Roast Turkey with Apricot Pork Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey, 12 to 14 lb, fully thawed
• 3/4 cup (6 oz) butter, softened
• 9 oz thinly sliced pancetta
• 1 onion, halved
• 1 leek, halved lengthwise
• 1 carrot, halved
• 2 celery stalks, halved
• 1/2 head garlic, cut crosswise
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 cups water, divided
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 lb ground pork
• 1 cup (5 oz) dried apricots
• 3 tbsp brandy
• 2 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp herbes de Provence

Instructions

1. Take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hour before roasting. If it was frozen, it needs 3 to 4 days in the fridge to thaw fully first. Pat it dry all over with paper towels.
2. Put the dried apricots in a small saucepan with the brandy and 2 tbsp water. Warm over low heat for 2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and let the apricots soak for 20 minutes until soft.
3. Drain the apricots and chop them into small pieces. In a large bowl, mix them with the ground pork, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, garlic, herbes de Provence, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cover and chill.
4. Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the lower third. Set a rack inside a large roasting pan.
5. Season the turkey well with salt and pepper, inside and out. Put the halved onion, leek, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaves in the pan, and set the turkey on the rack above them.
6. Spread the soft butter over the whole turkey, then lay the pancetta slices across the breast. Pour 3 cups of water into the bottom of the pan. This keeps the drippings from burning.
7. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Roast for 45 minutes, then lower the oven to 340°F and roast for 2 hours more.
8. Remove the foil and the pancetta, which will be crisp by now (save it as a snack). Raise the heat to 400°F and roast for 30 to 45 minutes more, until the skin is deep golden.
9. Meanwhile, press the stuffing into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake it uncovered at 350°F for 40 minutes, until browned on top and 165°F in the center. We bake it separately so the pork cooks through safely.
10. Check the turkey with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, without touching bone. It should read 165°F, and the juices should run clear. If the skin darkens too fast, tent it loosely with foil.
11. Move the turkey to a carving board and rest it for 45 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat so it stays moist when you slice it.
12. Carve the turkey and serve it with the baked stuffing. Strain the pan juices to make gravy.