. A stick blender, food processor or electric mixer will provide a smoother texture.

Adjust the seasonings and add more of the roasted garlic if desired.

[ArticKatt]

Thanks I have cooked turkey to many times to count and I know baked squash is good but I want to do it up like you do with carrots and onions I even have carrots and onions to add to it. I need to save space becuase for some reason this oven only has one rack. So I have one rack to roast a turkey on and do any other oven things I need to do. So what I propose is that I roast the turkey ontop of the veggies. Thankfully I have a large roaster. I am not doing dessert so thats not my problem LOL. I guess what I really need to know is do I cook the turkey for a while then add the veggies and put it all back in the oven or do I go for it and put the veggies in the pan under the turkey. I am thinking unless I want mush I should do the first and cook the turkey 1/2 way and then add the veggies.

[Andy M.]

Thanks for explaining. That helps.

I would start roasting the turkey and add the squash later in the process.

Separately prepare the cut up squash, carrots and onions and wrap them in HD foil or a separate small container that will fit into the corner of the roasting pan and roast for about an hour.

[marmalady]

If you're going to make a pan gravy, I'm a little leary that with all those veggies/squash, you're going to end up with mush at the bottom of the pan.

How about this alternative - Roast the squash/pumpkin separately, before you even put the turkey in teh oven; take it out, leave it on the pan and cover with foil. Then roast your turkey; while you're making your gravy and letting your turkey 'rest', you can pop the squash back in the oven to warm up.

[Robo410]

thats what I would do...until I build a kitchen with 3 ovens!!!

[ArticKatt]

HUmmm a kitchen with 3 ovens that might just be an idea. I have worked in commercial kitchens with 2 ovens. I often wonder what my dream kitchen would look like. I want counters that I can cut on and that it wont damage them. I was a huge oven but a built in one that I don't have to bend over to use. I want a nice stove top but one of the flat ones. Tons of counter space and all the small appliences I could ever want. I need a seating place where I can sit and cut things up. OH and a nice big side by side. What I don't want is cubbords with glass in them or a glass front fridge. I don't want anyone seeing my messes LOL I should start another thread of what would your dream kitchen look like.