Festive Roast Turkey
The perfect traditional Christmas feast for the whole family. Serve with a range of festive vegetables and condiments.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- 1 x 4-6kg turkey
- 150g room temperature butter
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 x carrot
- 1 x garlic clove
- olive oil
- Sea salt
- When receiving your turkey remove giblets from cavity and reserve for gravy.
- Store the turkey below 5° c for up to 5 days.
- A garage or shed can work this time of year, making sure the box is sealed and ice packs are frozen.
- On the day of roasting, sit the turkey in your kitchen to gently come to room temperature, this will enable the turkey to roast more evenly.
- My favourite method is to soften 150gr butter with the zest of a lemon, sea salt, thyme leaves and a splash of olive oil, about 25ml.
- Gently lift skin away from breast meat starting at the cavity and carefully push softened butter between skin and flesh.
- Next place a onion cut in 2, the rind-less lemon and a carrot into the cavity with some fresh sage.
- Place turkey on wire trivet and place in preheated oven 225° c for 20miutes.
- Next pour 500ml water onto base of tray and cover turkey with tin foil.
- Reduce heat to 165° c and roast for 30 minutes per kg removing tin foil for the last 30 minutes or so to colour skin.
- To check the turkey is cooked pierce the skin between thigh and breast and push the skewer in to flesh close to bone ,then draw out,the juices should run clear.
- Carefully remove trivet with turkey on to large tray and keep warm covering with foil.
- To make gravy, tip any juices from tray and reserve, add giblets to roasting tray and colour with vegetables from turkey cavity.
- Add light poultry stock and roasting juices reserved
- Bring to boil and skim any fat that rises to surface.
- Pass through a fine sieve and serve .
- Best accompaniments are homemade bread sauce and cranberry jelly.
- The stuffing we roast on the side to get a beautiful crisp exterior and soft and unctuous centre.