A big bird at Christmas is an absolute must. The stuffing in this recipe is moist and full of fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 5kg free-range organic turkey
- 225g butter, melted
- Large square of good-quality muslin
- Sprigs of fresh sage, to garnish
For the fresh herb stuffing
- 350g onions, finely chopped
- 175g butter
- 400-450g soft breadcrumbs
- 50g chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, chives, marjoram and lemon balm
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/ gas 4. Remove the wishbone for ease of carving later.
- 2. Make the stuffing. In a pan, sweat the onions in the butter over a low heat for about 15 minutes, until soft. Remove from the heat, then stir in the breadcrumbs, herbs and a little salt and pepper to taste, then cool.
- 3. Season the turkey inside and out and stuff the neck end with the stuffing. Weigh and calculate the cooking time (search for Galton Blackiston's guide to cooking a turkey for more info).
- 4. Soak a large piece of muslin in the butter. Lay over the turkey, covering completely, then place in a roasting tray. Roast for 3 hours 10 minutes (for a 5kg bird) or your calculated time. There is no need to baste. If you like your turkey well browned, remove the muslin 10 minutes before the end of the cooking.
- 5. It’s cooked when the juices run clear from the thickest part of the thigh. (If the juices are pink, cook for another 15 minutes, then test again.) Keep warm and rest for 30 minutes. Present the turkey on a platter with sage and holly sprigs. Serve with cranberry and bread sauces.
Nutritional info
Per serving (based on 10): 630kcals, 35.1g fat (21.3g saturated), 42.7g protein, 38.2g carbs, 3.3g sugar, 1.7g salt
Chef's tip
If you want to get ahead, you can make the stuffing up to 2 days in advance. If you do not have muslin, smear the turkey with soft butter, season well, then cover the whole dish with foil. However, the turkey will be semi-steamed, not roasted in the traditional sense.