6 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter
Cheesecloth
15-pound fresh turkey, neck and giblets reserved
Surefire stuffing
1 small onion, quartered
2 tablespoons flour
Salt, freshly ground pepper

Dampen four 2-foot-long sheets of cheesecloth and soak them in 4 tablespoons melted butter.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Loosely fill large cavity of turkey with about 5 cups of stuffing. Fill neck cavity with another 2 cups. Loosely wrap the remaining stuffing in buttered foil and refrigerate.

Skewer neck cavity shut and truss turkey with kitchen twine, tying the legs together to close the large cavity. Set turkey breast up on rack in large roasting pan. Cover the breast with butter-soaked cheesecloth.

Place turkey in oven; immediatly reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Roast, basting occasionally with a bulb baster, for about 3 1/2 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted in inner thigh reaches 155 degrees.

Remove cheesecloth. Place remaining foil-wrapped stuffing in oven to bake. Return turkey to oven and roast, basting often, for about 1 hour, until temperature reaches 180 degrees.

Meanwhile, make the stock. Melt the 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in medium saucepan. Add onion and reserved neck and giblets and cook, turning until well browned, about 10 minutes. Add 4 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, skimming occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours. Strain.

When turkey is done, transfer it to a platter and cover loosely with foil. Remove extra stuffing from oven.

Pour pan juices into a wide bowl and use a ladle to skim off fat. Place roasting pan over high heat and when it starts to sizzle, stir in the turkey stock. Reduce heat to moderate, stir in reserved pan juices and simmer 5 minutes. In a small bowl, mash the remaining 2 tablespoons butter with the flour. Whisk this paste into gravy, bring to boil and whisk until smooth. Reduce heat to low and keep warm, stirring occasionally, while you carve the turkey. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in any juices from the turkey. For dinner for 8.

- From Food & Wine magazine, November 1991.