A Roast Turkey is arguably one of the most popular Christmas Dinner favourites, and we’ve compiled a few different recipes to bring you some festive options for your Turkey Roast this year. Don’t forget to weigh your Turkey when stuffed and adjust the cooking time accordingly- check our blog here for all the info you need!
Basic Ingredients:
Optional Ingredients:
- Turkey
- Stuffing
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 Onion (peeled and cut into wedges)
- Bunch of Fresh Herbs
- 50g Soft Butter
- Streaky bacon (6-10 slices)
For a Glaze:
- 4tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Pinch of cloves
Method:
- Remove the turkey from the fridge and leave to cool to room temperature (1-2hours).
- Preheat your oven to 180C and wipe the inside and outside of your Turkey with a damp cloth or paper towel.
- Using your fingers, lift the skin away from the flesh of the Turkey so that you can you place your stuffing in-between. Start from the neck and gently push the stuffing in. You may need to secure the skin again by sewing it or placing small skewers at the end.
- (Alternatively, you can stuff the cavity- just make sure you cook for longer and that there is space between the top of the stuffing and the top of the cavity- approx the space for a wooden spoon).
- If you stuffed the skin, place the chopped onion and herbs into the cavity, this will season your roast nicely from inside.
- Weigh the turkey and adjust your cooking time appropriately.
- Place in a roasting tin and cover the skin in the butter.
- If using bacon- spread on top- you can get creative and even lattice the bacon across the Turkey!
- Cover with Foil to make a tent- you want some space between the top of the turkey and the foil.
- Place in the oven and cook.
- If using the glaze, mix the ingredients together and cover the turkey with half of the glaze 30mins into cooking.
- If using the glaze, during cooking cover twice more in glaze intermittently.
- For the last 40minutes of cooking, remove the foil and baste regularly with the excess turkey juices in the bottom of the dish.
- You will know the turkey is cooked when the juices run clear when pierced with a skewer.
- Transfer to a platter, cover with foil or a tea towel and leave to cool for around 15 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Top Tip: Save the juices from the Turkey to make Gravy with!
For more Turkey Recipes: BBCFood. British Poultry Council. BBC GoodFood.
